Summer time is the best don’t you think? Living in Northern Michigan has its perks! Endless hiking, camping and bonfires are definitely some of them. Longer days and warmer nights means more time outside. If you’re anything like us you have your favorite trails mapped out or you like to play that extra round of fetch in the yard. Maybe even have doggie play dates that gather around a fire as the sun starts to set. Just remember that as you’re having fun, little pests are lurking. Make sure you’re proactive against fleas, ticks and mosquitos that will give your pets unwanted “gifts”. In this case, sharing is not always caring.
Tis the season of annoying bugs, fa La La La La, La La La LA!
UGH! The dreaded bugs of pet owners are officially back (fleas, ticks, heart worm, and various parasites). Lyme disease and heart worm can both be deadly if not treated. The best offense is a good defense. So please be proactive in using a good flea and tick preventative along with worming your pets during these warm months if not all year long.
If you do find ticks on your sweet fur babies, we can remove them for you safely. It’s important to remove ticks properly and have your veterinarian test them for Lyme disease. We suggest checking out this tutorial:
Check out this helpful video.
Ticks have to be removed carefully because they bury their heads under the skin. If pulled out incorrectly, parts of them (specifically their mouth pieces) can be left behind and cause infections.
Flea and tick preventative is important because if ticks that carry lyme disease are latched on for more than 24 hours have a greater chance of transmitting it to your pet. We recommend you contact your vet and ask what they think is the best preventative for you pet.
They’re Here to Suck your Blood
One minute you are relaxing and the next you are annoyed by the faintest little buzzing sound, yeah, you know the one. It’s the worst part of summer– MOSQUITOS. They are here to suck your blood and your pets blood too.
On top of the pesky, itchy, blotchy bite marks they leave you with, they transmit heart worm to pets. Heart worm is not something to take lightly. If one infected animal is bit by a mosquito it can be transmitted quickly to another. Please check with your vet to see which heart worm preventative they recommend. Note: if your pet is new to taking a heart worm preventative, they should be tested for heart worms first before starting the preventative.
Here is a website we found that has plenty of great information on the topic:
https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/heartworm-basics
Dog groomers are not vets but we will answer questions and point out helpful tips or concerns to the best of our abilities. When it comes to your pet’s health, you should ALWAYS consult a licensed veterinarian.
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