Spring Showers Bring… Foxtails, Fleas, and Ticks?

 We had some torrential rains this winter and spring, which will hopefully ease our infamous drought. I love seeing the green hillsides this time of year. What will all this greenery mean for our pets this summer? What hazards do we need to think about as we head out to enjoy this beautiful weather? All this green means we are going to think about increased numbers of rattlesnakes, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.
With our traditionally dry climate, we have lower numbers of fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes than more humid areas of the United States. That doesn’t mean that we don’t see fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes in California, and ignoring those pests might put our animals at risk. Fleas can carry tapeworms and can cause a flea allergy dermatitis, making your poor pup itchy and miserable. Ticks are found in more wooded areas, so a quick hike in the mountains or a weekend camping trip could expose you and your animals to ticks. Ticks carry a number of diseases like Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Mosquitoes carry heartworm disease. If your dog or cat is bit by an infected mosquito, the microscopic heartworms travel to the heart and lungs and cause damage.
Increased vegetation from our spring rains means more food for small animals like mice and rabbits. Increased numbers of small rodents will help to increase the population of snakes, with rattlesnakes being a concern for our pets and ourselves.
Finally, when all that green vegetation dries out, foxtails (or plant awns), can get into our pets’ skin and ears. These plant seeds burrow into the sensitive skin between the toes or sit in the ear canal. They can cause pain and eventually abscesses.
Thankfully, there are great preventatives to keep our pets protected against fleas, ticks, and heartworm disease. There is a rattlesnake vaccine that can give your dog more time to get medical care. While we cannot prevent foxtails, you can keep your pets from areas with dried vegetation and get treatment if they are shaking their head or licking at their paws. The rains helped us in many ways, but may bring some unwanted pests this summer.
Stevenson Ranch Veterinary Center is located at 25832 Hemingway Ave. in Santa Clarita.  For more information, please call 661-799-0655 and visit www.srvc.com.