Spring is almost here, and so are some unwelcome guests...

Spring is on its way and two of our least favorite critters are about to start multiplying, spreading and looking for our beloved pets as hosts.  Fleas and ticks are more than just an annoyance, they are a serious health threat to pets and their people.   It is now recommended to keep flea and tick preventative on our pets year round.  But if you don't use preventative during the winter is it very important to start using it as early as right now, especially with the warmer temperatures we have had this year.  As a result of the warmer temperatures and very little time below freezing, we expect to see more of these pests this year and earlier too.  There are many products on the market to use as preventatives, but it is always best to discuss which products to use and which work best, with your veterinarian. The use of over the counter preventatives can be non effect and even dangerous to your pets.
Ticks can cause even more issues than fleas in that they carry many tick borne diseases that affect both pets and people.  Deer ticks, very common in our area carry Lyme Disease.  This disease is preventable in two way...first a good topical preventative for ticks should be used on our pets, and secondly a Lyme vaccine will help protect your pet should they get bitten by a Lyme Disease carrying tick.  Ticks also carry various other diseases that can affect the health of our pets.  Your veterinarian can give you more details on these and about the preventatives you should use.

Simple measures taken now will prevent a lot of head and heart ache down the road.