Flea & Tick Season
During this warm summer weather, we see a lot of fleas and ticks on the patients at our Sicklerville, New Jersey Veterinary practice. The warm weather allows these parasites to flourish. Knowing that fleas and ticks thrive in the summer, many pet owners stop their flea & tick prevention during the winter months. We recommend year-round protection, as it is still possible for fleas and ticks to live and proliferate in your home. We’ve pulled fleas and ticks off of pets even when the weather outside is blustery and snowy. Still, it’s extra important to be vigilant when the summer comes. These pests can hop on to your pet from another pet indoors, from a garden, back yard, walking around the neighborhood, a trek through the woods, and especially playing at the dog park. Since dogs congregate and interact in these spaces, it would be one of the most likely places to pick up fleas & ticks.
Ticks carry disease-causing pathogens and can transmit them to your pet – or you – easily. One common, devastating illness is Lyme Disease. We commonly see Lyme positive pets. Though these pets do not always show symptoms, we are able to know a pet is Lyme positive through routine yearly blood work. And if Lyme-carrying ticks are hitching a ride into your home on the back of your pet, you risk your family members being exposed to this horrible disease.
Fleas can quickly go from a few little bugs to an infestation. Flea bites can even cause an allergic reaction in some pets. These unfortunate animals will start to lose their hair, become incessantly itchy, and sometimes develop a secondary skin infection due to scratching the itchy site of the flea bite. Fleas have also been known to bite people.
If the fleas are prolific enough, some people need to have an exterminator come to their home to eliminate the problem. Monthly preventatives can disrupt the life cycle of the flea and protect your pet, your home, and your family from a flea infestation before extreme measures are required. Preventatives products can save a lot of time, money, and discomfort for your pet and your family.
There is a variety of flea and tick products available to protect your pets. Call us at 856-875-1323 to purchase your pet’s protection!
