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It Must be Summer . . .
. . . It's not officially summer until June 21 but it seems like it's here anyway. Hot days, rattle snakes, mosquitos and foxtails. These are all hazards for our pets and we associate them with warm weather.
Heat - The temperature doesn't have to get very high for it to be a problem in a closed vehicle but hot days are especially dangerous. We've said it before and we'll say it again, DON'T LEAVE YOUR PETS IN YOUR CAR! We've seen a few heat stroke cases over the years and they are not pleasant memories.
Rattlesnakes - The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake is the only venomous snake that inhabits Northern California. We've treated several rattlesnake bite victims this spring as this is an above average year for snakes*. One of the cases we treated involved a baby rattler - no more than 6 inches long - but the venom from that snake caused as much trauma as a larger snake because the venom is more concentrated and young snakes don't have the ability to control the amount of venom they inject into their victims.
Mosquitoes - Mosquitos are still flying. This means your pets are at an increased risk for exposure to heartworm. Heartworm disease, which is spread by mosquitoes, is debilitating, and may even prove fatal. All dogs and cats are at risk regardless of whether they are considered indoor or outdoor pets.
Treatment for heartworm disease is expensive, traumatic and risky, and its outcome is unpredictable. Prevention is the best treatment - and it's easy, convenient and affordable. Your dog or cat should be on a year round Heartworm preventative. Ask us about Heartworm prevention and the risks associated with this potentially fatal disease.
We strongly recommend that your dog or cat be tested annually for heartworm disease - EVEN IF THEY ARE ON YEAR ROUND PREVENTION.
Foxtails - The grasses that blanket our golden hills produce clusters of "foxtails" or barbed spikelets which can attach to the fur or soft tissue of any animal that comes in contact with it. If you have fields where your pets run in the summer now is the time to cut those grasses down. Contact with foxtails causes more veterinary visits than any other problem in the spring and summer. They are everywhere our pets walk and play so being aware of them is a real advantage to keeping your pets from these painful pests!
Foxtails can penetrate just about anywhere on your pet. They often go up the nose causing severe and powerful sneezing, sometimes with blood. They may go into the ear causing the pet to shake their head. This really hurts especially if it is touching the eardrum. Cats are at eye level with foxtails so they often will get one in their eye. You may not see it though because they will be squinting.
These are all emergencies. Dogs often will have them migrate into their paws. It is a good idea to check your pet's feet each day and remove any foxtails. You may notice them licking a foot more than usual. This is often an indication that one already has entered the foot and is causing pain and swelling. Long coated dogs and cats are also at greater risk of having a foxtail migrate into their bodies, because the thick fur can catch the foxtail and hide it as it migrates in. If you usually keep your pet's coat short for the summer, now is the time to get him or her groomed.
* See article in Santa Rosa Press Democrat 5/21/13, "Warm weather may be behind rattlesnake bites"
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