Is Fall Your Favorite Season?

If fall is your favorite season, then you have something in common with ticks.  They LOVE cooler weather-- particularly when the temperatures fall between 40-60 degrees fahrenheit. 

Plus, there's a new tick on the rise!  Have you heard of the Asian Long-Horned Tick?  It was first identified in the United States in 2017 on Sheep in New Jersey.  It thrives in cool environments and is an aggressive feeder.  These ticks are now in Kentucky and you may find them on your pets.  You may find them on you.  These ticks are such aggressive eaters that they have been known to drain large animals of blood to the point of death.  Additional sources:  www.cdc.gov/ticks/longhorned-tick/index.html

The take home message here is that these ticks love cool weather, and you need
to continue to apply your flea and tick control on your pets-- dogs AND cats.   Keep in mind that ticks carry diseases that can be deadly to cats and cause grave illness in dogs.  Both fleas and ticks carry diseases that affect dogs and cats and humans.  External parasite control is an important part of keeping your entire family healthy.
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I hope this information helps you.  Look for more conversations from your veterinary health experts about issues important to your pets (and families’) health here on the NEW blog section of our website!

-- Shantila Rexroat, DVM