Protect Pets from Snakes & Ticks!

After a record cold and often powerless winter, most of us are thrilled at the prospect of spring and warmer temperatures.  But what is the old saying, “with the good comes the bad” and vice versa.  

Spring and summer in Texas bring two additional threats to our pets—an influx of ticks and snakes!

Although ticks are found year-round across the United States, the Permian Basin is anticipating a particularly bad year for the presence of ticks.  Besides being a nuisance, they carry and transmit disease.  

According to the American Kennel Club, tick-borne disease is a growing threat to both canine and human health.

The most important tick-borne diseases that affect dogs are Lyme-disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, Bartonellosis, and Hepatozoonosis. All can have serious health consequences for dogs, even be fatal. 

There are numerous preventatives for fleas and ticks.  Ask your veterinarian which one is best for your dog.

Another culprit that we see a lot of in West Texas is the venomous pit viper, commonly known as the rattlesnake. Although there is not a repellent for snake bite, there is a vaccination that buys you time to get to the vet if your dog gets bit.  Dogs are by nature curious creatures making them targets for snakes.  If your dog is bit, an antivenom administered by a veterinarian is your dog’s only savior and you only have a short period of time for this to happen. 
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Talk to your vet about where you live and your lifestyle to see if the two-shot vaccine with an annual booster is right for your dog. 

The time and money is well  worth it to keep your best friend healthy and safe!
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Shelia Huffman, Contributor/MHC Board 
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Shelia recently moved to the Greenwood community of Midland from Dallas where she was a staff writer for White Rock Lake Weekly and a columnist for Bubblelife Media.  A retired travel agent and event planner, she has  been an animal activist her entire life.  Shelia  has a daughter and son-in-law in Midland, a grandson in Dallas and a granddaughter at Texas Tech. She lists cooking and writing about food, and,  of course, playing with her Terrier Mix rescue, Penelope, as some of her favorite things.