Vet Central Black Forest Veterinary Clinic 12655 Black Forest Rd. Suite 118 Colorado Springs, CO 80908 (719) 495-3666
www.BlackForestVetClinic.com Ted Mohr, DVM Amy Estrada, DVM Verona Douglas, DVM
North Powers Animal Hospital 5470 Powers Center Pt., Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80920 (719) 282-1222
www.npahvet.com Russell Welfare, DVM Gwen Carlson, DVM
St. Francis Animal Hospital Located in Briargate 8834 N. Union Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80920 (719) 282-3443
www.FrancisVet.net Kim Kaufer, DVM Kerri Mozinski, DVM
Penny, a mixed-breed rescue dog, poses in her home in Brooklyn, New York. Her owner, Margery Cooper, is vigilant about inspecting her for ticks because her previous dog died of complications from Lyme disease. Experts say climate change has increased the prevalence of fleas, ticks and heartworm disease for pets in the U.S. AP Photo/Beth J. Harpaz
Tender Care Veterinary Center
Climate change and pets: More fleas, more heartworm
www.tcvetcenter.com tcvetcenter@gmail.com
8036 Meridian Park Drive Falcon, CO 80831 (behind 7-11) (719) 559-TCVC (8282)
Amy J. Clark, DVM Rob Willyard, DVM Mark G. Finke, DVM
BY SUE MANNING, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — Climate change doesn’t just affect habitats for wildlife. It’s also affecting cats and dogs. Fleas and ticks are getting smaller, but there are more of them, they eat more often, and they’re causing problems in what used to be the colder months. Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes, but those mosquitoes — which used to be found only in certain regions — are now carrying the disease all over the United States. Increased temperatures have turned kitten season into a year-long event instead of a spring ritual. The weather is even disrupting hibernation for a California woman’s pet tortoises. NASA recently declared that 2015
was the hottest year on Earth in 136 years of record-keeping with an average temperature of 58.62 degrees. For pet-owners, those changes may mean rethinking preventive care like giving dogs flea and tick repellent and heartworm pills. For example, now that heartworm has been found in every state, “I don’t know why a person wouldn’t give his dog heartworm pills once a month. That seems like a no-brainer,” said Gregory D. Ebel, professor and specialist in infectious diseases at Colorado State University’s veterinary school in Fort Collins. Ticks cause Lyme disease in dogs as well as in humans. The bugs are most active in warm months, but with cities CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
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SPRING 2016
PETACULAR
24-HOUR EMERGENCY CARE
Powers Pet Emergency and Specialty Now at our new location 5886 Tutt Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80923 719-473-0482
PowersPetEmergency.com Lee Wilwerding, DVM
To Feature Your Clinic in Vet Central contact: Cathy.Tapia@gazette.com or 719.636.0130