Summer Shenanigans

As our outdoor activities increase during the summer months and well into the fall, it is of utmost importance to do inspections of your dog after an adventure in the beautiful Colorado landscape.

Foxtails

Foxtails, or rather foxtail head seeds, are especially dangerous to your pups during summer and well into the fall. The seeds are barbed and can invade your dog’s body, bloodstream, and more extremely, their lungs. WebMD has a very good write up on them, located here. Close inspections can avert most issues associated with foxtails, so be vigilante!

Ticks

Peak tick season may be coming to a close, but that does not mean they disappear. These blood feeding parasites are a not just a nuisance in our higher elevations, but can also transmit diseases and other illnesses. If you and your dog are travelling in wooded areas, or even areas with high grass or brush, it is not uncommon to get a hitchhiker or two in the form of these eight legged pests. Careful inspections are important – what may seem like a mole or skin tag, may, upon closer inspection, have legs and would need to be removed. Boulder County has some tips on prevention and removal here.