Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Feet thump against the floor in time to non-stop scratching and teeth nip at fur in frenzied concentration, punctuated by an occasional whine of misery.
For such tiny little critters, fleas have a remarkable knack for being hard to ignore, especially when they take up residence on the family pet.
Prolific in warm weather, flat bodied and equipped with hook-like claws that enable them to cling to flesh and hair, fleas crawl through the fur of pets, biting and feeding on them.
Non-discriminatory, even though pets are easy targets, fleas make their living on just about any furred or feathered critter they can find, and it’s in that hopping back and forth between species that the real problems arise.
Last week, the New Mexico Department of Health announced the first confirmed case of human plague in the state this year; the victim is a 63-year-old Santa Fe County man.
Generally treatable by modern medicine, though it’s not the terrifying thing it once was, plague remains a concern because it’s easily transmitted. And while most who contract it do recover, the infection can progress rapidly and complications can be fatal.
Though the Santa Fe case marks the year’s first confirmed human infection, infections in 14 domestic animals and two wild animals have also been confirmed this year as of June 6. That’s prompted the department to emphasize the danger of fleas and the importance of prevention and caution, particularly for pets.
Historically, while human plague cases do occur annually in the state — there were four in 2016 — state health department data shows human plague cases tend to be concentrated in the north-central area of New Mexico. The good news is that since 1949, there has not been a single confirmed case of human plague in Curry or Roosevelt counties.
As fortunate as the region has been, there’s still good reason to take care, given the ease with which plague is transmitted, and especially when traveling with pets.
Caused by bacteria found in rodents, plague can be transmitted to humans and pets because when fleas feed on infected animals then move to another animal, they pass the bacteria to the new host. While flees are the most common culprit, plague can also be transmitted by touching an infected animal or the carcass or droppings of an infected animal.
And pets end up in harm’s way simply by being themselves — mousing, chasing rabbits, unknowingly sharing their food bowls with wild critters, investigating dead carcasses or just hanging out in the yard and catching fleas.
With proper consideration, however, pets can be protected and risks greatly reduced.
Tips from the New Mexico Department of Health:
• Avoid sick or dead rodents and rabbits, and their nests and burrows.
• Keep pets from roaming and hunting.
• Provide safe and effective flea control for pets; if possible, talk with a veterinarian about appropriate flea control products.
• Clean up areas near the house where rodents could live: woodpiles, brush piles, junk and abandoned vehicles.
• Don’t leave pets food and water where rodents can get to it.
• Have sick pets examined promptly by a veterinarian.
• See a health-care provider about any unexplained illness involving a sudden and severe fever.
Fleas might be a normal part of warm weather, but between itching misery and risk of disease, adopting a zero-flea policy is the best approach to ensuring pets and their people a happy, healthy summer.
Sharna Johnson is always searching for ponies. You can reach her at:
