Plague Bacteria Confirmed Boulder County

Health officials have just confirmed the presence of the bacteria that causes Bubonic Plague in prairie dog colonies in Boulder County. Although this sounds very alarming on the surface, every summer the same bacteria is found in prairie dogs in Weld County. That’s not to say that we should not heed the warning; prairie dog colonies, although cute, do act as a reservoir for fleas that carry the bacteria. If your pet “visits” with a prairie dog he/she can pick up fleas and transport them home to you. Dogs are fairly resistant to becoming sick with the plague- but cats and people can become ill and die. This brings up several preventative health recommendations for our pets.

Dogs: We do have fleas and ticks in Greeley. It will never be like the southeast- but we do see them each summer. For best protection we recommend Frontline Plus applied monthly until fall. We cannot recommend “generic” brands or home remedies such as garlic or brewers yeast to prevent fleas or ticks. Keeping your dog away from wildlife keeps not only your pet safe, but also the wild animal and your family.

Cats: We strongly recommend keeping your cat indoors year-round. If your cat goes outside and you have any proximity to prairie dog colonies we recommend either Frontline for cats or, even better, Revolution. Revolution prevents fleas and ticks but also prevents deadly feline heartworm and other intestinal parasites. Also, we handle wildlife cases all summer long- the majority of which are injured or killed by cats. Bottom line is that keeping your cats indoors saves wildlife, and prevents your cat from bringing fleas home that could spread the Plague to you and yours.