Every region in the United States has varying climate and thus there is a a possibility that flea and tick population may
vary according to the season but these parasites don’t really have any
particular season when they won’t be present in the environment. They can be
lurking under the carpet or in the most humid corner of your yard, waiting for
the right time to get visibly active. Their
lifecycle is replicating and thus no season can be really defined as a flea and tick season. It may, however, happen that in summers or spring season they
become more prominent due to warmth.
In the warm regions, their existence can be
envisaged year round. But you still cannot say they won’t occur in colder
regions. Their larvae and eggs can be found in winters as well which can mature
as and when they get proper conditions like carbon dioxide from your dog’s
body. So, you need to prevent your dog against these parasites no matter which
season it is or what region you are living in.
In order to help you with more specific
regional data about fleas and ticks, here is complete information about the
condition of fleas and ticks in most prominent areas of the United States.
Northwest
States
Northwest regions like Washington, Northern
California and Oregon experience cooler temperatures with heavy precipitation.
These regions also have thick vegetation and forests however, on the other
hand, there are places which are drier which causes variation in the type of
parasites that develop in the region. Well, fleas are a year-round problem in all these regions. Fleas multiply in the
summers and by the time it’s spring they become mature enough to bite the pets.
This infestation also continues in the mild
winters of Washington and Oregon making it imperative for the pet parents to
keep their pet protected against fleas during all the seasons. Ticks on the
other hand usually infest the pets during spring. The most common ticks found
in these regions include – American Dog Tick, Rocky Mountain Wood tick and
Western black-legged Tick.
Southwest States
Southern region includes states like New
Mexico, Southern California and Arizona which have a dry and arid climate. Since the temperature is not humid, flea
population is less but not completely absent. Spring and summer months are the
peak times when these parasites multiply. In fact, fleas found in Arizona are known
to cause Bubonic plague thus need to be prevented from biting the pet using
parasite repellents and monthly topicals. Talking about ticks, brown dog ticks are
the most common ones in this region.
Midwest
States
September, October, and November are the peak flea seasons in Illinois and Ohio but the
fleas start their activities in May itself. So, the activity is almost year
round which means preventatives are required for the whole year. It’s only that part of winters when the temperature
goes into minus that the fleas won’t really be a big problem but they still can
be a nuisance if your dog hasn’t been treated from earlier infestations. Besides
fleas, American dog ticks, black-legged ticks and brown dog ticks are commonly found in
Midwest.
Northeast States
New York, New England and Pennsylvania have
the perfect woody and grassy environment to breed. No matter how snowy or icy
it gets in winters, fleas in these areas somehow survive through rodents and
thus can become problematic in chilly winters as well. The peak season for
ticks in these regions is spring when they get most active and find shelter in
forested, shady areas. Black-legged ticks
are indigenous to these North-eastern states with Lone star and American Dog
ticks gradually making their way north.
Southeast States
Southeast states are hot and humid, making
the states like Florida, Georgia and
Carolina ideal for flea infestations. American dog ticks, black-legged ticks and brown dog ticks also infest the animals
residing in these regions.
Conclusion
Fleas
and ticks don’t really need any season to infest your pet. They can contract
the infestation at any point in time of the year and thus your dog has to be on
the preventatives in advance. In some regions where there is heavy snowfall,
you can halt the prevention program for a month or so but there are full
possibilities that fleas or ticks that have infested your house may still cause
infection in your dogs so you must use some flea sprays even if you are not
treating your pet for a while. In case your pet starts showing signs of fleas or
ticks, resume the treatment again. However, vets still recommend to not skip
the prevention program at all so your dog stays healthy and disease free for
the entire year.
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