It’s vital to understand the differences between insect bites and stings on dogs. Certain symptoms do require medical treatment, even if not all bites are treated. It is important to keep your dog healthy by knowing how to prevent these bugs from biting your dog.
The Flea
The flea is a tiny dark brown insect that feeds on the blood of dogs. Fleas are usually brought in by people from outside, where they multiply and breed. When fleas bite their dogs, they will scratch and chew at the skin. Self-trauma can be caused by scratching or chewing, causing sores and scratches on the skin. It can be hard to detect a flea bite under the thick dog coat. The bite of a flea looks like teeny, tiny red marks on your dog’s skin.
Should be the first to look out for flea dirt or live fleas if you notice insect bites, or if your dog seems to chew and scratch a lot. The flea dirt is made up of dried blood, fecal matter, and sand. It appears as tiny black spots on your skin. Dogs are more likely to find fleas or flea dirt on their lower back, on their tail and on their hind legs.
Flea Bite Dermatitis can be caused by flea saliva in some dogs. The skin disorder is characterized by intense itching, hair loss and open sores. Secondary to flea allergies, bacterial and yeast infections may develop.
is the best option to treat and prevent fleas. There are several types of preventions such as flea/tick products, collars and oral medications. Consult your veterinarian about the best flea-and-tick product for your dog. Make sure you use it all year round to prevent fleas.
Ticks
The eight-legged ticks like to hide under leaves, shrubs, and woods. They will then crawl on to the body of the dog, most commonly the legs and paws before digging into the skin. Then they will bite their host to get blood.
The bite of a tick looks like an inflamed circular skin area. After a tick has been removed, the area may be slightly reddened and swollen. Crusts and scabs are also possible. Your dog may experience irritation and itching from the skin lesions. Dogs may scratch and lick the bite area after the tick has been removed. This can cause an infection. When a tick transmits Lyme disease the bite can look like a bullseye on the skin. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you find any ticks on your dog. This is especially true if the ticks are already stuck to their skin. You should also schedule a test for your dog to check tick disease within 2 to 3 months of the bite. Screening for tick-borne diseases is important, as well as providing treatment when a disease is found.
Make sure to check your dog for ticks every day, particularly after it has been exposed to ticks. The most common places to find ticks on dogs are the ears, feet, neck, and head. Ticks are often found between toes, or on the dog’s anus. Check your pet for any ticks.
Dogs need to follow a year-round plan of flea and tick preventatives. Many different types of tick and flea preventatives are available. Your veterinarian can advise you on the best and most safe flea and tick preventative for your dog.
Mites
The skin mites that cause Sarcoptic Mange or Demodex are so small they can’t be seen with the naked eye. The bites of these mites are also not visible. When there are too many mites on the dog, it will make their fur fall off in these spots. This can cause patchy hair loss. If a sarcoptic itch is present, these areas will be extremely itchy. Demodex is not a cause of itchiness, but it can cause secondary infections that can make the skin irritated, red and crusty or pustulous.
Sarcoptes Scabiei is the mite responsible for sarcoptic scabies (also known as scabies). It is extremely contagious. Sarcoptic mange is spread to dogs by foxes or other dogs with these mites. Sarcoptic mange can be spread by dogs to humans.
Demodex is caused by Demodex both canis, and Demodex alone. They are a normal part of a dog’s skin. These demodectic dog mites can be more prevalent in dogs with a compromised immune system. This may occur when the immune system is weakened by a young age or an immune-mediated disease. Contact your vet if your dog displays any symptoms of mange.
Keep your dog away from infected animals and foxes. Some flea/tick preventions, like NexGard, Simparica, and Bracto protect your dog against scabies and demodex. These products will protect your dog from ticks, fleas, and skin mites.
Otodectes Cynotis is another type of mite that can cause problems for dogs. The mites can be contagious. Keep your dog far away from cats and dogs that are infected. The bites of ear mites can’t be seen because they only inhabit the horizontal and vertical ear canals.
Mosquitoes
The mosquito is one of the more common insects that flies. It can be found almost anywhere in the world. Dogs can be bitten and fed on when outside, but they also have the ability to enter homes. The bite of a mosquito on a canine is red and may have a raised lesion, just like a human’s. The mosquito can bite any part of the dog’s body. However, they prefer to bite areas with less fur such as ears, stomach, inner legs and groin.
If hives appear, this indicates that there is an allergic reaction. Call your vet for advice if your dog is experiencing an allergic reaction. The risk of Heartworm Disease is a major concern when bitten by a mosquito. Heartworm disease is not carried by all mosquitoes, but infected ones will spread the parasite via a bite. To protect dogs from heartworm, it is important to use heartworm preventative year round.
These are some ways you can protect your pet from mosquitoes.
- Ask a company to spray your yard with repellent. Ask the pest control company how long you can keep your pet off of the lawn after it has been treated.
- Before your dog leaves the house, spray a bug repellant on its coat. A good example is Vet’s Best Natural Mosquito Repellent Spray. The product contains natural oils that can be applied to the dog’s coat as often as necessary.
- The topical applications Advantix II or Vectra 3D protect from fleas and ticks as well as mosquitoes. One dose lasts 30 days. The products have only been labeled as for dogs. Please do not administer to cats as medication formulated for canines is toxic for cats.
Bees/Hornets/Wasps
When stinging insects like bees or yellow jackets stung a dog, it can result in significant pain. The sting may cause dogs to cry and then lick their sting. Dogs that are stung in the leg or paw may begin limping right away. The majority of stings cause swelling, redness, and pain in the affected area. You can reduce the swelling and discomfort by applying an icepack to the affected area. This should be done every 5-10 minutes. Ask your vet if Benadryl is needed and what dosage.
Can be an allergic reaction in some dogs when stung with a yellow jacket, yellow hornet or wasp. An allergic reaction can include the following symptoms:
- Face swelling
- Hives
- Breathing difficulties
- Itching intense
- Swelling at the sting site can be mild to severe.
Stomach symptoms, including diarrhea and vomiting.
This is an emergency situation and your local veterinary clinic should be contacted immediately.
In the summer, it is difficult to escape wasps and yellow jackets. Nests are often hidden in trees, buildings or beneath the ground. Keep your dog out of the area if you are aware that there is one in your yard.
Ants
Fire ants can bite a dog and cause severe pain. It can appear as a raised, red lesion on the skin, and sometimes with a pus-filled white center, similar to a pimple. Ice packs can reduce swelling and pain. Call your veterinarian and ask for the dosage of Benadryl if your dog has been bitten several times by fire ants.
An allergic reaction can occur from ant bites. This is most likely to happen if the dog has been bitten multiple times by fire ants. An allergic reaction can cause swelling of the face, hives and difficulty breathing. Itching, swelling of moderate to severe severity at the site where the ant bit, vomiting, diarrhea and even gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and vomiting are possible. Contact your local animal hospital immediately if these symptoms appear.
Ants can bite your dog, but it can be a challenge to stop them. They are small and can hide in grass or wooded areas. If you find anthills, treat them immediately. If you find an anthill, keep your dog leashed while walking or hiking. You should remove ants from your dog as soon as you can. If water is available, rinse the ant off.
Bitten Flies
Many biting flies can cause a painful bite to a dog, including horse flies. Deer flies. Black flies. Sand flies. It can appear as a raised, red lesion. Ice packs can reduce swelling and pain.
These flies can cause an allergic reaction in some dogs. An allergic reaction can be indicated by swelling of the face, difficulty in breathing, itching, hives and moderate to severe swelling around the bite site. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your dog exhibits any of the above symptoms. This is a medical crisis.
Protect your dogs from the elements when they are outside
Insects that bite and sting are everywhere and can even enter the house. Your dog must be treated for fleas and ticks all year round. Consider using preventatives to protect your dog from mosquitoes, biting flies and other insects if they are common in your region. It is important to protect your dog against heartworms transmitted by mosquitos with heartworm prevention.
It is important to keep your dog under constant supervision and inspect its skin daily for any insect bites. If you see that your dog has an allergic reaction, seek immediate medical attention.