Getting familiar with the Insects of Summer

It is that time of year where the weather is getting warmer and you want to go outside more and take long walks with your pet. But what are you going to do about all those pesky insects that try to attach, bite, and sting all the fun out of summer nights? Not only are they a nuisance for you, but they can be just as annoying, and potentially deadly for our pets. Included in this blog you will learn about some of the various harmful insects and what you can do to protect your pet and you against them and the diseases they can transfer.

There are 3 insects that we will look at here which include the following:

  • Mosquitoes which can pass on Deadly Worms
  • Fleas & Ticks which can bite and take over a large area of the home and cause an allergic reaction to our pet
  • Bees & Wasps which can Sting and possible cause an allergic reaction to our pet

Mosquito bites are no fun for us and cause itch, but are even worse for our pets because of something called heartworm. Heartworm are spread through mosquitoes that carry infective larvae, and are a potentially fatal issue for dogs and cats. The heartworm larvae move from the site of the mosquito bite through a host’s body until they reach the heart and lungs. Once they are mature, adult heartworms can get to be 12 inches long, and will cause a significant decrease in blood flow throughout the body. Depending on the severity of the disease, it can possibly lead to death if not taken care of early on.

Heartworm preventatives such as Heartgard, Revolution, and Sentinel are very instrumental in helping before any bite occurs, but getting a heartworm test and treatment at your veterinary hospital will help your dog or cat if already have heartworms. Signs of heartworm disease can include: mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss. These symptoms won’t necessarily show early on in dogs, and in cats they can be very subtle, or very sudden.

Fleas: These tiny brown bugs like to hide in cooler, shady areas like shrubs, trees, and under leaves. Despite not having wings, fleas can jump up to two feet high; so when your dog walks by, that’s when they will hop on, latch in, and start feeding on blood. The danger of fleas is that they can bring about tapeworms, skin infections, and other serious diseases. Combating fleas is as easy as using monthly preventatives such as Frontline or Nexgard, avoiding tall grassy/shady areas when walking, using a flea comb, and washing your pet’s bedding often.

We have many products that will help prevent fleas from invading spaces and your pet which include revolution, advantage, advantage multi which are topical treatments. Bravecto and sentinel which are chewable tablets.

Ticks: Ticks also like to hang out in shady, wooded areas, waiting for an unwary host to attach to. Once they are attached, ticks feed on blood (including you), which means they can directly transmit deadly diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and babesiosis from just one bite! You can help deter tick bites by also using monthly preventatives, avoiding tall grassy/shady areas when walking, and whenever you are done with your walk make sure to check your dog (and yourself) for any little bumps because it might be a tick!

We have many products available to prevent ticks from attaching which include Bravecto which is a chewable tablet that lasts 12 weeks and a topical treatment called canine advantix which is a monthly treatment.

Bee and wasps are a bit easier to avoid because they usually have visible nests and in general they’re the most noticeable bug. If you’ve got a curious pet then you should keep an eye out. Most stings tend to occur on the face or nose because that’s how our pets investigate. They may even get stung in the mouth or throat if they end up catching the bug; and those stings can be dangerous because the poison from the sting can cause the throat to swell. Other severe reactions to look out for include weakness, difficulty breathing and excessive swelling at the sting site. If you see any of these signs you need to go to your veterinarian ASAP. Most of these severe reactions occur with multiple stings, but always give your veterinarian a call and make sure to monitor the reaction to make sure it does not worsen. All cases will be different, so always consult your veterinarian before administering any medication or remedy.

Written by: Robin Harnett