Protect Your Pets From Fly Bites

Bulls eye! 

No, I'm not talking about target practice.    This bull's-eye is related to fly bites on your pet.   

Have you noticed red blotches (circles) (bull's-eyes) on your pets tummy and inside the back legs? Don't think it's a big deal?    How many times have you gone outside, stayed outside when the gnats, flies, and or mosquitoes have been swarming?    You either head for cover or apply insect repellent to protect yourself.   Protecting our pets isn't difficult.   Do for your pets what you would do for yourself. 

Problem
Fly bites are often called "fly strikes." Flies are biting the dog to obtain a blood meal and the bite is often painful. Because of the thin skin and hair on the ears and the inability of the dog to defend his ears, flies will seek out this location. Some dogs will endure hundreds of bites a day for weeks at a time. This naturally creates a very painful cycle where the bites cause more sores and infections, and attract more flies.  The result of these numerous insect bites can be dermatitis.   Without treatment, dermatitis is typically progressive.   Dermatitis can cause extreme discomfort.  

Dermatitis is defined as any inflammation of the skin.  If left untreated, dermatitis can progress to secondary bacterial skin infections, or worse.  The hallmark of dermatitis in dogs is intense itchiness. 

Owners of affected dogs may notice some or all of these symptoms:
Intense itchiness, scratching, licking, pawing and/or biting at areas of skin;  Skin redness;    
Foul-smelling skin;   Rubbing the head on the floor or ground;  Inflammation of paws, legs, tail base, flank, neck and/or armpit areas;    Hair loss in affected areas ;   Hot spots
(raw, weeping, painful sores);  Red raised skin eruptions or bumps;  Dry, scaly, crusty skin;  Dandruff;    Ear infections;   Foul odor from ears

That's a pretty impressive list associated with insect bites.    And, once the insects start biting, they don't quit unless you step in and help.  

If you see blood spots or flies congregating near your dog's ears then you can assume fly bites are occurring. The bite wounds attract flies which may lay their eggs in the damaged tissue. These will later hatch into maggots.

Treatment
Do not underestimate the pain that these flies can inflict and be sure to initiate treatment at the first sign of fly bites on your pet. Gently cleanse the ear with warm water and a mild antiseptic soap. Then, apply a topical antibiotic ointment which will help to control any infection which may be present. If the fly bites are severe, or maggots are present, immediate veterinary attention is needed.
For cleaning bite areas,  you want to soften the scab over the bite. Soak a washcloth in warm water and hold it against the edges of the ear where the bites are. Be patient -- it may take several minutes for the scabs and crust to soften enough for you to be able to wipe them away.

Once you've cleared away the scab and crusty bits, you can wash the bitten areas with an antiseptic or antibacterial liquid soap. Be sure to rinse away all the soap -- otherwise, dried soap can cause more irritation to the area. For smaller dogs and cats, you may want to forgo the soap and just clean the area with a gauze pad and warm water. For big dogs and horses, soap (and a careful rinsing) is a good idea.

Apply an antibiotic ointment to help prevent infection and soothe the bitten areas of the ears. You can do this several times per day to help fly bites heal. While the bites heal, you'll want to keep an eye out for new scabs and leaking serum. Try to keep the area clean by wiping away crusty bits daily.  Here again, petroleum jelly will provide a protective shield against new bites.   With any prevention method, one application won't solve the problem.    It is something that needs to be tended to on a regular basis

A thin-coating of petroleum jelly applied to the affected skin reduces the potential for future bites.

If a spray is used, spray the product on a soft cloth or make-up pad and wipe the surface of the ear avoiding direct contact with large open wounds. If open sores are present, they should be cleaned daily with soap and water. Coating with a triple antibiotic ointment will reduce the potential for infection and decrease the attraction of flies to the open wound.

While treating the bites,  assess and address the possible underlying causes of the condition, paying particular attention to your pet’s home environment. External parasites (such as ear mites, fleas, lice and ticks) can also cause dramatic itchy skin conditions in dogs.  

Medicated shampoos that contain natural ingredients can also help to reduce itchiness, moisturize skin and heal skin sores. Dogs with severe skin inflammation or infection may need to be treated by a veterinarian.  Always use medications according to package directions.  

Prevention
I'll throw in an extra two cents - veterinary care can be expensive.   Why not do some home health care and prevention.   The most successful treatment is prevention.   All  dogs should be fed a high-quality, well-balanced diet, which can help avoid adverse reactions to poor food ingredients.

The most important treatment is prevention.  Moving the pet indoors during the heat of the day also will help. Spraying the dog's outside living quarters will also help keep fly numbers to a minimum. Remove any materials which may attract flies, e.g., fecal material, uneaten pet food, garbage, etc. Keep your pet clean and well-groomed, removing any urine-soaked or fecal-contaminated hair.

Preventing future fly bites is very important.  A topical fly repellent can be used to keep the flies away. Make sure that you pick a repellent that is specifically produced to keep flies away, and that the product is safe for dogs. Dogs confined to the outdoors are much more likely to suffer from fly strike dermatitis and dogs that only venture outside a few times a day for their walks are much less susceptible to this problem. Keeping your dog inside except for a few walks a day is therefore one way of preventing fly strike, especially while the ear is still healing.

        1   Clean the area where you dog hangs out. Dog feces attracts flies, so pick up every day. If you dog lies in a special spot, clean that area also.
        2   Bring your dog inside. Flies seem to be active in hot, humid weather. Take your dog inside the house during the hottest part of the day if you notice flies biting.
        3  Wash the dog's ears with a mild shampoo and rinse well. If the ear was bleeding, apply an antibiotic ointment.
        4  Apply a thick coat of petroleum jelly to both ears. Flies cannot bite through the petroleum jelly. Reapply daily.

For those owners that do not want their dog in the house, make sure you provide your outdoor pet with protection.     We get these lovely creatures and we owe them care and attention.  

Bee stings are also common in the spring and summer.  Most spiders in North America are not poisonous, with the exception of the brown recluse (or fiddleback) spider.  The brown recluse spider hides in dark areas associated with wood piles, outdoor sheds, dog houses, etc.  The venom from the bite of a brown recluse tends to spread slowly, killing off tissue and leaving a dark ulcer.  Such ulcers are slow to heal and can lead to more serious problems.

Cats can but are much less likely to acquire fly bites.

I know this is repeated; however, prevention is the best course of action.    When problems arise, get right on it.   Don't put off taking care of your pet.    It doesn't get better by delay.   We go to doctors and dentist to keep our bodies healthy - your veterinarian is there to help keep your pet healthy also.

Resources and References Used:  
John A. Bukowski, DVM, MPH, PhD /  Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS
AVMA / ASPCA /  PETWAVE / Dr. Foster and Smith - Pet education