Most bug bites are uncomfortable but harmless to pets. However, some bites and stings can cause more serious problems for your four-legged friend. You can’t eliminate your pet’s bite and sting risk. However, to learn about the common culprits, prevention strategies, and what to do if a bug bites your furry pal, read our Creature Comfort Veterinary Service team’s guide to insect bites and stings.

Common bug bites in pets

Bugs are tiny, and they are everywhere. However, some bugs are more likely than others to cause health problems for pets. The following bugs commonly bite or sting pets, causing potentially dangerous reactions:

  • Fleas — Fleas are pets’ most common external parasites, whose bites can cause itching, redness, and inflammation. If your pet is allergic to flea saliva, they can develop flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), which leads to skin inflammation, hair loss, and secondary skin infections. A single flea bite can cause a pet with FAD to experience a severe reaction.
  • Ticks — Ticks attach to your pet’s skin, often hiding in hard-to-see areas such as inside their ears or between their toes. While the bites themselves are often not irritating, ticks can transmit serious conditions such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
  • Mosquitoes — Mosquito bites can cause red, itchy bumps on the skin. More importantly, an infected mosquito can transmit heartworms to your pet, a potentially fatal disease, especially in dogs.
  • Bees and wasps — Stings are painful and sometimes dangerous for pets. A pet could have a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that causes difficulty breathing, vomiting, weakness, and collapse. 
  • Spiders — While most spider bites are harmless, bites from certain spiders, such as black widows or brown recluses, can be dangerous. Signs range from mild pain and redness to more severe reactions such as muscle pain, fever, chills, and, in rare cases, necrotic skin lesions. 
  • Mites — Several mite species can bite pets, causing mange. Mange signs include intense itching, redness, sores, and hair loss. 

What to do if a bug bites or stings your pet 

If an insect bites or stings your pet, stay calm and take action to treat their injury, relieve their pain, and determine if they require veterinary treatment. To treat your pet’s bite or sting, follow these tips:

  • Identify the culprit — If possible, try to identify the bug that attacked your pet. Doing so can help provide information about your furry pal’s potential disease and infection risks and can help your veterinarian treat them if your four-legged friend experiences a severe reaction. 
  • Remove the bug or stinger —  If you find a tick attached to your pet, remove it. Using a special tick-removal tool or a pair of fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick firmly as close as possible to your pet’s skin, and pull straight back. Cleanse the area. If your pet has tangled with a bee, they may have left behind the stinger. Using a credit card, gently scrape your pet’s skin to remove the stinger. Avoid using tweezers, as you may squeeze more venom into your four-legged friend’s skin.
  • Apply a cold compress — Applying a cold compress to the affected area can help reduce swelling and relieve pain. Use a cloth soaked in cold water or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel.
  • Monitor your pet — Keep a close eye on your pet for allergic reaction signs or worsening symptoms. Your pet needs veterinary treatment if they exhibit any of these signs:
    • Swollen face or muzzle
    • Hives
    • Significant discomfort
    • Excessive drooling
    • Vomiting or diarrhea
    • Pale gums
    • Elevated heart rate
    • Difficulty breathing

How to protect your pet from bites and stings  

One of the best ways to protect your pet is through year-round parasite prevention. Veterinarian-recommend parasite preventives protect your pet from fleas, ticks, and heartworms, and the deadly diseases they can carry. Prevention products come in a variety of formulations, so you’re sure to find one that will be effective for your pet. Your pet can begin flea and tick prevention at any time, but they need a heartworm blood test before beginning a heartworm preventive. 

Bugs are a bummer, but you can help keep your pet comfortable and healthy by preventing bites and stings, and treating mild reactions at home. If your pet needs parasite preventives or requires immediate care for a severe bug bite allergy, contact our Creature Comfort Veterinary Service team.