Pets love to run and play outside and rarely complain about bugs buzzing around or crawling on their skin. You can easily forget that bugs are as likely to bite your pet as they do you. Remember, everyone needs bug bite protection, including your four-legged friend. To help you understand your pet’s risk and implement preventive measures, our WesVet Animal Hospital team responds to your most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about bug bites and stings.

Question: Which bugs bite pets?

Answer: Tiny fleas living on a pet’s skin and in their environment bite them most often. However, fleas are small and difficult to detect. Disease-transmitting ticks are also notorious for feeding on pets and because they are larger than fleas, these parasitic arachnids are a bit easier to detect on your four-legged friend’s skin. Mosquitoes, flies, spiders, bees, wasps, and ants are a few other common pests that often bite pets.

Q: Are bug bites dangerous to pets?

A: Pets often react to bug bites in a manner similar to humans, with most pets’ signs resolving with basic first aid or no specific treatment. Some biting insects, including fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, can transmit harmful vector-borne diseases, such as tapeworms, Lyme disease, and heartworms, to your pet. Our WesVet Animal Hospital team can easily treat your pet if they contract tapeworms. However, Lyme disease, heartworm, and many other conditions can be serious, and even deadly.

Q: How can I tell whether my pet has a bug bite?

A: A bug bite or sting appears as a red bump or itchy red lesion on your pet’s skin, usually after your four-legged friend has been outdoors or in wooded areas. Your pet may also jump, yelp, or bite at an area immediately after a bug bites or stings them. Flea bites are not easy to spot, but you may see fleas or their droppings (i.e., flea dirt) while combing through your four-legged friend’s fur, and your pet may exhibit overall  itchiness. You may spot a tick attached to your pet or find a firm, non-painful bump on your four-legged friend’s skin. 

Q: What should I do if I find a bump on my pet’s skin?

A: If you think the bump on your pet’s skin is a bug bite, apply ice to the area to reduce itching and swelling. If this does not resolve your pet’s discomfort, consult with our WesVet Animal Hospital team to help determine whether oral Benadryl or an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine cream may be beneficial. If your pet has multiple bug bites, bathe your four-legged friend with a soothing oatmeal or aloe vera shampoo. Bumps, itchiness, rashes, hair loss, or redness that do not resolve after one or two days’ home treatment may indicate that your furry pal has something more than a simple bug bite, and our team should examine your pet to definitively diagnose the problem.

Q: Is my pet allergic to bug bites?

A: Your pet may be allergic to various insect bites. The most common bug bite allergy is flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), a syndrome that causes intense itching and hair loss in response to only one or two flea bites. Other bites and stings can lead to local swelling, a rash around the bite wound, or a systemic allergic reaction. A systemic reaction may cause hives, facial swelling, breathing difficulty, vomiting, or diarrhea, and in severe cases, collapse. If your pet exhibits severe allergic bug bite signs, they should receive prompt veterinary care.

Q: How do pet flea and tick preventives work?

A: Flea and tick preventives are medications that work continuously for a full month, sometimes three months, depending on the product. These medications absorb into your pet’s skin or bloodstream to kill biting fleas and ticks. Some products may also repel mosquitoes. Flea, tick, and heartworm preventives are important to protect your pet from contracting disease, but they will not kill all biting pests or prevent all bites or stings.

Q: Can I use insect repellent on my pet?

A: To ward off bugs, your pet can benefit from insect repellent. However, do not use products intended for humans on your furry pal, because many chemicals and essential oils in these bug repellents are toxic to pets. You should always use a pet-safe formula. To help ensure your pet’s bug protection remains effective, remember to reapply the repellent frequently.

Always use pet-safe insect repellent to help keep your pet from getting an itchy bug bite, and administer veterinarian-recommended flea, tick, and heartworm medicines to help prevent your four-legged friend from contracting deadly diseases. Schedule an appointment with our WesVet Animal Hospital team if your pet has itchy skin lesions that don’t respond to basic home care or their signs last for more than a few days. We can also answer any additional bug bite questions and recommend the most effective parasite control for your furry pal.