You probably don’t have anything against letting a huge dog sleep in your bed. However, would you feel comfortable sleeping in the same bed with a spider? This actually leads us to one silly conclusion - size doesn’t matter!
Actually, that conclusion is extremely important for many pet owners. Believe it or not, different small insects that look completely harmless can be quite dangerous for your best friend (even the bigger ones). Because of that, it’s your duty to do everything you can to protect them from any potential danger.
That is why we’ve prepared a list of some of the most dangerous insects along with safety tips that most pet owners should know. Let’s find out everything you should keep in mind!
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are probably the most hated insects among people. They do not allow us to sleep during the summer, they also cause irritation and itching that make us feel awful for a couple of days.
The same thing counts for your pets, but things are a bit more serious than you could imagine. Despite skin irritation that will make your buddy nervous, mosquito bite can cause a spread of different parasites and bacteria. In the worst case, your dog may need to deal with heartworm disease.
So, how to solve this? You can’t simply keep your dog inside the house forever. The thing you can do is to try to eliminate all the larger areas of standing water in your backyard. On the other hand, you should avoid these places when taking your pet for a walk. These places are breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and where dangers for transmitting disease are the highest.
Stink Bugs
If you are a dog or cat owner, then you definitely know that these beautiful creatures can and probably will eat absolutely everything. If they love to eat your slippers, why do you think that eating a stink bug is going to be a problem?
The problems this insect can cause depends on the number of stink bugs that your pet has eaten. If you notice something like that has happened, you can be sure that your pet will deal with diarrhea and vomiting. However, the worst thing that your pet could experience is digestive tract damage. In other words, if your pet has a weak stomach and he or she simply ate too many stink bugs (with pets, everything is possible), you may be looking at a potential surgical procedure.
The solution to this problem is simple. All you have to do is to check out whether there are any cracks around your trim, fascia, chimney, and other places where the stinky bugs could enter. Despite that, it would be good to check out your garden and see whether there are any egg masses. If you see them tiny light yellow elliptical eggs, don’t hesitate to destroy them.
Due to the nature and natural defense mechanisms of a stink bug (we all know how bad their smell can be) situations like this aren’t very likely to happen. However, try to keep watch of what your pets are doing if you notice stink bugs in their proximity.
Venomous Spiders & Bees
Arachnophobia is one of the most common phobias around the globe. Just because pets don’t panic or start to scream when the spider is near them, that doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous for their overall health. This especially counts when we talk about cats and the type of toy-breed dogs.
Different types of spiders can cause different health diseases. For instance, only one bite of Black Widow can cause permanent neuromuscular damage in your pet. On the other hand, things are not different when we talk about bees. A single bee bite of Yellow Jacket can cause mouth pain and some allergic reactions that can be harmful for your pet.
If you want to protect your pet from this type of danger, it is recommended that you ensure proper pest control. This piece of advice does not count only for spiders/bees; it counts for all the dangerous insects that can harm the overall health of your pet. If you are not familiar with pest removal techniques, you should let the professionals take care of that and protect your pet (and yourself as well).
Ants
Ants can negatively influence the physical and psychological health of your dog. First of all, as you probably know, ants rarely go alone. Despite that, your pet’s food (especially dog food) is an attractive target for them. Whenever your dog starts eating, ants will start to bite his face. Dogs don’t want to do things that make them feel uncomfortable. Because of that, there is a chance they will lose their appetite, and it will take time to realize what is the reason for his behavior.
Despite skin irritation, the venom from some of the ants can cause an allergic reaction in your buddy. If you don’t notice that on time, it can be harmful for his overall health. We recommend you get familiar with the most common symptoms of dog allergy because that is the best way to react on time.
Cockroaches
How many times has it happened that you turn on the light in your kitchen and you see a bunch of cockroaches on the surface of your kitchen kabinet? However, as you know, whenever they feel you are getting close to them, they rapidly start to run.
Cockroaches are afraid of your pet as well. They will run away from them and try to hide. However, just like ants, cockroaches like to grab a snack, and pet food is an attractive target for them. Unfortunately, cockroaches won’t only share a snake with your pet; they will also share different bacteria and viruses.
Doing a simple thing will protect your pet from any form of danger. You should not keep the food inside the bowl all the time. Instead of that, place it there only during the meal time and wash it after that.
Visit the Vet
All the safety tips that we provided you with can be helpful. However, that doesn’t mean that emergency care sometimes won’t be mandatory. If your pet eats a dangerous bug, you need to visit the vet and check out what exactly you should do next.
On the other hand, you should be extremely careful if you decide to exterminate the insects on your own. Pets are often curious, and it may happen they ingest or inhale substances that you plan to use. That is the reason why it would be much safer to leave the experts to do this part of the job and ensure complete safety of your favorite creature in the world.
While do-it-yourself projects can be fun and fulfilling, there is always a potential for personal injury or property damage. We strongly suggest that any project beyond your abilities be left to licensed professionals such as electricians, plumbers, and carpenters. Any action you take upon the information on this website is strictly at your own risk, and we assume no responsibility or liability for the contents of this article.
