Getting a pet means being responsible for the animal you tamed (you know the famous citation, right?). Dogs and cats are the most active pets: that means that they can spend a lot of time outside playing and communicating with other animals. Of course, watching your cat following a butterfly or your dog eating a stink bug can be fun and amusing, but sometimes it can even be dangerous. Today, we will discuss why it is important to keep your dog or cat away from different insects and name a few most dangerous species your pet should avoid staying healthy and full of energy.
Top dangerous insects to stay away from
Animals are curious because of their nature: they watch us cooking, interfere with our work trying to attract our attention, discover new places in the house, and meet other pets. However, this curiosity can sometimes lead to bad consequences: for example, an animal can accidentally get hurt by another cat or dog or become bitten by an insect. As you love your pet, treat them with tasty food, buy crystal cat litter, and have them vaccinated, you should also pay attention to what they do when they are outside. Not to get into trouble, it should avoid encountering the following insects:
1. Caterpillars
Even though they look so innocent, caterpillars can do real harm to your small four-legged friends, and namely, its hairs that should not be touched. But touching is not the worst thing: being swallowed, caterpillars may cause light head shaking, diarrhea, as well as irritation to the lips, and pets` throat and mouth. It is not deadly but still unpleasant;
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2. Walking sticks
These guys are quite hard to find due to their ability to adapt in color to the background. Usually, it means that the species activate their defending mechanism: however, they also give off a unique component that may do harm to the eyes and mouth of the animal upon touching. Thus, your pet can end up vomiting, shaking, and drooling which is not good;
3. Asian ladybeetles
Coming every fall, these insects get into our homes to live through cold winter months comfortably. But when your pet finds it and ingests, the beetles secrete special compounds that make the mouth irritate. While a couple of bugs will do no harm, if your pet doesn’t stop at the right moment it can get more serious health problems like stomach and heart;
4. Fireflies
You have probably seen a lot of those in the backyard but didn’t realize they were toxic. Especially dangerous, it is for lizards that are less choosy in food. For them, it can become a real mistake causing death. If you see such symptoms as head shaking, color change, vomiting, difficulty in breathing and mouth opening, immediately take your cat or dog to the vet`s before it’s too late;
5. Mosquitoes
We bet you realize that these blood-suckers are threatening not only to animals but also to people because they are able to transmit viruses and diseases. Mosquitoes can spread heartworms and other viruses in your pets that can lead to death, which means that you should watch out for these bugs when you are taking your pet outside. Even though pet`s fur serves to protect them, they can still be attacked in the areas when their skin gets exposed like nose and ears. Vets recommend to get your per injected to prevent a deadly outcome;
6. Ticks
These insects can be most often met in Oregon while you could still run into it in other states with wooded, grassy areas. When the bug gets attached to your pet, it is quite hard to remove. It stays there feeding on the blood and can range from eleven days to three years. Consuming too much blood, ticks cause anemia and even a rare paralysis;
7. Cockroaches
The good thing is that these bugs prefer to hide from the animals, but they are extremely attracted to their food left for a night. Sharing food, your pet also shares bacteria, viruses, and diseases these bugs transmit, so you should hide its food bowl to avoid contact with cockroaches. Regular vaccinations will also be good;
8. Bees
Nobody wants to get stung by the bee, even your curious dog or cat. With a lot of flowers in your backyard, there is a high chance that your pet can get stung with one of the bees going around them. It is not deadly but can still cause an allergic reaction and throat irritation if the bee was swallowed.
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To save your animals from unpleasant meetings with insects and their consequences, you can do the following:
- Get your pet regularly cleaned with shampoo, scrubs, and grooming;
- Keep it inside at dawn and sunset when the majority of insects are active;
- Watch your lawn and backyard; it should not be a mess attracting different insects;
- Check your pet for ticks and fleas every now and then;
- Get your pet regularly checked by a vet and properly vaccinated.
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