Whether mites, fleas or ticks – the list of parasites that dogs often have to deal with is long. With the deer louse fly, however, there is another pest that is largely unknown to many owners and which can nevertheless pose a serious danger to dogs. In the following we will explain what makes the deer fly so dangerous for your dog and how you can protect your four-legged friend.
Key facts at a glance
- Deer aphid flies are ectoparasites that can sting dogs as well as wildlife.
- The bite of the deer louse is painful and can cause itching and skin inflammation.
- The deer louse fly can infect its host with dangerous pathogens.
- The annoying parasites prefer to bite in places with few hairs.
- Severe skin reactions may require a trip to the vet.
- An alternative route when walking as well as suitable anti-parasitic agents can protect dogs from deer lice.
What are deer louse flies?
At first glance, deer aphid flies resemble ordinary house flies. Only on closer inspection can you see their pointed proboscis and the hooks on their legs. The red-brown deer louse fly has a fairly flat body and can reach a size of up to six millimeters.
Deer aphid flies are mainly active in August and September. Depending on the weather conditions, however, they can also become a nuisance in other months.
The habitat of the stag louse fly is the forest, where it usually lurks on wild boar, deer and other forest dwellers. However, if given the opportunity, deer aphids will also bite dogs.
Similar to ticks, deer louse flies feed on the blood of their host. Once they have perched on a sacrifice for their blood meal, they cling to it and lose their wings.
Why the deer louse fly is a danger to dogs
First of all, the bite of the deer fly is extremely unpleasant for dogs, because the. Parasites run around on the dog, latching on to bite and suck blood several times a day. In addition, the toxin secreted by the parasites during their meal often causes severe itching, eczema, pustules and inflammation of the skin.
In addition, deer louse flies often carry the bacterium Bartonella schoenbuchensis. If this is transmitted to the dog, it can lead to fever and skin inflammation, and even to heart muscle inflammation in humans.
How and where deer aphid flies bite dogs
In search of a suitable victim for its blood meal, the deer fly buzzes around the dog. She usually looks for a spot with little hair on the inside of the legs, on the stomach or in the area of the anus.
While ticks can often be removed from the dog’s fur quite easily before they bite, deer lice fly very quickly. This sometimes makes it difficult to catch them in time.
If your dog is bitten by a deer louse fly, it will be painful. You can therefore probably observe that your four-legged friend scratches and bites at the puncture site to counteract the unpleasant feeling.
Remove deer lice in dogs
Ideally, remove deer flies from your dog’s body before biting it. As previously mentioned, this can sometimes prove difficult due to the speed at which they travel. A flea comb can help you comb those pesky parasites out of your four-legged friend’s fur.
If your dog has already been infested with several deer louse flies, it may be necessary to give him a shower to remove the small bloodsuckers in this way. Cooling the puncture sites afterwards may help to relieve the pain and itching.
Parasitic drugs can also help with an infestation. However, not all preparations are effective against deer lice flies. So ask your veterinarian for advice.
Deer lice in dogs can be a case for the veterinarian
If the symptoms caused by the bites of the deer aphid fly, such as itching and inflammation, are particularly severe, you may well have to take your dog to a veterinarian.
If necessary, the doctor can give your four-legged friend an anti-allergic medication and thus help to calm down your dog’s irritated skin.
Preventing deer lice in dogs
If you have an increased number of deer aphids in the woods, it makes sense to temporarily switch to a different route for walks with your dog.
That being said, there are several ways to prevent parasitic infestations that can protect your dog from deer lice, among other things. However, since antiparasitics often contain chemical active ingredients such as insecticides, a look at the composition and weighing up the risks and benefits is strongly recommended. In addition, deer louse flies are far from being as sensitive to defensive measures as other parasites.
Deer louse fly in the dog – our conclusion
As you can see, stag aphid flies are far more than just ordinary flies. Their stings are painful and often lead to extremely unpleasant skin reactions such as itching and inflammation.
In addition, they can possibly infect your four-legged friend with the bacterium Bartonella schoenbuchensis, which undoubtedly makes them a serious danger.
Ideally, you should therefore try to prevent your dog from being bitten by deer lice flies in the first place. In addition to temporarily changing your route when going for a walk, using a suitable remedy against parasites can also help.