Fly Bites and Your GSD

that may bite your dog.

The common stable fly is the most common cause, but deer flies, black flies and even plain old ordinary houseflies can also bite your dog.

So why do flies do this in the first place? What attracts flies to you dog?

The flies bite the dog to obtain a meal of fresh blood and the tips of the dogs ears as well as the bridge of the nose are prime targets for an easy meal.

These bites most frequently occur in dogs that live near farms with livestock. These biting pests can often cause a common condition in outside dogs called "Fly Strike"

This condition happens whenever a fly lands on the dogs and bites the tips or top surface of the dog's ears. The bridge of the nose is also a very common target for flies because of the thin skin and hair on theses regions. Additionally, the inability of the dog to adequately defend his ears is another reason flies will seek out these tender areas.

Many people make their own homemade solutions to use on their dogs - many add DEET or Pyrethrin to Petroleum Jelly which they then apply topically to the dogs while outside. Other methods to use are: moving the pet indoors during the heat of the day, spraying the dog's outside living quarters, removing any materials such as fecal material, garbage, uneaten pet food, etc., are also helpful in preventing fly infestation.

Prognosis is generally very good, unless maggot infestation is very severe. The dogs ear may be scarred and remain thickened even after treatment. Remember, the best method in handling fly bites with your dog, is to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Keep your dogs bedding area and coat clean, use the topical insecticides as suggested above and follow the tips for outside dogs mentioned above and you will find that flies will ignore your dog, and best of all, the fly bites will stop. For more information on this subject, contact your veterinarian.

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