15 Common Dog Bugs Pet Owners Need to Know

You love your furry friend. You go on walks together, take adventures together, and share a home together. You’ve been there for each other’s ups and downs, and that four-legged pal is always wagging its tail. But, when it comes to dogs and bugs, pet owners need to be careful. These pests can bite or poison your canine, or attack its organs. This guide on common bugs found on dogs should help.

Why Pet Owners Should Know About Common Dog Bugs

Your dog relies on you to make important decisions for him or her. They rarely know where they can travel safely and which bugs will harm them. And, if they’re bitten or attacked, the poisons or infections that can ensue can be fatal. For that reason, it’s important that pet owners are familiar with these common bugs found on dogs and cats—yes, cats too.

Note: If your dog has been exposed to any of the following insects and you notice symptoms, you should get them to a vet immediately to be checked out. That’s our RiddaBugs disclaimer.

Common Bugs That Affect Dogs

The following are some of the most common bugs that affect dogs (and cats). Some are more dangerous than others, while a few may just cause a bit of stomach discomfort. However, it’s important to protect your dog against all bugs to some degree, even if they’re not on this list.

Fleas

Fleas are some of the most common external parasite insects found on a dog’s skin. They attach themselves to coats and feed on the blood of canines, and they can transmit CSF, or Cat Scratch Fever. Flea bites and a flea infestation can also irritate the animal’s skin, causing them to scratch aggressively and potentially harm themselves.

Also, fleas carry the mites that cause several skill conditions, including demodectic mange. They’re also often mistaken for ticks.

And did you know that sand fleas aren’t actually fleas but tiny crustaceans? These beach bugs are something else altogether and really shouldn’t concern your furry best friend.

Ticks

The last 50 years or so have brought ticks and tick-borne diseases to the forefront of everyone’s outdoor-going minds. But, insects can be just as dangerous to dogs as they are to humans, as they can transmit diseases when they bite. For dogs and cats, these diseases include Lyme disease, tick paralysis, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, Bartonellosis, and Hepatozoonosis, according to the AKC. Also, don’t mistake ticks for chiggers. Ticks are very dangerous, while chiggers are less-so.

Mites

Mites are very tiny arachnids that can cause a slew of issues for dogs. These issues include several types of mange, excessive scratching, a dandruff-like condition, infestations in their ears, and generally making pets miserable. Regular grooming and baths are the best options for avoiding mite-related issues, but they’re difficult to avoid altogether.

Common types of mites include:

• Demodex mites
• Ear mites (Otodectes cynotis)
• Sarcoptic mange mites (Sarcoptes scabiei)
• Walking Dandruff (Cheyletiella)

It’s also possible that pets could come into contact with chiggers or clover mites. Chiggers are a problem, but clover mites probably aren’t.

Heartworms

Heartworms are some of the most dangerous parasites that dogs and cats can have (though they’re technically not an insect). These worms are transmitted through bloodsuckers like mosquitos, and they work their way through the dog’s muscles until they reach the heart. Adult heartworms can get very long and cause lung disease, heart failure, organ damage, and death in all sorts of pets.

Intestinal worms

Intestinal worms are parasites that live in a dog’s gut, siphoning off nutrients from the food the dog consumes. There are four common types of worms:

• Roundworms: Worms that live in the intestinal tract, but they can burrow into other parts of the body, making their way to the lungs where they’re coughed up and swallowed again.
• Hookworms: Blood-sucking insects with teeth, and they can be fatal in young dogs. They can also burrow into other parts of the body on their way to the lungs.
• Whipworms: These worms live in the large intestine only, and are far less parasitic than the other worms. However, they can burrow into the intestine and cause issues over time.
• Tapeworms: Living in the small intestine, these teethed worms absorb nutrients as the dog digests food. They’re often 6 inches long and flat, and they don’t cause a ton of issues for dogs unless there isn’t enough food for both.

Worms are extremely prevalent in puppies, as they are often passed from the mother dog to the puppies. Oral medications will typically take care of the issue, but worm-infested poop can spread disease.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are so common that some folks don’t know how dangerous they truly are for themselves and their pets. Mosquitoes readily transmit worms, West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and other diseases. Some experts believe that these biting pests are responsible for up to 725,000 deaths in humans each year, but the number of pets and animals that die from these pests will probably eclipse that total.

Stink Bugs

Stink bugs aren’t incredibly dangerous to your dog, but you should attempt to avoid them anyway. Many dogs and cats find stink bugs to be tasty snacks, and eating too many of them can lead to stomach upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.

For more information on these pests, check out this guide to stink bug poop.

Botflies

Botflies are awful creatures. Also known as warble flies, heel flies, and gadflies, botflies are typical-looking flies, but they don’t have mouth parts. Instead of biting the dog, they deposit their larvae on blood-sucking pests like mosquitoes, and the larvae then enter the bite wound where they grow in size. These maggots can be large and cause infections and tissue damage.

Kissing Bugs

Kissing bugs can transmit Chagas diseases, which is an infectious disease caused by a parasite in kissing bug feces. Chagas can be fatal, causing heart failure and sudden death (and they’re not just dog diseases). Many dogs won’t show signs of Chagas disease for years, so it’s important to keep them away from kissing bugs.

Spiders

While not all spiders are dangerous, many can bite dogs and cause an allergic reaction. Also, brown recluse can cause necrosis at the bite area frequently, and black widow bite can attack the central nervous system.

Since you’ll rarely have the chance to assess a spider’s species before your dog gets too close, it’s better to simply avoid areas where spiders may hang out. Keep them from dirty, dusty areas as well as under porches, bushes, and other similar spaces where spider infestations can start. Also, keep an eye out for spider signs including webs and spider poop, and keep dogs out of those areas.

Bees and Wasps

When a bee or wasp stings something, they inject a painful poison. And, since evolution has taught these insects to go for the face (the only place they can really hurt a hungry, honey-grubbing bear), they often sting dogs in sensitive areas. For all sorts of bees, Noses, eyes, mouths, and even throats are fair game, often causing an allergic reaction that affects how the dog sees or breathes. Most bees are somewhat beneficial, so they require responsible pest control practices. Or, you can try a fake wasp nest, but you should get to know more about them first (check out this guide on fake wasp nests).

Ants

Dogs that disturb ant hills by digging or laying down on top of them can be the recipients of some painful ant bites. These insects will crawl all over and bite, causing skin irritation and other symptoms. Their venom can also cause a reaction in dogs that are allergic.

Cockroaches

Other than a little gastrointestinal discomfort, cockroaches themselves aren’t harmful to dogs. However, these insects are gross and can carry a wide range of bacteria that can make a dog sick. These bacteria include salmonella, staphylococcus, and streptococcus.

While salmonella complications are rare in dogs, they can spread the disease through their feces. However, staphylococcus and streptococcus are common in dogs and can cause a range of issues.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars are arguably the most adorable bugs in the insect realm, they’re dangerous for your dog to play with. Some caterpillars are poisonous, such as the saddleback, io moth, gypsy moth, flannel moth, slug, spiny oak slug, and buck moth caterpillars. Other caterpillars may not be poisonous, but their spines are barbed and can hook into a dog’s skin or throat, causing excessive scratching, vomiting, and excessive salivation.

Boxelder Bugs

Boxelder bugs are similar to stink bugs in that they aren’t poisonous or overly dangerous to dogs. However, should a dog eat too many of these bugs, it can feel sick and start vomiting or showing signs of diarrhea.

How To Protect Your Dog Against Dangerous Bugs

There are steps that you can take to protect your dog, such as:

• Using tick and flea prevention, using a flea comb to look for adult fleas and ticks, new flea eggs, and checking in common tick hiding spots
• Grooming your dog regularly to keep your pet’s skin and hair follicles clean and safe
• Use pet-safe spider sprays around the house to minimize the chances of an interaction
• Checking your dog’s ears for dog mites and common signs of infection (excessive shaking, scratching, or broken blood vessels)
• Keeping your pet away from areas where dangerous insects can be found
• Watching their behavior when you’re on walks or on adventures
• Checking your dog’s body for fleas and ticks for unwanted insects, such as new flea eggs or mite infestations
• Use pest control products in the yard to prevent your dog from coming into contact with bugs
• Use sticky traps designed to catch carpet beetles, spiders, roaches, silverfish, earwigs, and other crawling insects in the home instead of baits or poisons, especially in areas your dog can access.
• Take your dogs to the vet if you notice their body weight dropping or common signs of intestinal worms (hair loss, weight loss, worms in poop).

What to do if your dog comes into contact with these pests

If your dog comes into contact with any of these insects, the first thing to do is observe the dog and not panic. Many times, interactions between dogs and insects end up in “dry bites” or “dry stings,” or simply the dog sniffing and recognizing that the bug isn’t a great snack. They’ll often move on, and no harm is done.

But, should your dog have a reaction to a bite, ingest several bugs, or start acting strangely, it’s best to have them checked by a veterinarian. Veterinary medicine has seen it all and can help your dog recover from these dangerous or annoying insects.

FAQs

There may be some additional questions about dogs and the pesky parasites that bother them. The following are some of the most commonly asked questions on the topic.

What types of bugs live on dogs?

Common bugs that live on dogs include fleas, ticks, and mites. These pests can spread diseases by passing infected fluids through a bite, trigger reactions, or cause infections.

How do you get rid of dog bugs?

The best way to get rid of bugs like fleas or mites is to use flea shampoo and medications provided by a veterinarian, depending on the insect. With ticks, carefully remove the tick, save it in a ziplock bag, and call your vet. Be sure to check for these insects on your pet regularly.

What are these tiny bugs on my dog?

In most cases, tiny bugs on dogs is a sign of a flea infestation. If you separate the fur and see fleas scurrying quickly, it’s a given. Check your dog for fleas regularly.

What do dog mites look like?

Dog mites are tiny, spider-like creatures that measure well under 1 mm long. To human eyes, the mites on your dog may appear as nothing more than black specks.

Are dog mites fatal?

Yes, dog mites can cause sarcoptic mange and demodectic mange, and they can be deadly if left untreated. These types of mange are typically shown on his or her fur as patches on the dog’s face and will spread backward to its rear. It’s important to protect your pet against dog mites for this reason, but also to take them to the vet if there are signs like:

• Mange and patchy spots
• Excessive itching
• Redness on his or her skin
• Scaling skin
• Swelling
• Skin crusts