I am going to fulfill the promise I made in my previous post about the effect mosquitoes have on our pet friends and what we need to be careful about.
So, firstly, we must understand that mosquitoes are the respecters of no man, and they will conveniently bite on anything they can bite. Our pets may be a little safe if they have furs to cover up their skin, but they are not completely safe.
The life cycle of a mosquito is an interesting one. Eggs are first laid by an adult female, she will lay the egg preferably close to water since mosquitoes require water to hatch, but the egg can survive for several months unhatched if there is no moisture.
The larva we are talking about here is a small worm that lives and feeds in water, it only comes to the surface to breathe from time to time.
The tumbler phase is the next phase, where the pupa remains in the water and doesn't feed, it develops a hard case that protects the adult fly. Shortly after, the developed mosquito is ready to emerge in all of its biting glory.
The female mosquitoes will bite humans and animals spreading blood infections from one person or animal to another.
Outdoor animals have a higher chance of being bitten by mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes are usually attracted to wider surfaces on a dog's body, like the back, or bark of the legs, but they can bite anywhere. The little areas that mosquitoes get to bite on their body expose them to the risk of diseases and irritation.
There are common signs that show that a pet has been bitten by a mosquito; a small itchy welt at the site of the bite, a singular or multiple bite, you will most likely notice that your pet is itching the area that has been bitten. Typically, what can be noticed after there has been a mosquito bite in humans too?
Systemic illnesses are also a strong possibility; coughing, vomiting, depression, weight loss, respiratory difficulty, and intolerance to exercise.
The chances of a mosquito bite are beyond the itching and discomfort that it brings, it can also lead to the transmission of diseases, the most feared situation is that of, heartworm.
Heartworm is a parasite that causes infection of the heart and lungs mostly in dogs, but sometimes in cats too. It is transmitted from one animal to another through mosquito bites.
During a mosquito bite on a dog, larval worms are passed from the insect into the bloodstream of the animal. These worms then grow in the body and reproduce in the heart of the infected dog.
This situation could cause cardiac damage, as well as damage to the respiratory region and organs. If a mosquito bites an infected dog, it can carry the disease to other dogs, continuously spreading the disease.
Mosquito bites on pets could also cause West Nile virus, this serious illness could cause; fever, seizures, and morbidity problems. It may get even more severe than these in some cases.
Mosquitoes are always around the corner, but some factors create more chances of mosquito availability and infection. Untreated pools, standing water around the house, ornamented ponds, unkept animal water bowls, and seepage from a septic tank.
The funny thing is, that it takes about six months for a dog to test positive for an infection, so pets should be tested annually once they get to the age of seven months.
Treating mosquito bites is not cheap and sometimes could even be life-threatening. The best shot is to prevent mosquitoes from biting your animal.
In the case of mosquito-borne heartworm infection, dogs are usually treated with medications containing arsenic administered in small doses for several months.
But, this treatment is limited to dogs, not cats. There have not been any treatment options for cats with heartworm infection. However, there are preventive medications advised to be administered monthly.
I used to think mosquito repellent was a good idea for pets, but I learned recently that, it is not healthy for pets, instead some repellants and creams are made specially for pets.
The choice to eradicate mosquito breeding sites in the home will save your pets from the strong effects of mosquito bites.
The conclusion is, that mosquitoes do not cause malaria in pets like they do in humans, but they cause very serious infections and diseases in pets.
