Are Aphids Dangerous to Eat?
If you’ve gardened for any amount of time, changes are you’ve unknowingly eaten an aphid at some point in your gardening life. Some of them are pretty clingy even when food is washed in the sink. Others come off easily when sprayed with water. Whether you’ve accidentally eaten an aphid or not, here’s the good news.
Aphids are not dangerous to eat. They’re not poisonous, and they won’t cause any digestion problems, even if eaten in large numbers.
I certainly don’t want to eat aphids (and I’m guessing you don’t either), but if I ever accidentally swallowed a few, I wouldn’t be the least bit concerned. My garden is an organic one, so at least I’d know that they were pesticide free!
Like mosquitoes and ticks, kissing bugs (triatomines) are blood suckers. They are attracted to odors and warm-blooded hosts (like our dogs). They also are the cause for a deadly disease in dogs and people called Chagas disease. Currently there is no effective treatment for dogs with Chagas disease, so if you live in a region with kissing bugs, take precautions and monitor your dog to be sure he or she does not eat any bugs. : Kalumet / Wikipedia5. Botflies
Ticks also love to hang around shady and wooded areas, waiting for an unsuspecting host (like your dog) to get close enough to attach to. Once attached, tick(s) feed on the hosts blood (which can be any mammal, including you!) and can transmit deadly diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease and babesiosis from just a single bite. Contrary to what some may think, ticks can be a year-long problem. Protect your dog by treating him or her with a tick preventive. Like flea preventives, they come in various forms, including collars, spot-ons and oral medications. Some even protect against ticks and fleas. : SW_Stock / Shutterstock3. Mosquitoes
Also called the Cuterebra fly, larvae of the botfly hang out in grass, latching onto warm-blooded hosts (like your dog) that are passing through. Symptoms of botfly infestation include seizures, aggression, blindness, and warbles (or lumps) in the skin where the larvae has taken up residence. According to the VCA Animal Hospital, the best prevention is to keep your dog from hunting rodents. “When this is impossible and if you live in an area with numerous rodents, rabbits or other small mammals, you should closely inspect your dog regularly for any signs of warbles. The earlier a warble is removed, the less likely the chance of permanent or serious damage to your dog.”
Mosquitoes are an outdoor nuisance that can quickly become an indoor problem. But it isnt only the biting from the female mosquitoes you need to worry about. Heartworms, which are spread through mosquitoes that carry the infective larvae, are a much deadlier issue for your dog. Heartworm larvae migrate from the bite wound through the dog’s body until they reach the heart and blood vessels of the lungs. Once mature, adult heartworms can grow to be about 12 inches long and cause significant mechanical blockage to the normal flow of blood. Depending on the severity of the disease, it can even lead to death. There are several heartworm preventives available. Consult your veterinarian to determine which is best for your dog. 4. Kissing Bugs
Most dogs love the outdoors – roaming around and investigating what treasures nature has to offer. Unfortunately, many of these “treasures” are annoying, even dangerous, bugs that can hitch a ride on your dog and unsuspectingly be brought into your home. The following are some of the worst bugs your dog can bring indoors. : Sarah2 / Shutterstock1. Fleas
Homemade Mosquito Repellent To Prevent These Dog Pests from Harming You or Your Dog
You can also make your own insect repellent with just fresh lemons and water.
Ingredients and Supplies:
Directions:
This repellent works good on people too, but be sure not to spray on open sores.
When we think about dog pests, we first consider fleas and ticks and then mosquitoes, but rodents such as mice and rats can pose great health risks to you and your pets.
Many of our cats and dogs will chase a rat or mouse, but what if that rodent turned round and bit your pet? Or, your dog catches and eats that mouse?
Rodents transmit dangerous diseases, and one bite is all it takes to infect your pet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rodents can pass on many very serious diseases including Plague and Leptospirosis.
11 Plants To Avoid Keeping If You Have Pets
What comes to mind when someone mentions dog pests? Do you think about fleas and ticks? How about mosquitoes, flies mites or lice?
All of these are potentially dangerous insects that can carry disease or make our furry friends miserable.
But what about other flying insects? We don’t always consider stings or bites such as a wasp sting or a Bee Sting as dangerous until it is too late.
Swarming insect bites can make us very uncomfortable at best and at worse can be life threatening.
What about out little pets? A few bites from wasps on a curious puppy can be deadly. Let’s face it puppies and many inquisitive adult dogs are fascinated about moving insects– and dogs don’t understand the risks that these bugs pose when they try to play with them.