| If you have a dog that spends a lot of time | | | | many fly bites, you must gently clean the ear off |
| outside, keep an eye out for fly bites on the dogs | | | | with warm water and a very mild antiseptic soap, |
| ears. Dogs with "standing ears," are an easier | | | | or betadine. To control any infection, gently apply |
| target then ones that are "floppy." If you see flies | | | | a topical antibiotic ointment. If the damage is |
| around the dogs head or flies landing on the ears, | | | | severe on the dogs ears, keep your dog inside |
| you have a problem. The fly lands on the tips of | | | | until the ears are healed. If the dog won't stop |
| the dogs ear and bites the surface to obtain a | | | | rubbing his ears on the carpet or furniture, or if |
| "blood meal." The damage surface from the many | | | | the sores keep getting worse; (and especially if |
| fly bites gives the flies the perfect place to lay | | | | maggots are present); then you better rush your |
| their eggs. If this is not treated, these eggs will | | | | dog to a Veterinarian. |
| later hatch into maggots. You must take | | | | Prevention and treatment |
| immediate action to prevent the eggs from | | | | The most successful treatment, of course, is |
| hatching and to heal the damage on your dogs | | | | prevention. You can buy sprays and/or ointments |
| ears. | | | | that are very effective in repelling flies such as: |
| There are several thousand different species of | | | | permethrin; or look for a product called "SWAT" |
| flies throughout the world. The species of flies | | | | or "FLYS OFF," where they sell horse supplies. |
| you have, depends upon where you live. These | | | | Another way to help prevent the fly bites is to |
| flies can feast on the surface of the dogs ears, | | | | place a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the top of |
| (or sometimes, the bridge of the dogs nose.) Fly | | | | the dogs ears, and replace often. |
| bites are not only painful for the dog, but can lead | | | | Caution...You don't want any product to come in |
| to further problems if left untreated. So what are | | | | direct contact with the dogs eyes. Instead of |
| these problems and how can you protect your | | | | spraying any product on the dogs ears, spray the |
| dog? | | | | product on something such as a make-up |
| What can you do? | | | | remover pad or a soft clean cloth and then wipe |
| Because the dogs ears will be painful from the | | | | the surface of the ear. |