Help! Nasty insect invasion!

    • Gold Top Dog

    Help! Nasty insect invasion!

    I dont know what these things are but they are like black flies or gnats,only these are more like teenage mutant ninja gnats.They have been around for a couple of weeks but i have never seen anything like what happened tonight! They just ate our new foster dogs alive! We were trying to get them inside to saftey while at the same time swatting dozens of the little nastys that were still attatched sucking blood.My hands were covered in blood after getting them all inside.Now i dont even know how i can let them go out to potty safely,playing outside for any length of time is not possible.I had to give everyone a benedryl to make them comfortable,they MUST be itchy.What should i do?

    Stranger thing is,my own dogs were in a seperate yard 20 feet away,they only have 1 or 2 bites,they are also raw fed,the new fosters are on a not so great donated food.Think that made a difference?

    We have 7 dogs that look like this,tummy,armpits and chest are the worst.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Wow - that's really scary. I have no idea what they might've been but hopefully someone else will be along who does. I think giving Benadryl was a great idea.

    • Gold Top Dog
    I'd take one of them to the vet tomorrow to see if they can help you figure out what the but is. Hopefully it's only a cutaneous problem. Poor guys, give them some extra kisses tonite.
    • Gold Top Dog

    holy smokes, that's awful.  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,271436,00.html   I wonder if there's a natural insect repellant you could use on the dogs?  I'd consider getting your property treated with a pesticide...I don't like them at all, but in this case it might be a good idea....

    • Gold Top Dog

    Oh, those poor babies! That's awful! Do you have some citronella candles or spray? Is there anything decaying in the yard that might be attracting these flies? Like straw or manure?

    And yes, to the vet first thing in the morning.  

     

    • Gold Top Dog
    • Gold Top Dog

    lisa4kids1pup

    holy smokes, that's awful.  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,271436,00.html   I wonder if there's a natural insect repellant you could use on the dogs?  I'd consider getting your property treated with a pesticide...I don't like them at all, but in this case it might be a good idea....

    Read the article and that sound very much like what we are dealing with.That article wasnt kidding folks these things are nasty! It says they are in upstate NY,thats where we are.Great investigative work!

    We pretty much live in the woods so there very well could be something out there attracting them but i wouldnt know.I still find it strange that my dogs 20 feet away werent attacked and my neighbors dogs,20 feet on the other side werent either.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Can you get your hands on some Avon Skin SO Soft bath oil?  rub it on your hands and over their skin and coats - it can help ward off bugs.  You can mix up 8-10 oz of water/alcohol (half and half) and 1 teas. SSS oil -- put in a spray bottle.  Shake and spray them well -- esp. the belly -- before you let them out.

     DEFINITELY give Benedryl for that severity of bites (1-2 mg/lb body weight given 2-4 times a day -- and for this I'd go with the 2 mg/lb and 3-4 times a day). 

    • Gold Top Dog

    Spray some skin-so-soft on them. We dilute ours with water, and use it as a spray. Works WONDERS - you'll never believe it until you try it!

    I would also give some benedryl, just to maintain comfort until you get to the vet in the morning.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Black Flies or Buffalo Gnats
    http://entoplp.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/blackflies.htm
    http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/uc/uc-019.html

    http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=118497

    A more common household product -- vanilla extract -- can also be used to ward off the buffalo gnat.