How can you distinguish between chigger and bed bug bites in the groin area. What are the most effective treatments for these bites. How can you prevent future infestations and bites.

Understanding Chigger and Bed Bug Bites: Key Differences

When it comes to identifying insect bites in the groin area, chiggers and bed bugs are two common culprits. While both can cause discomfort and irritation, there are distinct differences in their appearance, location, and the environments where these pests thrive.

Chigger Bites: Characteristics and Symptoms

Chigger bites are often found in clusters around areas where clothing fits tightly, such as the waistband or groin region. These microscopic mites typically attach to the skin and feed for several hours or days if left undisturbed. The bites appear as small, raised, dark red pimples that become increasingly itchy over time.

• Clustered in groups
• Located near tight clothing areas
• Intensely itchy
• May develop a cap that oozes if scratched

Bed Bug Bites: Identifying Features

Bed bug bites, on the other hand, often appear in a linear or zig-zag pattern on exposed skin during sleep. These bites may not be immediately noticeable, as bed bugs release a numbing agent when feeding. The bites typically manifest as slightly raised, inflamed, and red spots that can be mistaken for mosquito or flea bites.

• Linear or zig-zag pattern
• Appear on exposed skin during sleep
• May cause anxiety and sleep disturbances
• Can take days or up to two weeks to appear

Diagnostic Challenges: Why Professional Assessment Matters

Distinguishing between chigger and bed bug bites can be challenging for the untrained eye. Both types of bites can cause similar symptoms, such as itching and skin irritation. However, the location and pattern of the bites, along with environmental factors, can provide crucial clues.

Are there any definitive ways to distinguish between these bites? While visual inspection can offer some insights, a professional assessment is often necessary for an accurate diagnosis. Dermatologists and entomologists can use specialized techniques to identify the specific pest responsible for the bites.

Treatment Options: Alleviating Discomfort and Promoting Healing

Whether you’re dealing with chigger or bed bug bites, the primary goal of treatment is to alleviate discomfort and prevent complications. While both types of bites will generally heal on their own with time, there are several steps you can take to manage symptoms and promote faster healing.

Home Remedies for Bite Relief

For immediate relief, consider these home remedies:

1. Wash the affected area with warm, soapy water to remove any remaining pests
2. Apply cool compresses to reduce inflammation and itching
3. Avoid scratching to prevent secondary infections
4. Use over-the-counter antihistamines to control itching

Medical Interventions for Severe Cases

In more severe cases or when home remedies prove insufficient, medical treatments may be necessary. These can include:

• Topical corticosteroid creams to reduce inflammation
• Oral antihistamines for systemic relief from itching
• Antibiotics if secondary bacterial infections develop
• Pain relievers such as acetaminophen or NSAIDs for discomfort

When should you seek medical attention for insect bites? If you experience symptoms such as fever, body aches, or signs of infection (increased redness, warmth, or pus), it’s crucial to consult a healthcare professional promptly.

Prevention Strategies: Keeping Chiggers and Bed Bugs at Bay

Preventing future infestations and bites is key to avoiding the discomfort associated with chigger and bed bug encounters. By implementing a combination of environmental controls and personal protection measures, you can significantly reduce your risk of exposure.

Chigger Prevention Techniques

To minimize your risk of chigger bites, consider these preventive measures:

• Wear long-sleeved clothing and tuck pants into socks when in grassy or wooded areas
• Apply insect repellent containing DEET to exposed skin and clothing
• Shower and launder clothing promptly after outdoor activities
• Keep lawns mowed and vegetation trimmed to reduce chigger habitats

Bed Bug Prevention and Control

Preventing bed bug infestations requires vigilance and proactive measures:

• Inspect hotel rooms and secondhand furniture before use
• Encase mattresses and box springs in protective covers
• Regularly vacuum and declutter living spaces
• Wash and dry bedding on high heat settings
• Seek professional pest control services at the first sign of infestation

How often should you inspect for signs of bed bugs? Regular inspections, at least once a month, can help catch infestations early and prevent widespread problems.

Environmental Factors: Understanding Pest Habitats and Behaviors

The environments in which chiggers and bed bugs thrive are vastly different, which can provide additional context when trying to identify the source of bites.

Chigger Habitats and Behavior

Chiggers are typically found in outdoor environments, particularly in areas with tall grass, weeds, and dense vegetation. They are most active during warm months and tend to be more prevalent in humid climates. Understanding chigger behavior can help in avoiding areas where they are likely to be present.

Bed Bug Environments and Patterns

Bed bugs, conversely, are indoor pests that thrive in close proximity to human sleeping areas. They can be found in mattresses, bed frames, headboards, and nearby furniture. Bed bugs are nocturnal and tend to feed while their hosts are asleep, which explains why bites often appear on areas of skin exposed during sleep.

Why is understanding pest habitats important for prevention? By recognizing the preferred environments of these pests, you can take targeted preventive measures and more easily identify potential sources of infestations.

Long-Term Health Implications: Beyond the Immediate Discomfort

While most chigger and bed bug bites are not serious health concerns, they can occasionally lead to more significant issues, particularly if left untreated or if an individual has a severe allergic reaction.

Potential Complications from Chigger Bites

Chigger bites rarely cause serious health problems, but persistent scratching can lead to secondary bacterial infections. In some cases, individuals may develop a condition called “trombiculiasis,” characterized by persistent itching and dermatitis.

Health Risks Associated with Bed Bug Infestations

Bed bug bites themselves are not known to transmit diseases. However, the psychological impact of bed bug infestations can be significant, leading to anxiety, insomnia, and stress. In rare cases, individuals may experience severe allergic reactions or anemia from prolonged, heavy infestations.

Can insect bites lead to long-term health issues? While uncommon, persistent or severe infestations can potentially impact mental health and quality of life, making prompt treatment and prevention crucial.

Emerging Research: New Insights into Pest Control and Treatment

As the challenges posed by chiggers and bed bugs continue to evolve, so too does the research into more effective prevention and treatment strategies. Recent studies have explored novel approaches to pest control and bite management.

Advancements in Chigger Repellents

Researchers are investigating natural compounds that may repel chiggers more effectively than traditional insecticides. Some promising candidates include essential oils derived from plants like neem and eucalyptus, which have shown potential in laboratory studies.

Innovations in Bed Bug Detection and Eradication

New technologies for early bed bug detection are being developed, including highly sensitive monitors that can detect the presence of bed bugs before an infestation becomes established. Additionally, heat treatment methods and specialized vacuums are becoming more refined, offering more effective and environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides.

How might future research change our approach to pest control? As our understanding of pest biology and behavior improves, we may see more targeted, eco-friendly, and efficient methods for preventing and treating infestations.

Cultural and Global Perspectives: Chiggers and Bed Bugs Worldwide

The prevalence and impact of chiggers and bed bugs vary significantly across different regions and cultures. Understanding these global perspectives can provide valuable insights into management strategies and the socioeconomic factors influencing pest control.

Chiggers in Tropical and Subtropical Regions

In many tropical and subtropical areas, chiggers are a more significant concern due to favorable climate conditions. Some cultures have developed traditional remedies and preventive practices that have been passed down through generations. For example, in parts of Southeast Asia, certain herbs and plant-based repellents are commonly used to ward off chiggers.

Bed Bugs: A Global Resurgence

Bed bugs have seen a worldwide resurgence in recent decades, affecting both developed and developing nations. Factors contributing to this increase include increased international travel, changes in pest control practices, and the development of insecticide resistance. In some regions, the stigma associated with bed bug infestations can lead to underreporting and delayed treatment, exacerbating the problem.

How do cultural attitudes influence pest management practices? Cultural beliefs and economic factors can significantly impact how different societies approach pest control, from the types of treatments used to the willingness to seek professional help.

By understanding the global nature of these pest issues, we can develop more comprehensive and culturally sensitive approaches to prevention and treatment. This global perspective also highlights the importance of international cooperation in research and policy-making to address these widespread concerns effectively.

Chigger Bites Vs. Bed Bug Bites: Telling Them Apart

You may notice groups of small raised bumps on your skin and suspect that you’ve been bitten by a bug. Two culprits may be bed bugs and chiggers. These two bugs are parasites, living off the blood of people or animals.

Their bites may look similar, but bed bugs and chiggers live in much different environments. Generally, bed bug and chigger bites are irritating and uncomfortable but not a risk to your overall health.

Bed bugs live near sleeping quarters. You may find evidence of bed bugs if you notice brown or red spots on your sheets. You may also smell something sweet and musty if bed bugs are nearby.

Chiggers group in clusters. When they attach to your body, they may feed off of it for several hours or days if you do not wash yourself or scratch them off. You may feel them on your skin and never see them because of their microscopic size.

Physical symptoms of bed bug bites:

• occur a few days or up to two weeks after the bites
• look like bites from other bugs like mosquitos and fleas
• are a bit raised, inflamed, and red in color
• itch
• appear in clusters or in a zig zag line
• show up most often on skin exposed during sleep

You may also find that bed bug bites cause:

• sleeping trouble
• anxiety
• skin irritation

Not everyone will have the same symptoms from bed bug bites. Some people are more sensitive to bed bug bites and their symptoms may be worse.

Physical symptoms of chigger bites:

• appear as small pimples that are raised and dark red
• cause itchy skin that gets itchier over time
• are grouped in clusters around areas of your body where you wear tight clothing, such as the elastic of underwear or around your sock line

You may notice chigger bites change while healing. The center of the bite may appear to have a cap that oozes if scratched.

Some people bitten by chiggers may react more strongly to the bites.

Bed bugs

You may not know that you’ve been bitten by bed bugs unless you actually see evidence of them where you’ve slept. You likely will not feel a bite from bed bugs because they release a substance that numbs your skin and keeps any blood from running out of the bite area.

Chiggers

Chigger bites can last for a range of time, depending on your exposure and how long they stay on you. If you have chiggers on you for a short amount of time, the symptoms may be mild and last only a few days. However, chiggers that stay on you for a longer length of time, such as while you sleep, may cause more severe symptoms for a few weeks.

Both bed bug and chigger bites appear as raised, red, inflamed spots on your skin.

Bed bug bites appear most frequently near areas of exposed skin and may appear in lines or in random clusters.

Chigger bites are grouped together in locations near tight-fitting clothing.

Both bed bug and chigger bites will go away with time. Treatments focus on calming symptoms so you can be more comfortable.

Home remedies

The first line of treatment for both bed bug and chigger bites is to avoid scratching them and leaving them alone as much as possible.

Make sure to wash the affected area with warm, soapy water if you suspect chigger bites. This will make sure no chiggers remain on your skin.

You can apply cool compresses to the bites, such as a cool washcloth or towel.

Medical treatment

There are many over-the-counter medication options to reduce bed bug and chigger bite symptoms.

Try pain-relieving medications like acetaminophen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to calm discomfort associated with the bites. NSAIDs also relieve inflammation.

Topical creams, ointments, and lotions may soothe the itch caused by bed bugs and chiggers. These include those containing steroids, like hydrocortisone.

An oral antihistamine may help control itching or swelling.

If the bite area becomes worse over time, it may be infected. Treating an infection may require antibiotics.

Call a doctor if you:

• have symptoms that get worse over time or do not heal after a few weeks
• develop symptoms like fever, body aches, or chills in addition to physical symptoms on your skin (a sign of an infection)
• experience an allergic reaction with more exaggerated symptoms like difficulty breathing or swollen areas of your body, especially of your throat

Medical emergency

Extreme allergic reactions may cause anaphylactic shock. Call 911 and go to the nearest emergency room.

Severe infections from a bite can also be serious so if you develop a high fever and other symptoms that make you concerned, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

The best way to manage bed bugs and chiggers is to avoid bites in the first place.

Bed bugs

Bed bug removal requires fumigation. If you have bed bugs in your home, call a professional to kill the bugs, because they can live for several months between feedings.

Keep spaces where bed bugs may live clean. Cleaning regularly will help you spot signs of bed bugs.

If you are traveling and worried about bed bugs, consider sleeping in clothing that covers most of your skin. You can also use an insect repellant.

Chiggers

Limit your exposure to chiggers by avoiding contact with grasses and weeds. Do not sit directly on lawns, and make sure to keep your landscaping maintained. Overgrown yards can contribute to more chiggers.

Wear bug spray and dress in clothing that covers most of your body when you’re outside. This may include tucking your pants into your socks or wearing gloves tucked into long-sleeved shirts.

Both bed bugs and chiggers are tiny parasites that can cause uncomfortable pimple-like bumps on your skin. These bites may cause a few days of irritation, but they are generally not harmful in the long term. Try to avoid scratching the bites to reduce chances of infection, and use home remedies and over-the-counter medications to soothe symptoms.

Chigger Bites: What They Look Like, Prevention, Treatment

Creepy crawlies to watch out for in the summer include mosquitos and chiggers—tiny mites with a big, itchy bite. Here are chigger bite pictures and symptoms, as well as ways to prevent and treat them.

The summer means more sun, hot weather, and time spent outdoors. This also means more creepy crawlies lurking around. You’re probably familiar with the ants competing for your potato salad at picnics or mosquitos dive-bombing your ears at night. However, they aren’t the only ones that could spoil your summer. Enter: Chiggers—tiny mites with a big bite. Not sure if you’ve seen or been bitten by one? Here’s everything you ever wanted to know (and maybe not wanted to know) about chiggers, including symptoms, pictures, and ways to prevent and treat chigger bites.

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On This Page

What are chiggers?

The chigger, also known as redbugs, jiggers, and harvest mites are the parasitic larvae form of a mite in the Trombiculidae family. They are nearly invisible at around 0.15 to 0.3 millimeters and a reddish-orange color. It’s only in this immature “baby” stage when they bite us. After the larvae stage, they enter the predator phase of their life as beneficial arthropods, feeding on insect eggs and other small insects we don’t want.

They must feed to molt and advance to the next stage (nymph) and finally feed and molt again to become a full-fledged adult chigger. “If the chigger was left to feed as it wanted/needed, it would then fall off the host, into the habitat, molt to the nymphal stage and get on with its life. Unfortunately for them, when we scratch or scrub them off in the shower, we dislodge the chigger mite, and it doesn’t end up getting much further in life,” says Jody Green, PhD, an entomologist at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

Where do chiggers live?

In the United States, chiggers can be found anywhere but are most common in the Midwest, South, and Southeast. (They can be found around the world, and there are more than 50 different species that bite humans.) They are arachnids, not insects, and are more closely related to spiders and ticks.

Green says the habitat of chiggers tends to be in wild plantings, gardens, pollinator habitat, woods and brush, long grass fields, trail edges, and dense shrubbery. Yet, Green cautions, “chiggers can basically be anywhere.” She was the victim of 16 chigger bites while standing on the grass of a short, manicured lawn at a local school—certainly not the environment chiggers are expected to be.

“There’s really no favorite habitat of chiggers because their presence is spotty, and while a few people may be standing in the same habitat, not everyone will endure the same suffer-fest of chiggers,” says Green. (You should be aware of these 10 sneaky backyard dangers this summer.)

Bugboy52.40/Public domain

How do chiggers find us?

When humans enter chigger territory, the bugs go on high alert, says Green—they likely notice your shadow and feel the vibrations as you walk. Plus, you release carbon dioxide, which chiggers can pick up on. “They sense our body heat, which they will orient to as a host on which to feed,” Green says. “Chiggers don’t have long, piercing-sucking mouthparts like mosquitoes or ticks, so they bite where they are likely to get a good meal, remain protected, and where it is warm and humid.”

They attach to your clothing, often to areas on the body where clothing is tight—like sock lines, waistlines, underwear, and bra line areas.  They tend to bite in a skin depression, like a pore or hair follicle.

“They also will bite in places where the skin is soft and thin like the knee pits, armpits, and again, groin area. Say you’re sitting and your body has skin creases or folds, they will bite in a cluster in that area,” Green says.

Why do chiggers bite us?

It sounds gross, but our skin is their food source (not blood, as you might imagine). Chiggers don’t burrow under our skin and suck our blood as rumored. Chiggers feed uniquely. Unlike a mosquito with a needle-like mouthpart or a tick with a barbed, swordlike mouthpart, chiggers have a short pincher and sharp mouthpiece known as chelicerae. However, a bit like a tick, they do attach to the skin and stay there to feed.

“It starts feeding and does not let go. It secretes enzymes into your skin, breaking it down, and at the same time, creating a channel or tube (called a stylostome) to suck up the liquified skin cells,” says Green.

Chiggers can stay attached to the skin for three or four days, although they are often brushed (or scratched) off the skin before then. (Check out the “harmless” bugs you didn’t know could bite you.)

Courtesy Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Symptoms of a chigger bite

“Chigger bites often appear as small, red, grouped bumps that commonly occur on the extremities,” Shawn Kwatra, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Other times they can look like pimples or tiny blisters.

You’re likely to see the chigger bites in the areas where your clothes naturally fit tighter, as chiggers the love the warm and moist areas of skins folds, like behind the knee, armpits.

Think—ankles (socks), groin, and waist (underwear bands), and back (bra line areas). Green was wearing shoes, but not socks when she was standing on the lawn, so the chiggers sought out the next tightest spot of thin skin—the underwear and bra area.

Far worse than the unsightly bites is the intense itching. Green describes her chigger bites as, “unbelievable, intense itching in all the wrong places.” (Don’t miss this handy bite guide to identify common bugs bites.)

Why chigger bites are so itchy

You might not even know a chigger bit you or is feeding on you, but you’ll definitely notice the fast and furious itching that follows a couple of hours after chiggers start eating. People who have been bitten by chiggers don’t quickly forget the intense itching. “Chiggers are the worst! It was the most intensely insane itching I’ve ever experienced,” recalls Green of her chigger bites from the school lawn.

Why is the itching so severe? “Chigger bites result in intense itching that comes from the allergic reaction to the chigger’s saliva and from the stylostome itself,” Green says.

Your body steps up to fight the itch on your behalf by absorbing the stylostome and growing new skin, but unfortunately, the process takes about a week or two. Green can relate. She had about a week of uncontrollable itching with the bite marks lasting a month. (Be aware of the 8 bug bites that might need medical attention—now.)

What to do if you’ve been in a chigger-infested area

Unfortunately, chiggers aren’t going to abandon their free meal and hop off your clothes or skin once you get inside. If you’ve been in an area where chiggers like to hang out or even if you’re not sure, it’s crucial to take a shower right upon returning home. The itching period is directly proportional to the amount of time the chigger remained attached to your skin.

The stylostome gets deeper the longer the chigger feeds, so get them off ASAP advises Green. Next, “Put your clothing in a clothes dryer on high heat for 30 minutes before wearing them again,” suggests Green. The heat kills the mites.

If your clothes are soiled, wash them right away and dry them for 30 minutes. Don’t let soiled clothes sit in a hamper or laundry basket. Green advises. Be sure to wipe down your shoes inside and out too.

ZenShui/Eric Audras/Getty Images

Do chiggers carry diseases?

Chiggers in the United States are not thought to transfer any diseases. However, in some parts of the world, they can transfer a type of bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi, which can cause scrub typhus. Chiggers in rural Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Indonesia, India, and northern Australia, may carry the bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Scrub typhus can be cured with antibiotics but it can be potentially life-threatening if not treated. Symptoms include fever, headache, and body aches.

How to treat chigger bites

Chiggers digest our skin cells and their calling card is severe itching. Over-the-counter topical steroids and oral antihistamines (like Benadryl or Zyrtec) can help with severe itching, Dr. Kwatra says.

But sometimes you just can’t stop itching, especially at bedtime. “Itch from the bites can be intense and also disrupt sleep. Over-the-counter medicine for chiggers include topical steroids and oral antihistamines can sometimes provide relief, but often topical steroids are needed,” he adds.

Infection isn’t common, but sometimes a superficial bacterial infection can occur in the area present as an overlying yellowish discoloration with pus. You may notice some changes in your skin even after the itching subsides.

“Chigger bites may leave post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in the form of dark spots on the skin at the site of previous bites. These usually fade slowly over several months, and you should apply sunscreen to the area to prevent further pigmentation,” recommends Dr. Kwatra. (Here’s why you shouldn’t scratch a bug bite.)

How to protect yourself from chigger bites

Chiggers are most active from early spring to fall when temperatures are between 70 to 80 degrees—about the same time we love to walk barefoot in the grass or hang out in the yard. First and foremost, avoid the trail edges, tall grass fields, dense shrubbery, and other places (mentioned above) where chiggers are more likely to be.

If you must be in those areas, wear long pants, long sleeves, shoes, or boots to keep chiggers off your skin. yourself. “Do a lot of tucking,” recommends Green. “Tuck your pants into your shoes or boots and tuck your shirt into your pants. I also recommend wearing permethrin-treated clothing and also DEET (25-30 percent) on the skin.” If you’re hanging out in the yard, avoid sitting directly on the grass. Keep the lawn and bushes trimmed.

You can spray a type of insecticide called synthetic pyrethroids (look for bifenthrin as the active ingredient) to help suppress chiggers, but these chemicals can harm/kill beneficial insects and pollinators. “Some yards are quite large, and that can be a lot of pesticide to spray in the environment, so I’d only recommend it if you know there are indeed chiggers in a localized spot,” suggests Green. (Check out these chemical-free bug repellents that actually work.)

Helpful products to ward off chiggers

The same ingredients and strategies that keep ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting insects from feasting on you will also stop chiggers. Here are some effective strategies and products that will keep chiggers from causing you misery—plus, what to do if you do get bit.

• 12 Natural Ways to Keep Bugs at Bay
• This All-Natural Tick Repellent Works, and Here’s Why
• 10 Naturally Derived Tick Repellents that Actually Work
• 7 Trusted Mosquito-Repelling Products You’ll Actually Want to Use
• The Best Way to Treat Every Type of Bug Bite

Additional resources

Want to learn more about chiggers, their bite, their habitat, and how to avoid these pesky arachnids? Here are some government, university, and commercial sources of information.

• Entomology at the University of Kentucky: Chiggers
• U.S. National Library of Medicine, Medline Plus: Chiggers
• Nebraska Forest Service: Chiggers and Trombiculosis
• Orkin: Chigger Mites

Allergy in dogs – symptoms, treatment, photo

Allergy is an immunopathological process, which is expressed by increased sensitivity of the immune system of a particular organism when an allergen is repeatedly introduced into an organism previously sensitized by this allergen.

Allergic reactions can occur in any dog ​​regardless of its age, sex or breed.

Causes and types of allergies in dogs

Allergies can be divided into four groups depending on the causes:

1. Insect allergy.

This type of allergy is the most common. This type includes allergic reactions that occur to insect bites (poison or saliva), reactions that appear after contact with insects and their metabolites (inhalation or contact with insects or their metabolic products).

The most common hypersensitivity reaction in dogs is to flea saliva, which enters the bloodstream as a result of a bite. The life cycle of fleas lasts 21-174 days, its duration is affected by temperature and humidity. Under favorable conditions, insects develop better. Adult fleas spend most of their time on the animal, where they feed and breed. Eggs enter the external environment, and after 2-10 days, larvae emerge from them. Larvae pupate within 5-11 days, and adults emerge from cocoons in 5-140 days.

It should also be noted that dogs are allergic to mosquito and midge bites, which often occurs in summer, especially in pets traveling out of town.

Photo 1. Allergic reaction to fly stings

2. Allergic contact dermatitis.

A rather rare dermatitis, since the coat of animals usually protects the body from many common contact allergens, unless the allergens are applied in the form of cosmetic products (shampoos, coat lotions, creams, perfumes, etc. ). Lesions usually occur on hairless or hairless areas, such as the muzzle, ears, tail, groin, axilla, between the fingers. This allergic dermatitis can occur through contact with household chemicals, dyes (fabrics, bedding, clothing), plants, flea collars and drops, etc.

3. Food allergy (food hypersensitivity).

This type of allergy is associated with eating certain food components. These food components can either be included in the main diet of the animal (ready-made factory feeds or homemade food prepared by the owners), or occasionally in the form of treats. Food allergies can develop in dogs at any age and are often cumulative.

Photo 2. Allergic reaction in the form of papules and pustules with food hypersensitivity

4. Atopy (atopic dermatitis).

This is a genetically determined overreaction of the immune system to antigens that are common in the environment. The most common allergens are mold fungi, house dust mites, pantry mites, plant pollen, epithelium of humans and other animals. The disease often begins between 6 months and 7 years of age, but usually develops at 1-3 years of age.

Photo 3. Atopic dermatitis

Allergy symptoms in dogs

Allergy symptoms in a dog can develop very quickly or gradually and are chronic.

Anaphylactic shock should be singled out separately, it is an allergic reaction of the immediate type. It is considered one of the most dangerous complications of an allergy to drugs (for example, vaccines, antibiotics, vitamins), to the venom of stinging or biting insects, to snake venom, less often to food components.

Urticaria is also often acute and is characterized by limited or generalized blistering.

Vascular edema refers to a urticaria-like reaction in which the lesion extends to the subcutaneous tissue and may extend to the mucous membranes. Possible severe swelling of the larynx, head, limbs.

Pruritus is often the leading symptom and can be of any severity from moderate to severe. Itching can be limited and affect certain parts of the body (limbs, muzzle, abdomen) or generalized, manifested by scratching, licking certain parts of the body, biting, often dogs rub their faces on various objects.

Skin lesions are often caused by self-injury (abrasions, alopecia), often there is a change in coat color due to the addition of a secondary infection. A favorable factor for the development of fungal and bacterial infections is constant licking due to itching (for example, pododermatitis in atopy).

Erythema (severe reddening of the skin), papules, pustules, crusts, ulcerations are more present in the abdomen, axilla, distal extremities, inner thighs, in the anal region, often found on the head. With chronic inflammation of the skin, lichenification (thickening) and hyperpigmentation occur.

Common clinical signs of allergy in dogs are ear canal inflammation, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, and rhinitis. With food hypersensitivity, gastrointestinal disorders can be observed.

Since intense itching “exhausts” the animal, the dog may experience behavioral disturbances.

Diagnosis of allergies in dogs

It is very important to take a thorough history: living conditions of the animal (apartment or aviary), diet, frequency of antiparasitic treatments, the presence of other diseases and the use of drugs, whether the lesions are seasonal, what were the primary changes and much more.

To rule out parasitic diseases (sarcoptic mange in dogs, demodicosis, otodectosis, cheilethiellosis, etc.), diagnostic tests are carried out – deep and superficial skin scrapings.

To exclude skin infections (bacterial, fungal), cytological studies, trichoscopy are carried out, if necessary, material is taken for bacteriological and mycological cultures.

When diagnosing allergies, a step-by-step algorithm is used, which often takes a long time.

Atopic dermatitis is a diagnosis of exclusion and only made after exclusion of other possible causes (parasitic infestations, skin infections, food hypersensitivity, contact allergic reaction). Specific allergodiagnosis (intradermal or serum tests) is recommended, but is not yet publicly available.

Dog Allergy Treatment

It is not uncommon for an animal to have several types of allergies. Allergens are excluded whenever possible.

Therapeutic measures include:

• antiparasitic treatments are carried out for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It is important to treat all animals in the house, it is also important to destroy flea larvae in the external environment;
• important control of secondary infection, restoration of the protective function of the skin. For this purpose, local preparations (medicated shampoos, creams, lotions) and / or systemic antibacterial or antifungal drugs are used;
• Conducting a nutritional diagnosis in order to confirm or exclude food hypersensitivity consists in an elimination diet. To do this, use specialized food or home-made products, it is important to select products that the dog has never received. Access to any other food, treats, vitamins, etc. is excluded. The diet is carried out from 6-8 weeks;
• control of itching is the selection of local (with local lesions) or systemic drugs. These include antihistamines, glucocorticosteroids, cyclosporine A, a Janus kinase inhibitor. It is necessary to choose the best treatment option (effective and safest) for a particular animal.

Dogs suffering from atopic dermatitis require lifelong therapy and monitoring.

Author of the article:
Veterinary therapist, dermatologist
Mezerina Irina Sergeevna

Tick bite | PUUGIINFO.EE

Ticks bite in such a way that it goes unnoticed. Thus, he can quietly and calmly feed on a host animal for some time. The longer the tick is attached to the body, the greater the risk of infection. It is very important to remove the tick quickly and correctly.

Having found a prey, the tick does not bite immediately, but chooses soft and warm places where the skin is thinner and blood circulation is good, as well as a place where it will be harder to notice and remove it.

Ticks can bite almost anywhere on the body, but they generally prefer the following areas:

• behind the knee,
• behind the ear
• neck (especially in children), buttocks ,
• shoulder area (including armpits),
• inner forearm,
• abdomen.

If the tick has been able to attach well, then it will not fall off with accidental scratching and rubbing.

The bite of a tick is not felt, because when bitten, it “injects” an anesthetic substance along with saliva into the victim.

Ticks have a highly developed biting organ. When a tick finds a suitable place for a bite on a prey, that is, a host animal, it begins to cut a hole in the skin with the help of a special organ (chelicerae, chelicerae). In the hole formed, the tick pushes the jaw process, like a harpoon, with spikes directed backwards, which is firmly fixed in the skin, and begins the process of bloodsucking. The firm attachment of the mite to the skin during the entire feeding process is also guaranteed by the adhesive substance secreted together with saliva, the so-called cement. In addition, saliva contains substances that prevent blood from clotting (anticoagulants), painkillers and suppress local immune defenses. Thanks to all these substances, the sucking tick goes unnoticed for quite a long time, since there is no irritation, pain, redness or itching at the bite site.

If a tick is found on the body, it must be removed as soon as possible. If the tick has already stuck, it is not necessary to squeeze it strongly and compress the abdomen. By squeezing the tick, you can easily crush the body, and if the tick is an active carrier, then pathogens – bacteria and viruses – can easily get into the wound at an even faster pace. Also, alcohol, gasoline, acetone, oil / fat and soap should not be poured onto the attached tick, as this also leads to an accelerated transmission of pathogens from the tick to humans.

The sooner the stuck tick is removed, the better. If the tick is a carrier of infections, then even a few hours are important.

• Most importantly, remove the tick as soon as possible to reduce the risk of infection.
• The second main factor is the correct grip of the tick for removal – the tick must be grasped as close as possible to the skin, around the “head” part, while at the same time avoiding excessive pressure on the body itself.
• Fine pointed tweezers or tongs are suitable for removing ticks. Specialized tick removal tools are available from pharmacies, but in limited circumstances, ordinary sewing thread may be useful to remove the tick.
• Remove the tick by either pulling lightly or twisting. Remember that it is absolutely impossible to compress the body itself!

Removal with tweezers

To remove a tick, the tweezers should be sharp or curved to prevent compression of the body of the tick.

Removal with thread

When neither tweezers nor special tools are available, thread can help with tick removal.

Removal with special tool

These tick removers have instructions detailing how to use them correctly.

What should I do if the head of a tick remains in the skin when removed?

When a tick is removed, it is possible that some of the tick remains in the wound. In this case, part of the head and parts of the jaw organs usually remain. Do not panic, after a while the body itself will push the remaining parts out of the skin, as happens with small splinters. This may be accompanied by redness at the site of the bite and a small purulent inflammation, which shows how the body, with the help of immunity cells, copes with the removal of a foreign body. Therefore, the “tick head” left in the wound does not pose a serious health hazard. Treat the area with a suitable disinfectant for you, but do not try to remove the remaining parts of the tick yourself if this cannot be done gently with tweezers, because using a needle or any other sharp object increases the risk of additional infection.

The bite site should not be scratched, pressed or sucked, but should be washed with soap or disinfected.

What to do with a removed tick?

A tick can only be killed once it has been removed from the body! When killing a tick, be sure to follow the safety rules for both yourself and those around you. A dead tick can be thrown into the toilet, a fire or a garbage can. If you are not sure whether a tick is dead or alive, then before throwing it away, so that it does not run away, you can wrap it, for example, in a paper pocket.

If a tick is found or bitten, you do not need to see a doctor – just a tick moving on the skin is not dangerous, you can simply brush it off. You can also cope with the removal of the tick yourself, with the help of improvised means, or ask for help from a person next to you (especially in cases where the tick has stuck in places on the body where you yourself cannot reach or removing the tick on your own is associated with inconvenience or not possible).

Symptoms for which you can see a doctor:

• feeling unwell, feeling weak
• photosensitivity and/or fever
• headache, muscle pain or back pain
• the bite is reddened and swollen and/or there is an expanding red spot
• other health problems have occurred after the tick bite

It may take more than three weeks after a tick bite before symptoms become noticeable.