Large number of bugs posing problems for dogs

The Asian Lady Beetle is showing up in swarms in Barton County, and looking for a way to get inside for the winter.

These bugs look like the more common Lady Bug, and bring many of the same benefits.

“The reason that there are so many this year, is this is the first year that we’ve had a major issue in the state of Kansas with the sugar cane aphid in the sorghum fields,” explained Barton County Extension Agent Alicia Boor. “With a lot of aphids, they produced a lot of lady bugs to be able to attack and eat and control the aphids.”

Controlling the aphids is a major positive for the ag community, but all the extra Asian Lady Beetles coming inside can be a nuisance.

Not just for people, but for your dogs, if they have a habit of catching bugs.

“He was just lethargic, real lethargic and the foam was just coming. It was kind of scary,” said Frances Jirik, who brought her dog Bailey in to the Hoisington Veterinary Hospital after noticing the dog’s mouth full of the lady beetles.

The Asian Lady Beetles bite, and they secret a substance that make them stick. That’s why Bailey had a permanent mouthful and wasn’t eating.

The bites can leave an open wound in a dog’s mouth, and that’s a more serious concern.

“Definitely it’s painful,” said Dr. Lindsay Mitchell, the veterinarian that treated Bailey. “They’ll have some pain, they won’t want to eat as well, and they run the chance of infection if they have those ulcers there.”

If your dog runs into trouble with the bugs, Dr. Lindsay says to try and just pull them out of their mouth, if the dog will let you. But she says if you see any ulcers inside the mouth, to bring the dog in to see a vet.