Author: Taylor Phillips

Dogs are playful beings that will gobble anything from grass to a TV remote or your favorite socks. Although these habits aren’t usually harmful, they shouldn’t be allowed to eat whatever they can get their fangs on. Today we’ll talk about 8 bugs your dog should never eat, so let’s start with:

1.     Grubs

Grub worms are neither toxic nor poisonous by nature, so many dog owners assume that they can’t harm their pet. However, grubs eat all kinds of soil, which can be poisoned by dangerous chemicals. Whether it is pesticide spread from a nearby farm or chemical waste from a nearby polluted river, grubs won’t make a difference if these toxins are in their next dirt meal.

Another reason why your dog should never eat grubs is because certain pests lay their eggs on the ground. Grubs can become involuntary carriers to such parasites, and if your dog eats them, it will become their next host.

Grubs live underground, so if you notice that your dog is digging a hole, you can assume that it may be searching for them. Move your dog away, and it will quickly lose interest.

2.     Crickets

Another insect that you may not expect to be dangerous to your dog is cricket. Generally speaking, crickets aren’t too harmful, but they can induce aggressive vomiting if a dog eats one due to their super-rough texture. It depends on how thoroughly your pet chews the cricket’s parts.

There are several species that are carriers of Physaloptera Larvae. This nematode parasite can infect your dog if it eats a cricket infested with it. Physaloptera parasite can cause a broad array of problems for your pet, including chronic vomiting, lethargy, dizziness, diarrhea, and diminished appetite.

Fortunately, treating the parasite is fairly easy with over-the-counter antibiotics. Even so, it’s best to avoid the problem by keeping your dog away from the tall grass. Crickets are, for the most part, nocturnal insects, so be on the lookout while taking your dog on night walks.

3.     Spiders

Not all spiders are venomous, but the ones that are should be kept off your dog’s diet list. It goes without saying, Black Widows are the most dangerous and poisonous spiders on the planet, but they’re also too rare to be too much of a problem. The Brown-recluse spider is highly toxic, but won’t attack unless threatened.

Be careful if you see spiders with yellow sacs, as they are spread across the United States and are almost as aggressive as they are poisonous. A single bite from a yellow-sac spider can infect the tissue and turn it necrotic.

The biggest problem with recognizing which spiders are harmful to your pet is that there are no distinct similarities between poisonous ones. For example, a Black Widow is the greatest threat while being petite in size. Just to be safe, keep your pet away from all spiders.

4.     Cockroaches

Roaches are neither poisonous nor venomous. While we as humans detest them, dogs like to chase them and may occasionally eat them. Cockroaches are widely treated as pests, and most people will try to eradicate them from their homes or farms by spraying pesticides or similar chemicals.

The reason why your dog shouldn’t eat roaches is that they are fairly resistant to most kinds of poisons and chemicals. They will carry these toxins on their bodies for days; if your dog eats a roach, the chances are that it will eat the toxins as well.

5.     Caterpillars

Caterpillars may be cute to some people, but they can be as dangerous to dogs as spiders. In fact, certain species can even be lethal to pets.

The Pine Processionary has over 500,000 trichomes, which are basically poisonous darts that are aimed at your dog’s throat if it eats one. Pine Processionaries can cause various injuries, with the most dangerous being tongue necrosis.

Processionary was named after its tendency to migrate ‘in procession,’ which is what your dog will find outstandingly interesting. Aside from this species, most others are at least mildly poisonous, so it would be smartest to prevent your dog from eating any, if possible.

6.     Fireflies

Sometimes called thunder bugs, fireflies are petite flying critters that dogs love chasing, especially at night. If you see faint lights flickering while taking your dog for a night walk, you can assume that these are fireflies and should keep your pet on a tight leash.

Fireflies have toxic blood, or more specifically speaking, their blood contains Lucibufagin, which is a form of defensive steroids unique to several firefly species. Lucibufagin is essentially a remarkably potent poison, which can paralyze any animal that ingests it.

You can count on your dog not wanting to eat one since they reek, but the faint flickering will probably overcome their impulses. Call a veterinarian immediately if your dog eats one.

7.     Mosquitoes

The thin buzzing of a mosquito is almost as annoying as the pulsing of the area where they bit us. While we as humans hate them, dogs are particularly entertained by these flying nuisances. Although they won’t be as annoyed by being bitten a few times, the underlying threat is a parasite called the heartworm, which some species of mosquitoes carry.

True to its name, heartworms infest their hosts’ hearts, causing a series of painful symptoms that can ultimately lead to death. Heartworm diseases are treatable, but just to stay on the safe side, keep your pet away from these flying creatures.

8.     Bees & Wasps

Bees, wasps, hornets, and all stinging insects are generally harmful to dogs. While body stings aren’t too horrible, a dog eating a stinging insect will get a swollen tongue, or worse, a swollen throat. Labored breathing is among the mildest symptoms while suffocating can potentially lead to your pet’s death.

Most stinging insects will remain docile unless provoked, so you will be able to keep your pet away from bees, wasps, and hornets if you notice them in time.

Don’t be scared and try to avoid your dog’s contact with any mentioned insects since most of the encounters are usually safe. It is common and natural for the animals to share their living space with other creatures and they know how to handle each other. A good example of this are fleas. A vast majority of our 4 legged friends host fleas and they can eat as many of them as they want, nothing bad will happen. However, getting your pet rid of fleas is advisable as well because of simply keeping your household free of this nuisance.

We hope that this rundown was useful to you and that you have learned something new today on the bugs your dog should avoid eating at all costs. Make sure you are staying safe in these times we are all going through and have a good one, guys!