Is a black fly bite on my dog dangerous, or will it heal on its own?

Hi there, These look very similar in appearance to black fly bites, which look very dramatic but are truly benign. These are often worst in Spring and Fall seasons. If Pesci is allergic, you would see: facial swelling, full body hives, and severe vomit or diarrhea. This would be a sign he needs emergency medical care. Google both dog black fly bites and dog hives to see the difference in appearance. :) I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Gracie. Yes they do look like black fly bites, but there is no treatment for them. To prevent them, you need to clean up your yard of anything that attracts flies such as dog poop. Pick up all the dog poop, and throw it away in a closed trash can. Keep the trash can closed and locked if possible to prevent flies from coming there. Use a fly spray to kill any flies in the home. I hope this helps!

Thank you for the picture of Chipper's lesion. It appears to be a black fly bite. These lesions from the bite look bad, but typically they do not bother the pet. You don't need to do anything to treat it, these usually go away on their own over time. That being said, if this doesn't improve over the next week, it looks worse, or he's constantly itching it, then he will need to see a vet. I hope this helps!

That may be a black fly bite. If that is the case, it should not be itchy (normally), should not bother Lily and should resolve on its own without treatment. If the area is becoming swollen, enlarging or appearing to spread, then Lily should see your veterinarian. Otherwise, the areas tend to fade on their own. https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=7986755 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! It appears that the pink target lesion is a black fly bite. If it is, it should fade in 3 days. It doesn't cause any pain and isn't anything to be worried about. If more areas pop up and he isn't outside then he should be seen by a Vet. https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&catId=102899&id=7986755 Have a great day!

It is possible, though it looks more like it could be a bacterial infection. Ideally, take her in to the vet for an exam so that the proper treatment can be determined. If you want to try something at home, you can try this product: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-wound-and-skin-care-for-dogs However, if it is not improving within a few days, please get her in to see your vet. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

It is hard to tell for sure it if both dogs have it I would be most suspicious of black fly bites, which are often just a local irritant. However, the other big concern would be petechia hemorrhages- which could come secondary to things like rat poison exposure! If they are feeling fine and were exposed to flies recently this is more likely but if they seem to feel off or had any other signs of concern it would be safer to take them in!