# Any harm in eating flies?



## Liddy

Our pup has taken to stalking flies! (Picture Karate Kid, only with her mouth instead of chop sticks). I know for sure she's gotten 3 over the last 2 weeks. Is it unhealthy for dogs to ingest flies? Any potential for her to wind up with maggots if she swallows a prego fly?


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## Cinch

I don't think so. The stomach acid would kill anything they swallow. Kaja has eaten many a flied, moths, crickets, and grasshoppers and she's fine. Maybe a little loopy - but I think that was before she started eating those things.


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## spotted nikes

Should be fine.

I have a Cocker mix that goes Moth Hunting. In the Summer here we get HUGE moths that are slow moving and like to sit on the ceiling of the patio. I get a broom, put it near the moth, bump moth so he climbs onto the broom, and lower to my Cocker mix that is eagerly waiting. He'll stare it it then grab it. He'll take it to the grass, let it go and try to catch it again. Usually he plays with them until they fly away. I thought I'd let my DH get him one, because I thought it was funny. For some reason, when Snickers grabbed the moth, he quickly chewed it and ate it! We were both like "Arghh,eeewww." Needless to say, DH now refuses to participate.
My dog that was a stray for 3 yrs has figured out the moth hunting game. He used to be terrified of the broom over his head, and he'd run. Now he's figured out that it is fun, so he'll come and wait. He's not as good as Snickers, because he'll try and grab it as soon as I lower it, so the moths usually get away.


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## RonE

My black lab used to snatch bees and yellow jackets out of the air, swish them around a bit and spit them out - quite dead, but otherwise intact.

I could never understand how he could do that without getting stung. A friend suggested that his breath killed them instantly.


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## infiniti

Down here we have swarms of what we call "Mosquito Eaters" (Crane Flies). They are hideous looking things, and along with moths and flies, Bella goes after them with a fervor. She has a hard time catching them because they have an annoying habit of discarding their own legs if caught. 

She occasionally catches flies and moths though. I am kind of concerned about the harmfulness of flies as well because they are such nasty and disgusting creatures.  I just did a quick google search on dogs eating flies, and of course one of the results was yahoo questions and answers. Honestly, those are some of the dumbest people that post on there!


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## TxRider

RonE said:


> My black lab used to snatch bees and yellow jackets out of the air, swish them around a bit and spit them out - quite dead, but otherwise intact.
> 
> I could never understand how he could do that without getting stung. A friend suggested that his breath killed them instantly.


Hope does that, though I think she does actually get stung and just doesn't care.

One wasp obviously got her the other day, boy did she get mad at it.


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## amdeblaey

My dogs favor the June Bugs-yucky-extra crunchy I guess-no harm done though.


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## infiniti

amdeblaey said:


> My dogs favor the June Bugs-yucky-extra crunchy I guess-no harm done though.


Oh yeah ... too early for those here yet. Forgot about those ... Bella loves those! LOL


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## TxRider

amdeblaey said:


> My dogs favor the June Bugs-yucky-extra crunchy I guess-no harm done though.


Ohh yeah, and it's just about that time of year.

Hope likes to circle the edge of the pool and pick them out of the water as they float close enough to the edge. She likes the big nasty Cicidas too.


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## Crantastic

My last dog (malamute/collie) would stomp on June bugs for me. He didn't seem to like the taste of them much, though. He also snapped flies and bees out of the air, and it never seemed to give him any trouble. 

My new pup tried to eat a slug the other day. I have heard that dogs can get lungworm from this... is that accurate?


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## Cracker

I feel like such a party pooper, but I would not allow my dogs to hunt flying things if at all possible.
The risk of DEVELOPING a serious allergy to bee or wasp stings with repeated exposure is too great. 
Just my opinion, and ya, I'm a safety freak.


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## Cinch

amdeblaey said:


> My dogs favor the June Bugs-yucky-extra crunchy I guess-no harm done though.


Oh yeah, Kaja likes those to because of the noise. She got a hold of one last year and had it in her mouth when it did something she didn't like. She shook her head, spit it out and ran away... only to come back and act like a cat and paw the crap out of it.

Funny stuff. I love watching dogs.


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