# What are these?



## CrazyDogWoman (Dec 28, 2013)

Jacoby rolled onto his back, and I noticed these two red circles. Could they be tick bites? I've always been told that tick bites will look exactly like a target/bulls eye, though I'm not sure if that is true or not. Is there anything else it could be? 
Yesterday we were in an area that had a lot of mosquitos, could a bite from them cause the circles?
**I did try to call my vet, for his opinion, but he's not in today. I don't believe this is something that calls for an e-vet visit.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

I think those are tick bites, yes. I'd definitely show them to a vet, and I would look into tick prevention, or different tick prevention if you're already using it.


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

Looks just like a mosquito or other bug bite. Not from ticks. Ryker had these same spots on the bald part of his tummy. I asked the vet about them during a check-up and she said they are just normal bug bites, no need to worry and that it's very common this time of year.


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## CrazyDogWoman (Dec 28, 2013)

Thank you for your reply 
I have K9 Advantix on it's way, it's supposed to be here Monday.


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## CrazyDogWoman (Dec 28, 2013)

jade5280 said:


> Looks just like a mosquito or other bug bite. Not from ticks. Ryker had these same spots on the bald part of his tummy. I asked the vet about them during a check-up and she said they are just normal bug bites, no need to worry and that it's very common this time of year.


Whoops, didn't see your reply.
That's where these two circles are as well.


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

If you are unsure or worried I would ask your vet. I use a dog bug spray on Ryker when we're outside later in the day when the bugs are the worst. http://www.amazon.com/FLEA-TICK-Rep...&qid=1402078519&sr=1-1&keywords=dog+bug+spray


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## CrazyDogWoman (Dec 28, 2013)

I just called my vet's office again, to see if the voicemail might give an emergency number, and a vet tech answered. I guess she must've been taking care of the animals there.
She said that they've been swamped with visit for these red circles (she described exactly what these look like), and that she can almost guarantee that they're mosquito bites. I made an appointment for him anyway, just to be sure. We can't get in until the 17th though :/

Thanks for that link jade! I'll buy some, and try it out. I've been using this http://www.chewy.com/dog/vets-best-flea-tick-spray-dogs-cats/dp/45154, and it clearly isn't working very well. >.<


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

The spray seems to work for us. Looks like the 2 sprays have somewhat different ingredients

Vets Best: Peppermint Oil, Eugenol (Clove Extract), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Inert Ingredients (Water, Sodium Benzoate)

Pet Naturals of VT: Lemongrass Oil 4%; Cinnamon Oil 1%; Sesame Oil 1%; Castor Oil 0.5%. Inert Ingredients: Purified Water 93.5%

The spots may disappear before your appointment, but if they're still there thne it's definitely worth having a vet look at them.


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## kdawnk (Mar 26, 2014)

Could they be something like what I posted about in this thread, but to a lesser extent?
http://www.dogforums.com/dog-health-questions/295818-sand-flies-ants-bug.html

My dog gets bites like that all the time and I've just kind of went by if it doesn't bother her and it doesn't progress that I'll leave it.
If it is the same thing it will look at least 50% lighter by tomorrow.


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## xoxluvablexox (Apr 10, 2007)

That is so bizarre. Especially the one pic from the link above with the crazy amount of red bumps. I can't imagine that's actually a normal reaction to a bug bite... Not that I don't believe it's from a bug bite but it just just doesn't seem like a normal reaction. Maybe something with extra sensitive skin....


I would be careful with any natural flea, tick, and mosquitoe products. I personally won't use them. The essential oils they use are really low grade and potentially dangerous. Especially to cats that lack the ability to metabolize essential oils the way humans and dogs can. (Basically if you have cats and they lick your dog then you'll h have a seriously sick cat). 

I would recommend buying your own high quality (therapeutic not perfume quality) essential oils and diluting it yourself into another oil or even vodka for a nice cooling effect. Do your research about which ones are toxic to animals (most essential oils are dangerous for cats, pretty much) and find ones that you think are safe. 

Rose geranium oil is highly recommended. Never put it on your pet. 2-3 drops on color. Lemongrass is completely safe. Dogs & cats can eat the plant. The essential oil can harm cats though, they can't metabolize it the same way they can the plant. But on dogs, properly diluted, I wouldn't really worry about putting it directly onto the skin in a nice little vodka spray.


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## kdawnk (Mar 26, 2014)

xoxluvablexox said:


> That is so bizarre. Especially the one pic from the link above with the crazy amount of red bumps. I can't imagine that's actually a normal reaction to a bug bite... Not that I don't believe it's from a bug bite but it just just doesn't seem like a normal reaction. Maybe something with extra sensitive skin.....


It's not ONE bug bite. Each individual red bump is another bug bite. My dog had them herself and they have cleared up quite nicely and I've only seen one or two newer ones as of late. Before it was every time she laid in the grass she would stand up with 6 bites on her belly. We had a bad infestation of whatever these bites were, but ours still didn't get as bad as the one in the link. She didn't itch, scratch, swell, it didn't become infected, and she was otherwise normal so I let it be. I didn't go to the vet, but it's a strictly case by case thing.


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## CrazyDogWoman (Dec 28, 2013)

kdawnk: That poor pup in the link! That does look exactly like what is on Jacoby though. Plus I believe you said something about it not being itchy, or it said it in the picture caption. I was surprised that they aren't itchy, Jacoby doesn't even act like there's anything there.

xoxoluvablexox: I'll look into getting essential oil and diluting it. I'm not a big fan of the spray I use since 1.) it isn't that effective (at this point I just put it on hoping that it might work at least some), and 2.) it has Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.


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## kdawnk (Mar 26, 2014)

Yeah some dogs experienced a reaction to it and got itchy, but my dog never even knew it was there either.
And this went on for a good two weeks of getting more bites and them healing, she didn't excessively lick, or scratch, or bite, or anything and the next day they were a light pink blotch instead of the dark red marks. I felt like I should be doing SOMETHING so I put ice cubes on them just before bed to prevent any potential swelling (plus she likes icecubes ^.^ so she got to eat them after I rubbed her belly with them).


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## xoxluvablexox (Apr 10, 2007)

kdawnk said:


> It's not ONE bug bite. Each individual red bump is another bug bite.


Oh no, I didn't mean that it was bizarre that all that would pop up from one bite, more so that I'm just amazed at how red and irritated those bumps look. I've never seen anything like that on a person or dog. Well except in cases with people who are severely allergic to bug bites, like mosquitoes, and one case with a person who got seriously eaten up by some sand fleas and had horrible marks all over his legs. Never seen anything quite like that though. Must be some weird stuff in that bugs saliva, and for it to not even itch or be a bother to the dog too... that's just bizarre to me. Weird bugs. 



CrazyDogWoman said:


> xoxoluvablexox: I'll look into getting essential oil and diluting it. I'm not a big fan of the spray I use since 1.) it isn't that effective (at this point I just put it on hoping that it might work at least some), and 2.) it has Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.


Yeah, I would recommend looking into getting rose geranium oil, I've read some really good things about it. You can dilute it down or even just use it without diluting by putting it onto a bandanna or collar when going on walks. 

I just don't trust most natural products that use them because I don't know if they're doing it right, I've read way too many horror stories about dogs and cats that have pretty much died from organ failure and stuff after using topical natural flea and tick products, and most of them mix in stuff I would never even put on my own skin (like cinnamon oil in the one product... not happening unless I want a serious rash and burnt skin). Plus the quality is usually crap. You want something that is going to be potent enough to actually work and not full of a bunch of other unnecessary, possibly dangerous, and low quality "fillers".

ETA: Did a quick search to see if I could find out what type of bug causes marks like that (cause I just needed to know) and it's black flies, otherwise known as buffalo gnats: http://www.examiner.com/article/black-fly-bites

I never even knew that gnats bite... usually they just fly into my eyes while I'm walking. Interesting.


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## CrazyDogWoman (Dec 28, 2013)

xoxluvablexox said:


> Oh no, I didn't mean that it was bizarre that all that would pop up from one bite, more so that I'm just amazed at how red and irritated those bumps look. I've never seen anything like that on a person or dog. Well except in cases with people who are severely allergic to bug bites, like mosquitoes, and one case with a person who got seriously eaten up by some sand fleas and had horrible marks all over his legs. Never seen anything quite like that though. Must be some weird stuff in that bugs saliva, and for it to not even itch or be a bother to the dog too... that's just bizarre to me. Weird bugs.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Gnats bite!? Oh yay...like I wasn't afraid of them enough,lol
Thanks for that article  Put my mind to ease a bit. I was still over here worrying about a tick bite. 
I did a search for the rose geranium oil, and found this one: http://www.pipingrock.com/essential-oils/rose-geranium-100-pure-essential-oil-6286?prd=D0000J&CAWELAID=600007550000002988&CAGPSPN=pla&catargetid=600007550000003293&cadevice=c&gclid=CjgKEAjwzcWcBRCat43fy9e5i3ASJADXOBwudqoqoWe2unjs4Ia6tzPafjbHPiH72Lb2gx8VH5PqePD_BwE, I'll try it out soon!


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## moluno (Apr 29, 2009)

Those are gnat bites. I personally wouldn't vet over them, there's nothing they can do about it. And they'll probably be gone by your appt anyway.  

We get tons of calls about this at work this time of year. Juno gets them too:


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Just FYI if a tick bite looks like a bullseye its not normal, its a sign of Lyme.


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