On sunny days, they can annoy us because of the very characteristic noise they make when flying (at least for most of them), and especially because of their itchy stings… Did you recognise them? They are of course mosquitoes, and their cousins, the sandflies.
Although they are both blood-sucking, biting insects in their adult stage, mosquitoes and sandflies are quite different. First of all, their anatomy: sandflies are much smaller than mosquitoes (they are almost invisible to the naked eye), they are hairy and their wings stand up on their backs. Mosquitoes have long antennae and their wings are pressed against their bodies when at rest. Also, sandflies, although they have tended to migrate northwards in recent years, are mainly found around the Mediterranean. Mosquitoes, on the other hand, are present throughout France. Sandflies do not need very wet areas to carry out their cycle, whereas mosquitoes need bodies of water (except the tiger mosquito): they lay their eggs on the surface and the larvae and nymphs develop there. Sandflies and mosquitoes, with the exception of the notorious tiger mosquito which bites during the day, are more nocturnal.
Mosquitoes and sandflies can cause itching, allergies or transmit diseases to our dogs.
Sandflies, when they are carriers, can transmit a parasite called Leishmania infantum. This protozoan is responsible for a disease called leishmaniasis, which can also affect humans. Once inoculated, it can be responsible for various symptoms that take between 6 months and 3 to 4 years to appear. These are :
Even when they are not carriers, sandflies can be annoying: their bites are painful and the resulting pimples are quite itchy.
Mosquito bites are much less painful than those of sandflies, and reactions are generally much milder (except in cases of allergy). However, mosquitoes can still annoy our four-legged friends by transmitting various diseases caused by parasites or viruses if they are carriers. In France, the main risk for our dogs is heartworm disease. This disease is caused by a roundworm, Dirofilaria. The best known in dogs is probably D. immitis, also called the “heartworm”.
Both diseases have one thing in common: they are difficult to treat. Your veterinarian will be able to suggest ways to prevent them, so talk to him.
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