Be On The Lookout For Kissing Bugs!

[M16]

These are some nasty little creatures. I wasn't aware of how many dogs they kill. They can also infect humans. There is a ton of them in South Texas.

http://www.chron.com/sports/outdoors/article/Bugs-kiss-a-major-threat-to-dogs-5461828.php

http://vetmed.tamu.edu/faculty/hamer-lab/projects/chagas-disease-eco-epidemiology

[Man]

I saw one the other day and flung it on the girlfriend. ...said catch!
(I beleive they can't bite through the skin)

[Boomerang]

Little vindictive bugs bitting on the skin for an open wound then depositing their feces in it.

[cgny27]

Great...that's all we need!

[natvet]

I have seen several pets with this disease. Each pet has died from the disease caused by these bugs. The common thread is each dog lived in a WOOD dog house.
People get the disease from the feces(fecal-oral transmission) from the bug. It can cause heart failure in people also.

[Black Ice]

Ewwwa

[jetlag887]

I've heard of this. Where did this bug come from and why is it just now a problem?

[jak]

I see them all the time at the camp. I tell the girls about them because they love to catch bugs. They poop when they bite, and the poop kills

[M16]

I've heard of this. Where did this bug come from and why is it just now a problem?

The bugs have been here all along. From what I can gather it wasn't common knowledge about the severity of what can happen after an infection.

[systemnt]

What's the defense for a dog?

[M16]

What's the defense for a dog?

Keep him inside at night or screen in his kennel. Also no wood dog houses. You can spray the area but they can fly in so it may not do much good.

[PSD Ryan]

See those suckers everywhere. Never knew they were dangerous.

[gumbl3]

In case I'm not the only one that didnt know what they look like

[Mojo]

IF the bug's infected with the right microbe...it passes on Chaga's Disease
The action of swatting it off is what triggers the poop show on the wound it was feeding, thus infection...I believe TX A&M is doing a survey and is still requesting any samples be sent to them...not sure if it's still active...

[Ricky T]

Hard to guard against a bug that bites much like a mosquito and when swatted deposits feces into the wound. Dang it man.