Owner Shares Shocking Photos After Dog Attacked By 'Swarm' In Forest

A Reddit user has shared pictures of their dog's skin covered in lumps and bumps after she was bitten by a swarm of mosquitoes.

Eevee, a boxer bullmastiff mix, lives in London, Ontrario, with her owner, Redditor u/ku3ah, who preferred not to give their name.

The pooch's owner posted a picture of Eevee's skin after she was bitten while walking through woods as the sun was setting late in the evening.

"We always walk these woods but never so late, I was trying to avoid the heat," u/ku3ah told Newsweek. "A swarm of mosquitoes got her and I, to the point where we turned around and went back to the open field adjacent to the woods."

Just like humans, both dogs and cats can be bitten by mosquitoes, and will experience the same itching and irritation that we do.

Signs that your pet may have been bitten by an insect include constant scratching, rubbing ears, nose or body against a surface, or visible lumps or red welts where bites have occurred.

Many bites will only cause slight discomfort for your pup, but preventing mosquito bites is important because they can increase the risk of dogs developing heartworm disease, West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

Heartworm disease is a severe condition that can cause lung disease, heart failure and other organ damage in pets including dogs, cats and ferrets.

Spread from the bite of a mosquito, the worms live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of an infected animal.

Signs of heartworm in dogs include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite and weight loss.

Diagnosis of heartworm requires a simple blood test, and further tests are required to decide upon the course of treatment.

Many dogs will have advanced heartworm disease by the time they are diagnosed, and in rare cases the disease can be so advanced that it is safer to treat organ damage and keep the dog comfortable rather than risk the negative effects of killing the heartworms.

This involves a lot of very strong medication that can be tough for already weak dogs to withstand and can lead to further complications.

Dogs with very advanced heartworm disease are unlikely to live for longer than a few weeks.

"I haven't taken her to the vet yet, but the bumps happen every time she gets hit by one," said Eevee's owner. "They go away by morning. She was 100 percent fine two hours after our walk actually."

The dog owner also clarified that the pup is on preventative treatments to prevent fleas, ticks and heartworm.

The owner shared the picture of Eevee on Reddit's r/Wellthatsucks subreddit, where it has been upvoted more than 18,000 times and received hundreds of comments.

"My dog reacts like this to mosquito bites, I use a pet and human friendly spray on both of us," said one commenter.

Some suggested that Eevee may be allergic to mosquito bites, causing the unusual reaction. In response, the owner said they would be mentioning it to their vet next time they visit.

Another Redditor wrote: "Good luck telling a dog not to scratch. Take care pupster."

Others shared their sympathy.

"I feel that vibe, pupper," said one comment.

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