Flies are very aggravating to animals and humans alike. Flies often bite the edge of the dog’s ear, and once a little blood is present, every fly in the area will be attracted to the ear. The painful bites can aggravate your animals to the point of weight loss.

Outside pets and livestock need assistance to manage these pests. Treatment for fly bites on dog’s ears involves cleaning the inside of the irritated ear, healing the raw ear and keeping the flies off.

• • Use Vet Basics General Ear Cleanser to remove the debris inside the ear that was caused by shaking and scratching at their ears.

• • Clean the ear margin with hydrogen peroxide or Vet Basics ChlorConazole Ear Flush to get the crusting off. The ChlorConazole will kill or prevent bacterial and fungal (ringworm) infections from settling in the traumatized area.

Animal areas should have fly bait or traps to capture adult flies before they can lay eggs. Even removing some flies from the breeding population will decrease the next generation. QuickBayt can be mixed with water and painted on a fly bait station. The granules can also be used directly in an open container to attract and kill flies. Fly Traps work by trapping flies in a container where they die. The traps can then be discarded and replaced if needed. Both methods have been used effectively in kennels and livestock facilities, even under decks to keep flies away from humans. You can also spray the area with premise sprays, which provide quick knockdown of flies and other insects in the broad area around where animals live.

Dogs can inflict lots of damage on themselves just trying to keep flies off their ears. These traumatized ears can be very painful to your dog, but with the right treatment and fly repellent, you can soothe the pain and heal the trauma.