With spring comes the good weather, the days are longer and the vegetation flourishes. But it is also the time of the processionary caterpillar. If this insect does not sound like anything to you and you have a dog, you should know as soon as possible that, despite its tiny size, it poses a serious risk to your four-legged best friend.
This caterpillar measures between four and five centimeters and is easily recognized because they are found in large groups, advancing in single file, hence the processionary nickname. It proliferates in areas with pine trees and is very dangerous for both people and animals. Its lethality is greater in the case of the latter, so between the months of March and June, you must take special care to protect your dog from this insect.
The processionary caterpillar is covered in up to 600,000 white hairs. These spikes are very stinging, as they contain a toxin called Thaumatopin, toxic on contact. They shed these hairs as a defense mechanism if they feel attacked. The wind can carry them several meters and they maintain their toxicity for a year even after being expelled by the caterpillar. So we shouldn't let our dog get close to their nests after the processionary season either.
Its particular way of moving often attracts the attention of dogs, which may try to smell it and even eat it. If they come into contact with its filaments, the consequences can be fatal, worsening depending on the number of hairs with which it has been in contact, as well as the affected area and the time it takes to intervene.
The dog's contact with a processionary caterpillar can irritate its skin, nose and eyes. As a result, you could get an infection in the cornea or conjunctiva of your eye, which could lead to keraconjunctivitis that inflames your eyes.
Another danger of contact with the processionary caterpillar is anaphylactic shock. If you ingest or breathe in their hairs, the toxic substance they give off can cause necrosis on the tongue or other affected areas, as well as lesions in the esophagus. In the most serious cases, allergic shock can obstruct the animal's airways, causing death.
The symptoms that your dog has been attacked by the processionary caterpillar are inflammation and irritation of the eyes and skin, inflamed mouth, panting, difficulty breathing, thick and excessive salivation, vomiting, fever and may even not be able to move. If you observe any of these symptoms, you should move your dog away from the focus where the processionaries are found and take it immediately to the vet.
