Keep your pet dog safe from cicada insects

Depending on the level of supervision, it may be easy for dogs to eat dozens, if not hundreds, of the insects, leading to potentially severe symptoms that tend to be most extreme in smaller

and older pets. John Tegzes, a board-certified veterinary toxicologist with JustFoodForDogs, notes that if any living creature eats an excessive amount of something, regardless of what that

something is, sickness — or worse — could follow. “Think about a person eating 20 big bags of potato chips for instance,” says Tegzes. “While the potato chips themselves aren’t dangerous, a

huge amount would supply a nearly deadly amount of salt.” OWNERS NEED TO STAY CALM Cicadas are the loudest insects in the world, with a mating hum that can hit 100 decibels. By comparison, a

motorcycle engine is about 95 decibels. (Cicadas’ signature buzzing makes them tempting for cats, too, and will make kitties equally ill, notes Amber LaRock, a licensed vet tech and

veterinary consultant at CatPet.Club.) Ken Strobel, from Holland, Michigan, isn’t looking forward to this once-every-17-years swarm, which should last about four weeks. “It sounds

miserable,” says the 55-year-old, who takes two mile-long walks a day with his mixed-breed mutt named Hugo and two Bernese mountain dogs named Hazel and Harper. “They usually don’t pull to

eat every smelly morsel that they pass, but if these cicadas are everywhere and they’re really attracted to them, it’s going to be tough,” Strobel says. “It will be like taking untrained

kids through a candy store.” If you find your dog snacking on cicadas, don’t panic, especially if only a few have been ingested. “Allow [your dog] to chew them up and then take your pet back

inside,” advises Karen Lechelt, a veterinarian in Little Rock, Arkansas. “Trying to remove the cicada from your pet’s mouth may cause your pet to swallow the insect whole, which is a

choking hazard, and you could be injured as well.” Dr. Georgina Ushi Phillips with her pet dog Pearle Courtesy Georgina Ushi Phillips HELPING CANINES AVOID CICADAS Dogs may be drawn to the

siren-singing insects for their satisfyingly crunchy exoskeleton, but they need to steer clear of these tasty treats to prevent stomach problems. Here’s how to help.   1. Keep walks short

and closely supervised.   2. Opt for open fields. Cicadas “tend to congregate in areas where there are lots of mature trees, so it might be best to avoid the park and woods” during their

appearance, according to veterinarian Joanna Woodnutt, a writer at Loveyourdog.com.   3. Head out at ideal times. “Cicadas are least active at dawn and dusk,” says veterinarian Georgina Ushi

Phillips, “so if your dog is especially interested in them, try to keep walks around these times.”   4. Stay away from areas that have been sprayed with pesticides. Cicadas that emerge in

these places could be even more toxic than other cicadas.   5. Prepare the yard. If you have a lot of cicadas congregating in your trees, use a garden hose to spray them off, so they’ll fly

away before you allow your pets outside, suggests veterinarian Karen Lechelt. _Robin L. Flanigan is a contributing writer who covers mental health, education and human-interest stories for

several national publications. A former reporter for several daily newspapers, her work has also appeared in _People, USA Today and Education Week_. She is the author of the children's

book _M Is for Mindful_._