What Are the Treatments for Sandfly in Dogs?

Sandflies are parasites that infest canines and other animals. Contrary to what their name suggests, sandflies are not found in beach areas, but in gardens and thick wooded areas. If untreated, dogs with sandfly infestations can develop a serious disease called leishmaniasis. Leishmaniases can be fatal, and can be transmitted to humans. There exist different treatments for sandflies, but none of these treatments are authorized for use in the United States.

  1. Collar

    • In some countries, collars impregnated with a chemical known as deltamethrin are used to treat dogs with sandflies. A plastic collar is most common, but Chinese workers have experimented with a canvas collar as well. Basically, the collar contains a depot of deltamethrin and triphenyl phosphate, which combine to make an insecticide. The insecticide is slowly released into the lipids of the dog's skin. The insecticide is effective at killing sandflies for as long as six months.

    Topical Gel

    • Although not authorized for use in the United States, there exists a topical gel solution for treating sandflies on canines. The solution, known as "Exspot," consists of 65 percent permethrin. It needs to be applied to the dog's skin monthly, and it is less effective than the delamethrin collars. There is little research or results of field trials to support the treatment.

    Spray

    • "Duowin" is a spray treatment used to kill sandflies on canines. The spray contains 2 percent permethrin and .02 percent pyroproxyfene. The spray must be applied daily, and its effectiveness is minimal. The spray does reduce the number of sandflies feeding on dogs, but not considerably. For this reason, it is a relatively unpopular method of treatment.

    Euthanasia

    • In the United States, there is currently no treatment for infected dogs except euthanasia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention normally recommends euthanasia because of the possibility of the leishmaniases being transmitted to humans. Although no cases of transmission from dogs to humans have been documented in the United States, there have been such cases documented elsewhere in the world. The collars, topical solutions and sprays have not been approved for use in the country due to the lack of substantial research and trials to support such treatment. Further, all three treatment methods carry the risk of serious side effects, including cardiotoxity, pancreatitis, anemia, leukopnia, antrhalgia and myalgia.

    Post-Treatment

    • Even after treatment, dogs with sandflies have to be closely monitored for symptoms, as leishmaniasis has a 90 percent recurrence rate. Early symptoms of the disease include apathy, weight loss, class lengthening, dandruff, nosebleeds, enlarged lymph nodes, sight trouble, hair loss or red, scaly ulcers. Late symptoms include renal problems, such as constipation or bloody stools. If a dog exhibits any of these symptoms, it may have to undergo treatment again.