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LOOKING AFTER PETS Processionary caterpillars , Leishmanosis and other pet nasties

126K views 150 replies 25 participants last post by  ravo.dominick 
#1 · (Edited)
The processionary pine caterpillar as the name suggests makes its home in a certain type of pine tree.

There is only one generation per year and most of the time the caterpillars are not seen and therefore not a threat. The most dangerous time is in February, March and April when they start to come down from the pine trees in search of food. The caterpillars can do a lot of damage to pine trees and when they have stripped a tree of all its needles they will form a long line and begin their search for other pine trees and more food.

Experiments in America have shown that if the caterpillars are put in a circle nose to tail they will go round and round until they die from lack of food.

This processionary line makes them particularly attractive to young children, who are used to their non-toxic cousins in England. However, dogs are very much at risk as they tend to sniff the caterpillars and inhale the poison.

If you are visiting the Iberian Peninsula or even now southern France in the early part of the year and are travelling through areas of pine trees have a look out for the nests. They are very easy to see. Just look for white cocoons similar to candy floss in the trees and make a hasty exit. Whatever you do, do not stop and go walking about under the trees.

The long line they form makes them easily identifiable, hence the name. Long hairs give out poison that when touched irritates the skin. Allergic reactions are not unknown and if ingested the consequences can be dire.

The real risk of complications to a healthy human being is minimal, but we have had first hand experience of humans and dogs being affected, fortunately with no serious outcome.

a STORY ABOUT A MAN WHO WAS AFFECTED....

HE SHELTERED DURING A RAIN STORM Within seconds of brushing against the tree he became aware of an intense feeling of itching and burning, similar to pins and needles all over him. This later developed into an itchy rash. He went to the chemist who advised an immediate trip to the doctor. At the doctors he was given two injections, cream for the rash and a course of tablets. It is very important to complete the course of tablets as any dust from the tree that has been inhaled can cause lung damage.

The allergic reaction can be caused by the tiniest bit of dust that floats down from an infected tree. You do not have to touch the caterpillar.


processionary Caterpillars are dangerous to both cats and dogs. They have a very bittersweet smell and taste, and your DOG will try to eat them. If eaten by your lab, the results are almost certain to be fatal. As little as three or four will kill a medium sized dog. The reaction to the poison also causes necrosis of the tongue, and if you as the labrador owner do not notice in time, it is usually to late for a vet to do anything to help, apart from ease the suffering
 
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#2 ·
How to identify processional caterpillars

COCCONS look like blobs of white candy floss

Coccoon that has been well lived in and now empty

Caterpillars on the move

You can see why they have earned the title processionary
 

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#4 ·
more advice on those damn caterpillars

o not touch them. Warn your children that they are not like the friendly English caterpillars. The very fine hairs on these creatures are poisonous and most dangerous. They can be seen living in silk cocoon style nests hanging in the pine trees to which they are most harmful, stripping them of their pine needles. When hungry, they leave their cocoon to seek another uninfested tree on which to feed. They travel nose to tail in a line, hence the name Processional. They are most noticeable from January to mid April and are at their most dangerous in mid/late February. The caterpillars are often seen in the evenings, walking in procession from tree to tree.


If they drop onto you or your pet, don't brush them off with your hands because the effect is most unpleasant, causing great irritation, rash and pain.
Dogs, cats and people can suffer from shock.
The hairs of the caterpillars are still virulent even when the creatures are dead.
Do not hit them with sticks because hairs flying in the air are just as dangerous. Burn them, but be careful of floating hairs.
If the caterpillars are in the tree cocoon state, first spray the nest with hair spray (to seal down the hairs), cover the cocoon and the affected part of the branch with a plastic bag, cut down the branch, place it on clear ground and burn it.

If the caterpillars are on the ground marching, it is better first to spray them with lighter fuel and then set them alight.
This reduces the risk of flying hairs.
Take care to only do this in an area where you cannot inadvertently start a forest fire because during the summer months the undergrowth and trees are very dry.

If you live near pine trees, it is recommended that you keep Anti Histamine tablets handy as an early treatment. In particular, avoid ingesting the hairs.


Dogs are most at risk by sniffing the ground where the caterpillars have marched.
 
#9 ·
That time of year again

Once the nest starts looking dirty around February and March this timing depends on spring temperatures can begin in January or continue until April as well. This is the time for them to leave the nest in preparation for the next part of their lifecycle.
It is at this point when most people and pets come into contact with the caterpillars, sometimes with very painful consequences.

The colony follows a leader, nose to tail, in a long procession. These processions can vary greatly in length, depending on how many have survived to this final caterpillar stage and whether they have been disturbed. 60 or so caterpillars each about 4cm long in a chain can be an impressive sight and if seen along a road may be mistaken for a snake.
They can travel a distance of 30 or so metres to find soft soil to burrow into while they get ready to turn into a moth.

The best advice is to avoid these innocent looking creatures at all costs.
The caterpillars are covered in tiny barbed hairs which are their defence mechanism.
These hairs are often being shed and so can be airborne around infested pine trees, on the branches where they have travelled and also left in the line of the migrating procession.
 
#11 ·
The problem with our 4 legged friends is that inquisitive dogs can get too close to the wriggling procession and may pick up the hairs onto their paws, these irritate and so they lick them. Once the hairs are on the lips/tongue it will induce itching, swelling and possibly vomiting. Look out for the symptoms of : small white spots in the mouth and on the tongue, excessive drooling and chomping.
IF YOU SUSPECT YOU DOGS HAS BEEN IN CONTACT A VETERINARY VISIT IS ESSENTIAL IMMEDIATELY!!
In some cases partial amputation of the tongue is the only course of action.
THESE CATERPILLARS CAN CAUSE DEATH IN SEVERE CASES!

For humans and pets alike if they come into contact with these hairs, they can cause reactions ranging from mild inflammation and irritation to severe anaphylactic shock.

The worst problems occur if you make contact with the caterpillar directly and ingest the hairs, either by picking it up, stepping on it or moving them in some way.
Once on your skin a rash soon forms which can be incredibly itchy.
Medical advice should be sought if you are unfortunate enough to experience this. The rash can be painful, very itchy and lasts for as much as three weeks.
 
#15 ·
It is the hairs that the caterpillar shed that are the problem.
As a moth it has no means of causing us harm, it is only during its development as a caterpillar that you need to be cautious.

One thing to look out for is the the white candyfloss like nests whicih are cleverly positioned for maximum sunshine on the sun facing side of the pine tree.
 
G
#13 ·
The culprit is the pine moth. They fly at night. We had one on our terrace one day. They do not look like a moth and have huge eyes that appear to be watching you. It is the larvae of the pine moth where these nasty creatures evolve.

We call those caterpillars, Legionnaire caterpillars. Pine trees that have those hanging nets full of caterpillars, they can kill the tree if they have too much infestation. As others have said, stay clear of them. We see them quite frequently all walking in a line over track.
 
#14 ·
As I understand it The caterpillars are mostly active at night when they are gorging themselves on their favourite food - pine trees. The only times they normally process during the day is when searching for a new tree to infest. This means that if you are going to clear a tree of its infestation you should do it during the day when the caterpillars will be "at home".

FIRST make sure that you are as safe as can be from the hairs (mask goggles, protective clothing, etc. As has already been suggested spraying with hairspray will help to keep the offending hairs under control, then carefully enclosing the nest in a plastic bag, cut off the branch/twig from which it is hanging. Seal the bag with the remains of the twig inside. Then consign the unopened bag to the flames. If you can then afford to do so, do the same with your protective clothing etc.
 
#16 ·
When they start on the move from the host tree they are looking to find a suitable location in the soft soil where they can burrow down to bury themselves and create a cocoon. This is generally several meters away from the host tree.
They will stay until next August when the cycle will start again. Some times you will have two batches of moths after they hahve come out of their cocoon. If the weather has not been conducive to them hatching they stay burrowed in the ground until the following year and hatch at the same time as the newer group.
 
#20 ·
Had some nest's a few years ago ,with help I put "rag's" which had been soaked in petrol over the nest's by using long poles & then set them alight.
It worked & never had a problem since.
Keep water at hand to put out any fires that start from the petrol spillage on the ground.
 
#21 ·
Great information on here, these are definately to be avoided. We first saw them walking along in their line shortly moving over here. After speaking to our vets it is a serious problem with them seeing lots of cases, they actually had a case the other day, a young puppy fortunately caught early enough. The antihistamines are a good idea to have to hand but as these catepillars are so toxic, the vets recommend getting your dog to them asap for antibiotics as well as antihistamine treatment.
 
#22 · (Edited)
It really is a worry. They will be out and about soon!:(
We are surrounded by trees most now eucalyptus but the odd pine tree.
Now that has me thinking... Are their any over the counter antihistamines suitable for our 4 legged friends. Or is it necessary to get some from the vets?
 
#24 ·
Go easy on the chainsaw.

These trees are iconic to the country.

Since my grand-grand parents processionária has been around and I have never heard of anybody dying or going disable because the processionária.

My son had a rash, me too, we touched the processionária, so what? We keep our pine trees, they had been around for quite a while...

Everyday 2 pesons die in the PT roads, should we ban cars ?
 
#28 ·
The pine caterpillar
(Processionary)
________________________________________________________________________________

The pine caterpillar is an insect which attacks this tree, weakening it and causing her death. It also has a detrimental effect not only in humans, causing them skin irritation, eye and respiratory tract, but also in dogs, when moved by curiosity near the muzzle and bite off the caterpillars.
The toxic effect immediately take them a lot of swelling and difficulty breathing. The dog with these symptoms should be taken to the vet immediately because a delay of several hours can cause irreversible damage that you passed on to the decay of tissue that is the language, requiring the cutting of infected areas. In more severe cases it is not uncommon complete disconnection of the tongue.

Since there is a lack of information on this subject, most people, at certain times of the year and exactly the most pleasant seasons, walk their dogs in pine forests, never guessing that run a huge danger.

In recent years, pests have developed due to climate change, the bad management of forests in our country , and especially the lack of predators.
Among the main predators of these caterpillars, are four of our species of chickadees: Great Tit (Parus major), Blue-Tit (Parus cearuleus), Tit-for-spares (Parus cristatus) and Collier-Tit (Parus ater).
Each because these species have less nesting habitat due to management of forests and forested areas. Is that these animals need trees for nesting cavities, and the policy of slaughter of old trees and replacing trees new, especially in urban areas or production, the "niche" of these species will to life, although there is much food .
(By Francisco Barros - Biologist)


Like all insects, development of insect passes through several phases:
Egg, caterpillar, chrysalis (cocoon) and butterfly (adult insect).
The larvae go through several stages of development. It is from the 3rd stage, from mid February to late May, their stinging hairs that produce skin allergies, eye and respiratory tract.
From the 5th stage of development, the caterpillars leave their nests, down the trunk of the pine and head in procession, hence the name processionary to the ground where they burrow to the next phase of cocoon and evolve finally to the stage the adult insect, which emerges in the summer.


PLUS good photos to see what you should be on the lookout for...
Lagarta do pinheiro
 
#31 ·
For those of us who do not read Portuguese....

It is necessary to direct contact with the caterpillar animal to produce lesions which usually occur in the skin, but also the mouth (which often affects the tongue) and eyes. The tongue swells (sometimes not even fit inside the mouth), the animal has a salivation, has difficulty eating and drinking and demonstrates extreme discomfort. Some hours later, the tongue becomes blue or green, appearing areas of necrosis (dead tissue) that may fall after 6-10 days. Can be seen also as ocular signs of keratitis and corneal ulceration. Contact with skin may appear intense itching (the animal scratches his face and rub it vigorously on the floor). In some cases there may be cough, difficulty breathing and suffocation by swelling of the tissues of the larynx. The systemic signs are rare, but possible, there are reports of anaphylactic shock, tremors, coma and even death of the animal. The owner and the veterinarian may have intense itching on the hands and arms as a result of the handling of animals .

This is an emergency situation and must go immediately to a veterinarian, because the sooner treatment is instituted, the greater the probability of recovery with minimal sequelae. Should not attempt treatment alone because the manipulation of the animal it may cause lesions since the caterpillar stinging hairs are still in the animal's skin.

Treatment consists of rinsing the affected area with saline jet, in order to remove hairs which are not jammed, but without rubbing to prevent rupture and release of the hair more venom. Should be administered intravenous steroids, antihistamines and antibiotics to prevent secondary infections. The animal must be sedated during this procedure if the discomfort is intense, and should always administer analgesics according to severity. Ocular lesions and other symptoms are treated as required. Severe cases or where the animal can not eat or drink should be hospitalized. On subsequent days may be falling of the tongue, and may be necessary to remove dead tissue, however the animals surviving long to keep third language. The prognosis of this condition is allowed, although most cases evolve favorably. However, depends on the degree of disorder and that early treatment is initiated. Animals showing signs of urticaria only recover in 24 hours, while animals with stomatitis and glossitis (tongue inflammation) take about 3 days to recover.

Clínica Veterinária do Marco
 
#33 ·
Thanks for the link. Having read the whole article, it seems that he has omitted (unless I missed it) the cases where the hairs have been airborne (e.g. following disturbance of a nest) and in that situation they can be ingested via nasal passages and via the mouth. In addition they can also get in the eyes. It is possible that hairs that land on the animal's coat can be licked off and either penetrate the tongue or oral membranes. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the caterpillars shed a certain amount of hairs wherever they go and since they don't leave an easily visible trail (unlike snails and slugs) their previous passage and, therefore, the danger area is not obvious.

Otherwise it is the best documentation I have read. Just stay well away!
 
#32 · (Edited)
Photo of a dog having either touched the caterpillar or it hairs.....

Dogs are most at risk by sniffing the ground where the caterpillars have marched.
 

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#35 ·
Great. The more information we get from various sources, the better we can either avoid them or eradicate them from our immediate environment. We can never be completely successful in the latter since the moth is airborne and can turn up in a previously cleared area. It was interesting to hear of the association with oak trees, although I haven't heard of this occurring in connection with the various Iberian oaks.
 
#38 ·
their life cycle is thus:

Pine processionary moths lay eggs on the needles of pine trees every August. When the young larvae hatch, they construct and abandon a succession of small nests at different spots on their home pine tree. After two molts they build a large, permanent nest (looks like candy floss) that is formidable to intruders, thanks to toxic hairs strewn throughout, and that provides good shelter through the winter.
In late February early March the caterpillars leave their nest in search of a site where they can bury themselves underground, spin cocoons, and metamorphose. Adult moths emerge in August.

Remember they shed their hair as the walk along in their procession.
 
#40 · (Edited)
Driving safely with your dog in Portugal.

Driving safely with your dog in Portugal.
The legislation for dogs travelling in vehicles varies from country to country and it is wise to know what is required to ensure the safety of your dog and others and avoid potential fines etc. for not abiding to the laws. The legislation for Portugal states that dogs must be suitably restrained in a separate passenger area where they cannot interfere with your driving. When they say restrained this means using a special lead that is fitted into the seatbelt, which for your dogs safety and to prevent injury to their neck should be used with a suitable dog harness. Alternatively they should be contained in a crate/travelling kennel or behind dog guards.


If you drive a commercial vehicle i.e. a van, your dog is allowed to travel in the back without being restrained as long as it is completely separate from the driving area. Many countries are now making it law to have your dog in a crate or behind a dog guard, with heavy fines being administered if you are caught not abiding to the law. Portugal however still allows the use of a lead restraint at the moment.

Irrespective of the law, common sense says there are many reasons for safely restraining your dog when travelling in the car:

It is very dangerous to have your dog loose whilst driving, if you suddenly stop or swerve they may be thrown out of the car and cause injury to you, themselves and others in the car.
They can distract you causing all sorts of risks.
If they are near an air bag as it goes off they will suffer serious injury.
They could jump out to chase something if the windows are open as you drive.
Your dog is prevented from jumping out as you open the car and putting themselves in danger with passing cars etc.
If there is an accident and your dog escapes into the traffic they risk getting injured, causing another accident or biting someone as they may well be very anxious/scared.
You could run the risk that your insurance company will not cover any costs caused from your dog being unsuitably restrained whilst driving.

Certainly in the UK if there was an accident and your dog is not restrained in a crate or behind a dog guard in your car the emergency services are not obliged to enter your vehicle until a dog handler arrives hence delaying any treatment they need to administer to yourself or your passengers.
I have not been able to find out if this would apply here in Portugal but I would not like to take the risk and always travel with my dogs comfortably restrained in a crate for their safety as well as others.
 
#41 ·
Driving safely with your dog in Portugal.
The legislation for dogs travelling in vehicles varies from country to country and it is wise to know what is required to ensure the safety of your dog and others and avoid potential fines etc. for not abiding to the laws. The legislation for Portugal states that dogs must be suitably restrained in a separate passenger area where they cannot interfere with your driving. When they say restrained this means using a special lead that is fitted into the seatbelt, which for your dogs safety and to prevent injury to their neck should be used with a suitable dog harness. Alternatively they should be contained in a crate/travelling kennel or behind dog guards.


If you drive a commercial vehicle i.e. a van, your dog is allowed to travel in the back without being restrained as long as it is completely separate from the driving area. Many countries are now making it law to have your dog in a crate or behind a dog guard, with heavy fines being administered if you are caught not abiding to the law. Portugal however still allows the use of a lead restraint at the moment.

Irrespective of the law, common sense says there are many reasons for safely restraining your dog when travelling in the car:

It is very dangerous to have your dog loose whilst driving, if you suddenly stop or swerve they may be thrown out of the car and cause injury to you, themselves and others in the car.
They can distract you causing all sorts of risks.
If they are near an air bag as it goes off they will suffer serious injury.
They could jump out to chase something if the windows are open as you drive.
Your dog is prevented from jumping out as you open the car and putting themselves in danger with passing cars etc.
If there is an accident and your dog escapes into the traffic they risk getting injured, causing another accident or biting someone as they may well be very anxious/scared.
You could run the risk that your insurance company will not cover any costs caused from your dog being unsuitably restrained whilst driving.

Certainly in the UK if there was an accident and your dog is not restrained in a crate or behind a dog guard in your car the emergency services are not obliged to enter your vehicle until a dog handler arrives hence delaying any treatment they need to administer to yourself or your passengers.
I have not been able to find out if this would apply here in Portugal but I would not like to take the risk and always travel with my dogs comfortably restrained in a crate for their safety as well as others.
I sometimes wish that the same rules applied in respect of some children, too!
 
#42 ·
There is another reason for retraining your dog (or child) not mentioned above. In an impact at only 50 k.p.h., any loose object getting thrown forward onto the windscreen hits it with a pressure of 3 tons. Imagine the damage that would do to a skull.

No contest. If you love 'em, belt 'em up. But I will let you put kids in the boot! :D
 
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