Fly biting dog.

Question:
We have a three-year-old spayed Cocker Spaniel bitch called Daisy. About six weeks ago she started fly-biting, and the problem has become worse, especially in the evening. Daisy seems to be quite relaxed then all of a sudden looks up and fly-bites. Sometimes it's just a couple of snaps in the air, sometimes it's more.

To begin with we thought there must have been flies or midges in the air that we couldn't see. I also treated her for fleas but nothing changed, and last week the episodes became more frequent.

The Internet said fly-biting is a type of mild seizure which made me panic and take her to the vet the next day. The vet checked Daisy over, and said she seemed in good health. However when he looked in her left ear she yelped. The vet couldn't see anything but, as she showed discomfort, he gave us some ear drops. He said this could be a possible cause, or that she was behaving in this way to get attention. Daisy does do things for attention; however this fly-biting occurs even when she is being fussed.

Answer:
Fly biting dog is one of those conditions that is not, a yet, terribly well understood. Most veterinary neurologists believe it i_ a manifestation of a focal seizure - that is an episode of bizarre electrical activity in the brain that makes dogs behave as though the' are seeing hallucinations of flies, and snapping at them.

This condition most commonly occurs In Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, so a genetic basis for the condition i, suspected, although it can also be seen in other breeds. It tends to occur out of the blue, with no known cause, but once the condition has begun episodes usually continue throughout the dog's life.

Dogs displaying this behavior should be thoroughly examined by a vet, and blood tests and further investigation may also help identify the cause. I n some cases treatment is not necessary, and the behavior gets no worse over time.

However, in other cases anti-epilepsy treatment or other psychoactive medicines are used. I'd advise that you follow your vet's advice and see how Daisy responds to her medication. If you aren't happy with her progress you should discuss further investigation and the possibility of a referral to a specialist in small animal neurology with your vet.