05/09/2026
HAS YOUR PET SUDDENLY STARTED ITCHING?
Harvest mite larvae are active at this time of the year, and can cause intense irritation as they use their sharp mouthparts to pierce the skin surface and inject powerful digestive enzymes, which cause an allergic reaction.
Check for bright orange dots which tend to congregate:
- between the toes
- on the feet / pads (the most common site), legs, belly, ears
- in the armpits / groin
INTERESTING FACT:
While adult harvest mites live harmlessly in the soil and feed on vegetation, they lay eggs that hatch into tiny, six-legged larvae.
These larvae climb to the tips of long grass and weeds, waiting to swarm onto warm-blooded hosts like dogs, cats, or humans.
TREATMENT:
Harvest mite larvae only feed for a couple of days and then drop off on their own.
The itching however, can last much longer because of the saliva they leave behind.
Physically washing as many off as possible with lukewarm water helps, as does soothing the skin (applying pure inner-leaf aloe vera gel is often good for this) and preventing licking of the affected areas.
PREVENTION:
After walks, check the paws, ears and underside.
Also avoid affected grassy or woodland areas until the harvest-mite season has passed.
www.vincethevet.co.uk
