Grass Gnat Bites on Pets in St. Paul, MN

During spring and summer, we get a lot of inquiries about dogs with target lesions. Typically, these appear as a red dot with a ring around it. The most common owner concern is that their dog has Lyme Disease. It is important to note that dogs with Lyme disease do not produce target-shaped lesions like people sometimes do. While the lesions can look alarming, they don’t cause any discomfort and usually resolve over several days.

Grass gnats are the culprit behind these bites. As their name suggests, these tiny little buggers live in the grass, so the most common place to see the bites are on the belly, armpits or groin area where there is less fur. The bites are red, round and flat to the skin and are not painful or itchy. To minimize risk, keep your dog out of the grass when the gnats are bad.

For more information on gnat bites or any other questions, please contact St Paul Pet Hospital at 651-789-6275 or stpaulpet@gmail.com