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Fly-Biting Syndrome – A Basic Guide
If your dog is biting in the air trying to catch flies that aren't there and you are searching for information, this page might be helpful to you.
This page is not managed by veterinarians. The information provided here is based on personal online research, which includes content from official papers as well as publicly available generic information that may not be verified. The sole purpose of this page is to aggregate and share accessible content for informational purposes only.
What is Fly Biting Syndrome?
Fly Biting Syndrome is when a dog snaps at the air as if chasing invisible flies. They may bite at nothing, stare intensely at a spot, or jerk their head suddenly without any visible reason. This behavior can occur randomly or repeatedly, lasting seconds or minutes. Episodes vary in frequency and intensity.
6 Quick Facts of Fly Biting
1 - Fly Biting is a syndrome with an unclear cause, and there is no single diagnosis either.
It can be triggered by multiple factors that make the dog feel uncomfortable for some reason.
2 - In medical terms, this condition sits at the borderline between neurological and behavioral disorders, but they are not the only suspected causes.
3 - It affects a small percentage of dogs, making clinical studies and awareness challenging. So, not all veterinarians are familiar with it.
4 - The frequency of biting episodes varies from dog to dog and it is correlated with the impact on their quality of life.
5 - Fly Biting was scientifically documented for the first time in 1971 at the British Veterinary Journal, but first documenting in 1962 (Mod Vet Pract. 1962;43:70).
6 - There are treatments, behavioral techniques, and products, both medicinal and non, that may improve dog's life or bring the syndrome to remission.
Suspected Fly biting trigger causes
Neurological and Seizure Disorders
This behavior may be linked to neurological issues or mild seizure episodes, especially in breeds prone to epilepsy.Gastrointestinal Issues
Digestive problems, such as acid reflux, can cause discomfort that triggers fly biting behavior.Separation Anxiety
Stress from undefined absences of the dog's reference may trigger it, appearing also after their return in a theoretically comfort situation.Vision Problems
Visual impairments may cause dogs to perceive shadows or lights incorrectly, leading to snapping at imaginary flies.(It's often a popular belief without evidence)Boredom and Lack of Mental Stimulation
Dogs lacking mental stimulation may develop compulsive behaviors as a way to cope with boredom.
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Did you know?
Fly biting is not exclusive to dogs. Although rarer, similar behavior has also been observed in cats.
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