A disturbing photo went viral recently showing how Asian ladybugs can burrow in the mouth of dogs. Now, veterinarians are speaking out to warn pet owners of the dangers these creatures can pose to canines.

The viral photo shows the mouth of a dog named Bailey, who lives in Hoisington, Kansas. The disturbing image shows 30-40 Asian ladybugs in his mouth, and Bailey’s owner explained that the dog likes to chase bugs.

Mikal Shamsi of Pest Police in Houston, Texas warned that pet owners should be aware of the dangers of Asian ladybugs.

“Humidity is their normal environment,” he said. “They latch onto the roofs of the dogs mouths and it’s hard to remove them – you have to do them by one by one with tweezers.”

He added that Asian ladybugs are relatively new to the Houston area, and that they are typically found in any “garden or foliage that produces any type of seed or bud.”

“So if you have a garden you are more than likely going to have a problem with them,” he said.

Dr Lindsay Mitchell said that she has seen many cases like Bailey’s.

“This is the second pup I have seen like this today,” she said. “If your pet is drooling or foaming at the mouth look for these ladybugs. They cause ulcers on the tongue and mouth and have a very painful bite.”

It was Mitchell who shared the photo on social media in the hopes of warning other pet owners.

“I posted the photo not to freak people out, but to provide pet owners with an action to take in case they find one of their pets drooling excessively or with apparent foaming at the mouth,” she said. “They could avoid a trip to the veterinarian’s office if they check their pet’s mouth and if they find the beetles, they can simply remove them with their finger or a tongue depressor. They aren’t like a tick, so there is no worry that a head or any part of the animal will be left behind to hurt the animal further.”

Find out more about this in the video below!