One of the most adorable and at times irritating habits of dogs is their curiosity. They like to dig holes and sniff everything. It's not a surprise since canines understand a lot about their surroundings through their sense of smell. However, though possessing a very powerful nose is a huge asset, this can also be detrimental to your furry friends. Because of their curiosity, they might disturb insect nests or encounter other creatures that might hurt or sting them.
Bees and wasps are two of the most infamous stingers around. Dogs are pretty resilient and, most of the time, they can ignore insect stings. However, it's not the pain of the sting that you have to worry about; it's about the poison that's injected into your beloved loyal companion.
A bee usually leaves its barbed stinger into the skin. So, it can cause further irritation. As for wasps, one of the most feared characteristics of such insects is their ability to sting their target many times. Like bees, they also inject venom into the skin.
1. Identify the insect. It's very important to know what sort of animal caused injury to your pet.
2. Establish if your pet is exhibiting common signs or experiencing a bad reaction to a sting. A few examples of typical signs that your pet has been stung are: swelling (usually on the eyelids, face, or ear flaps); hives or itchiness; and redness at the bite site.
3. Intervention depends on your pet's reaction to an insect sting. For a pet that's just experiencing mild symptoms, here are a few things that you should keep in mind. If you observe that a stinger is still embedded in the skin, remove it. Do not press or pinch the area as this only spreads the venom even more. Instead, scrape it off using an item with a flat surface, like a dull blade or an credit card. Clean the area and then make a paste using baking soda and water. Apply the mixture onto the injured site. This will help relieve the pain and itching. You can also put an ice pack and spread calamine lotion. For such conditions, vets usually prescribe antihistamines too. In case your pet is experiencing a severe reaction to an insect sting, take them to a vets as soon as possible. Your furry friend will need emergency treatment as a severe allergic reaction can cause death.
How to treat a BEE Sting:
Scrape sting rather than pulling out (with a credit card).
Treat with bicarbonate soda mixed with a bit of water.
ACID STING (BEE) TREAT WITH ALKALINE (BICARBONATE OF SODA)
Bee sting venom is acidic and so its effects can be neutralised with bicarbonate of soda or alkali, this reaction reduces the pain.
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How to treat a WASP sting:
Scrap sting out rather than pulling out (with a credit card).
Treat with vinegar.
ALKALINE (WASP) STING TREAT WITH ACID (VINEGAR)
Wasp sting venom is alkaline and so its effects can be neutralised with vinegar or, this neutralisation then reduces the pain.
4. Keep an Epi Pen kit handy. If you know that your pet is allergic to insect stings, be sure to keep an Epi Pen with you especially when going hiking or camping. Ask your vet about the proper dosage for your pet.