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Spring 2009

Spring Stings

As Spring time bursts onto the scene, plenty of activity starts up around the garden. Trees, flowers and shrubs come into bloom, and along with the flowers come lots of bees, wasps and other insects on the lookout for a good feed of pollen.

 

The downside is that buzzing, moving insects are a huge attraction for inquisitive animals, especially puppies and kittens who haven’t yet learnt the associated dangers. Spring is our peak season for attending to bee stings and other insect bites, and a large proportion of the patients we see with this problem are youngsters.

 

A bee sting typically causes swelling and sharp pain, but in many individuals it can also lead to a severe allergic reaction. In most cases, particularly on the first occasion that the animal is stung, the most obvious symptom is swelling. This almost always involves the face, and in some cases there can be welts or generalised swelling on the torso and limbs as well. The swelling is due to an influx of fluid into the spaces between cells in the subcutaneous tissues, and can  sometimes be quite dramatic. The “fat face effect” can be quite comical. It will often persist for several hours, and sometimes for a whole day or longer.

 

Occasionally there may also be gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhoea, particularly if the animal has swallowed the insect. Although the swelling is very dramatic, in most cases there is no serious effect on the animal’s health. In rare cases, though, the fluid influx may occur in the lungs, or the swelling around the throat may be extremely severe, leading to difficulty with breathing and swallowing which can potentially cause major problems.

 

The reaction to a sting is more likely to be severe if the animal has been bitten in the past. Although the chances of having a severe reaction are relatively slim, it’s a good idea to seek veterinary attention in every instance. The vet can check that there are not likely to be any life-threatening complications. Anaphylactic shock and death is very rare, but it can happen.

 

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and even in milder cases we can administer drugs such as injectable corticosteroids or antihistamines, which will minimise the period that the swelling persists. If you are in the bush and remote from veterinary attention when the sting occurs, carefully remove the stinger. Don’t use tweezers or fingers, in order to avoid forcing more venom into the dog’s system. Instead, wipe the stinger off with a credit card, knife, or your fingernail. Ice or cold water packs can help to relieve the pain, as can a cuddle from Mum or Dad.

 

Human antihistamine tablets are useful: the doses vary between dogs and humans, so if you have allergies yourself and normally carry antihistamines with you, check with us in advance on the dose of that particular drug that a patient of your dog’s size would require.

 

Healthy gardens with prolific insect life are an important part of our urban ecological system. We do NOT advise that you attempt to eradicate insects from your garden. Pesticides are particularly ill-advised, since they will also kill birds who feed off the insects.

 

The best strategy is to try to keep you pet away from “danger” areas during peak periods of insect activity, and to be prepared with an action plan to be implemented in the event of a sting occurring.