Stinging bugs

10-06-2022

We've talked about the tick and the oak processionary caterpillar before. What other insects are there that you would like to see in nature, but would rather not in/on the body of your beloved pet?

Are you sitting in the garden or in the park, a buzzing creature flies by. Super interesting of course for your dog or cat and even more fun to chase after. Until the creature feels threatened and goes on the attack. Now most insect bites are fairly harmless and mainly very annoying. Still, you should be alert to certain symptoms and act quickly in case your best friend turns out to be allergic.

But first we need to know what the signs are that your dog or cat may have been bitten or stung by an insect:
  • Squeaking/crying;
  • Keep your leg up (if you get a sting in your leg);
  • limping;
  • Biting or gnawing where the bite is;
  • Drooling;
  • Rubbing the head or snout with the paw;
  • swelling;
  • Spots/bumps on the skin (red, swollen and itchy skin).

If you see one or more of these signs, be a detective and try to find out which insect bit your four-legged friend. This is especially important with a bee sting, because you have to remove the stinger. So look around you carefully to see if you see anything flying or crawling on the ground.

The Angel Bearers
Bees, wasps, bumblebees and some ants all have a stinger. However, the bee is the only insect whose stinger detaches from its body when stung and dies as a result. The bee stinger continues to release venom, so you want to get it out of the skin as quickly as possible. Do NOT try to pull the stinger out with tweezers, because this will squeeze the venom into the skin. Instead, use a hard card (such as your debit card/driver's license/credit card) and carefully scrape the stinger out.
The stingers of the wasp, bumblebee and ant do not break off, which means they can continue to sting.

NB How can you tell the difference between a bee, wasp and bumblebee?
A bee is hairy and the wasp is bald. In addition, the wasp has a narrow waist (the wasp waist). The bumblebee is the big brother of the bee, literally larger in size and also has a longer coat.

Ants can not only sting with their poisonous stinger, but also bite or leave behind formic acid. The result is a painful, swollen and often red spot on the skin. So it is best not to put your picnic blanket on an anthill.

In most cases, a sting from a stinger is only painful and uncomfortable, but does not require a trip to the vet.
Now Stitch has learned from one of our guests (I won't mention any names 😝) how much fun it is to snap at flies. Funny sight of course, but less funny when it concerns a wasp or a bee. A sting in the mouth can cause the inside to swell, possibly blocking the airway and causing them to have difficulty breathing. This means straight to the vet.

Just like humans, animals can be allergic to the venom from the sting. This can lead to more severe irritation, but possibly to a life-threatening shock.

And then there are the insects you might not want to see at all...

The very little ones
Fleas, lice, mites. So small you can hardly see them, but so big is the nuisance.
They are all bloodthirsty, biting monsters, although the most common louse in the Netherlands mainly feeds on skin flakes.
The flea's saliva is highly allergenic and the bite causes a lot of itching, often all over the body. As a result, your pet will lick, bite and scratch excessively, which can lead to a hot spot (more on this later).
Lice are constantly on the move and itch terribly. It can lead to hair loss, a dry, stiff and dull coat and small wounds on the skin.
The mite burrows into the skin layer and happily nibbles there all day long. But all that nibbling can cause inflammation or even infections.

One way to combat these monsters and that other monster, the tick, is by using a flea collar. We sell the Seresto flea collar from Bayer. Combined with the collar from Dogtools, your dog looks cool, the flea collar is easy to put on and take off and you don't have to touch the collar anymore. Also nice for your buddy's four-legged friends, when playing they hardly come into contact with it thanks to the Dogtools collar. Which means that the flea collar is no longer easily bitten through 👍 Click here for more information.

The Diptera
Flies and mosquitoes both have two wings, hence the name.
The Dracula among insects is the mosquito. And my arch enemy. As far as we know, none of our dogs have ever suffered from a mosquito bite. Although they have always been lucky that I was around 😝. Dogs and cats can suffer the same from a bite as we do, namely itching, swelling and redness. There are mosquitoes that can transmit pathogens, but this is unusual in the Netherlands.

The blood-eating sandfly is also not found in our country. The sandfly can transmit a parasite, which can lead to the disease Leishmania in dogs. The flies are common in Southern Europe. If you are going on holiday with your dog, find out about insect bites in your holiday country in advance.

In the Netherlands we do have a biting fly, the horsefly, also called the horsefly. Quite aggressive creatures, which when biting, cut the skin open with the many blades in the snout. The bite is very painful and can lead to bacterial infections.

Hotspot
Of course, it is also possible that you do not notice that your best friend has suffered an insect bite. Until you are suddenly surprised by a hotspot. This is an inflammation of the skin, often a warm and moist spot, caused by excessive licking and scratching by your animal itself. A hotspot does not go away by itself, because once it is there, it itches terribly and that requires more biting and licking.

What to do after a bite/sting or in case of a hot spot?

    • to kill bacteria and prevent infections, you can disinfect the bite wound with 70% alcohol or iodine;
    • swelling can be countered by cooling the skin. Use an ice cube and place it on the skin for 10 minutes. Only do this if your pet is comfortable with it. Otherwise, use a cold, damp towel;
    • carefully trim the hairs at the hot spot;
    • treat the wound by applying honey ointment . Honey is antibacterial, soothing and helps the skin recover;
    • prevent your animal from scratching, biting and licking the wound. So put a protective collar on so they can't get to it. This also prevents them from licking the disinfectant and honey ointment off.

In our webshop we offer two types of protective collars. Always handy to have at home, just in case.

The inflatable is soft and round and very comfortable to lie on with your head. It is especially suitable for wounds on the upper body (head, chest and back). Moreover, it is also easy to store.

The other is a plastic hood with velcro. The hood is large and covers the head, making the entire body inaccessible. The velcro ensures that the collar is easy and quick to put on and take off. An attachment via collar or something like that is no longer necessary.

Furthermore, keep a close eye on your pet and be super alert for a possible allergic reaction. In the case of the following symptoms, contact the vet immediately :

  • difficulty breathing/wheezing/rapid/shallow breathing;
  • swelling around the head and neck;
  • excessive drooling;
  • frequent vomiting and/or diarrhea;
  • dizzy or disoriented;
  • weak, listless or sinking through the legs;
  • restless, stressed behavior;
  • pale gums or eyelids;
  • cold skin and cold foot pads.

Source:
https://www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/parasites/common-bug-bites-on-dogs-cats#slide-1
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/first-aid-for-insect-stings-in-dogs
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/what-to-do-if-your-dog-is-stung-by-a-bee-or-wasp
https://nl.wikipedia.org

Do you want to stay up to date with the latest news on Dogguardian.nl or don't want to miss a single blog article? Then sign up for our newsletter ↘️

Back to blog