Dogs are naturally inquisitive and enjoy chasing anything that moves, including insects. For most dog owners, this is not really an issue, but the problem comes when your dog catches certain insects. A butterfly, moth or ant won’t do any harm, but a wasp sting can have serious consequences for your dog. The venom in the wasp sting can lead to anything from minor irritation to a potentially fatal allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock. Wasp control experts in Niagara want to help prevent our pets from suffering wasp stings.

Effects of Wasp Stings on Dogs

A wasp sting is venomous. The small puncture wound made by the wasp is not what causes the pain of the sting, it’s the quantity of venom that is injected into the body that makes the area around the wound painful. The majority of wasp related deaths in dogs are due to the sheer number of stings combined with the concentration of the stings on certain parts of the body. For example, if your dog gets stung multiple times around the throat or mouth, the wasp stings are more likely to be life-threatening than if the dog is stung on its tail or back legs.

Since dogs are curious and often stick their noses where they don’t belong, they most often get stung on the nose, face or around the throat. This is a particularly sensitive part of the dog’s anatomy and a sting to that area is always extremely painful. Sometimes a dog can be stung inside the mouth, on the tongue or in the throat when they try to catch or bite a stinging insect. These stings on sensitive areas of your dog’s body can be life-threatening as the resulting swelling can block the dog’s airway or cause their throat to close.

Multiple wasp stings can also lead to hemolytic anemia. This occurs when the red blood cell count of your dog falls to extremely low levels, or there’s no proper functioning of the red blood cells. Dogs diagnosed with such cases of acute anemia may need an immediate blood transfusion. Signs that your dog has been stung several times by a wasp may include seizures, collapsing, lack of alertness, drooling, dizziness and disorientation, pale gums, tense abdomen, anemia, congestion in the nose and throat, puffiness in the face, whining, agitation, and swelling in the nose and throat.

How to Treat Your Dog for Wasp Stings

A simple one-time sting can be left alone without a worry. It should only be a matter of temporarily concern and discomfort for your dog. If a wasp stinger is still on your dog, make an effort to remove it using a hard piece of cardboard or with your fingernails. Try not to use forceps or tweezers to remove the stinger unless it is absolutely necessary as more venom can be forced out of the stinger into the wound through this process. Once you have removed the sting, give your dog some medication for the subsequent pain. Using a weak combination of baking soda and water on the affected area will also significantly reduce the pain. Watch your dog closely for the next couple of days to make certain there is no allergic reaction. If the swelling of the affected area doesn’t go down after several days, take your dog to the veterinarian for further examination and treatment.

Yes, dogs love to hunt insects but the closer they get, the more dangerous it could be for them. It is best to keep your dog away from stinging insects like wasp and bees that could cause harm. Simple voice commands or warning signal training will be useful in protecting your pet from wasps and other stinging insects that you may spot around your home.

If you have a wasp infestation on your property, don’t try to deal with it yourself, call wasp control Niagara. Truly Nolen is well-equipped to handle any size of wasp infestation you may have.