What’s All The Buzz About?

July 2017

Wasps, hornets, bumblebees, and yellow jackets. It’s that time of the year. Those pesky summer varmints are lurking everywhere, building their nests in trees, shrubs, sheds, decks, attics, and eaves. Any well protected nook or cranny will do. They buzz about, coming from out of nowhere, to sting your best pal. He’s curious, eager to know what that buzz is all about. Soon, much to his dismay, he’s going to find out the hard way….then yee ouch!! It’s all over but the yowling. That evil stinging creature has left his mark.

This tiny stinger is loaded with painful toxins. Your first instinct is to pinch it with your fingers and pull it out. Wrong! This will squeeze the remaining toxins into your pet and worsen an already painful situation. Instead, to remove the stinger, simply scrape it with a credit card or dull knife.

Most stings occur on the mouth, nose, or neck, thus the facial pawing, scratching, and rubbing begins. This is due to the immediate pain and swelling. Drooling and hives may soon follow. These mild symptoms are rarely life threatening. They can normally be treated with any of the following home remedies.

You can start by applying a cold, wet compress, using a rice filled sock, a frozen bag of freezer veggies or jello, semi-frozen in a Ziploc bag. This will reduce swelling and dull the pain.

You can also try apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, or a moistened tea bag applied as a wet pack. A paste made from baking soda, Epsom Salts, sugar, meat tenderizer, or milk of magnesia have been said to work wonders. I have also been told that a slice of onion applied directly to the sting will give instant relief. Who would have guessed???

For hives you can try calamine lotion, aloe vera, or cortisone cream and there’s always the old stand-by, Benadryl.

A product that I swear by, which has many uses, is NuStock, a wonderful product used to reduce pain at the sting site, or also can be used to reduce itching associated with hives.

Keeping your “home pharmacy” stocked with these inexpensive items may save you an unexpected and costly trip to the vet.

If symptoms should worsen or involve respiratory distress, trembling, weakness or pale gums….Get To The Vet – Pronto.

Preventing bee stings from occurring in the first place is probably impossible. Your pal is inquisitive, curious, and downright nosey! Spritzing daily with diluted Skin-So-Soft oil is an easy bug deterrent that works well, is very inexpensive, and smells great!

Keep in mind that stinging insects pose a real threat to your pet. They are dangerous, being capable of stinging numerous times, thus possibly being life threatening.

Your vet’s phone number and an after-hours emergency number should always be kept handy.

Please have a pet safe and stingless summer! And that’s what all the buzz is about!