Dogs and insects are ways to protect pets. Dogs and insects - ways to protect pets Is there a serious danger

Dogs are curious creatures that sniff anything they show an interest in. Dogs are often interested even in insects, they explore them, sniff them and of course get a quick response! Therefore, many insect bites fall on the nose of dogs.

Insects sting parts of the body such as the eyes, ears, and legs. When a dog walks in an anthill or disturbs a hornet's nest or a beehive, a swarm of insects can attack its entire body. But even the bite of solitary insects like spiders can be very bad.

Stings from bees, wasps, hornets, spiders and ants can be a problem for any curious dog. The venom of these insects causes a variety of problems, ranging from mild irritation to severe anaphylactic shock. Observant pet owners can minimize the reaction by taking prompt action. However, keep in mind that severe cases require immediate medical attention.

What to do if a dog is bitten by an insect?

1. It is important to quickly determine if a dog has been bitten or stung. If the dog suddenly began to scratch its face, gnaw its legs, or any part of its body began to swell, then we can assume that it was bitten by an insect.
2. Define an insect. Look around, there may be a lot of flying or crawling insects around.
3. In case of bee stings, look at the stinger. Bees are the only insects that leave their stingers in their victims. These remaining stingers continue to release venom, so removing them reduces the maximum amount of venom a dog can receive. You can remove a stinger with a simple credit card by running the edge of it over your pet's fur a few times. Don't use tweezers as you can squeeze out even more venom. Fortunately, other flying insects (wasps and hornets) do not leave their stingers at the bite site.
4. Soothe the bite. Make a thick paste of baking soda and water and apply it on the bite.
5. Minimize swelling. Apply ice to the bite site for 10 minutes to reduce swelling. For large bites, a cold, damp towel is best.
6. Prevent an allergic reaction. Give your dog a small dose of an antihistamine (such as diphenhydramine) to minimize the reaction and reduce itching. Consult your veterinarian about the appropriate dosage for your pet.
7. Reduce the trauma of scratching. If the dog continues to lick or scratch at the bite site, then use a special cone collar. Constant scratching will delay healing and increase the chance of infection.
8. Maintain your dog's water and food intake. Give your dog fresh water. Dogs that have been stung in the mouth often have difficulty eating dry food, so it can be softened with warm water.

When is an insect bite a serious danger?

Like some people, many dogs suffer from allergies (hypersensitivity) to insect stings. The level of reaction depends on the dog's immune system and the type of insect. An allergic reaction usually occurs within 20 minutes of being bitten, but can sometimes only occur after several hours, so close monitoring of the dog is often critical.

Severe reactions (anaphylaxis) can be fatal, so acting quickly is again critical.

Your dog will need emergency veterinary care at the first sign of:

1. Severe swelling head and neck, which can make breathing difficult. Edema of these places can occur even if the bite was in another place.
2. Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some dogs may pant more than usual because the swelling is in the airways. Do not try to find out the reason, take the dog to the vet immediately.
3. Excessive salivation. If the swelling is in the throat, then the dog may have difficulty swallowing saliva and lets it out.
4. Excessive excitement. Some dogs become restless due to severe itching and difficulty breathing. In addition, insect venom can affect their nervous system.
5. Vomiting or diarrhea. Even mild vomiting and soft stools can indicate serious problems.
6. Dizziness or disorientation. If your dog stumbles or exhibits unusual behavior, this could be a sign of an anaphylactic reaction.
7. Seizures. Don't hesitate and call your doctor.

Medication can save your dog's life and is aimed at reducing the allergic reaction and preventing shock. In addition to antihistamines, your veterinarian may give your dog corticosteroids or epinephrine. The dog may need to be hospitalized and put on a drip, as well as blood and urine tests. The length of the hospital stay depends on your dog's response to therapy, but it usually takes at least 1-2 days.

Mosquito bites are perceived by many dog ​​owners as a normal, transient phenomenon. Symptoms go away on their own without special treatment. More attention is paid to ticks. However, the usual bite of a small bloodsucker can cause serious health consequences. How to help if the dog was bitten by mosquitoes depends on the complexity of the symptoms.

Signs of an insect attack

Do mosquitoes bite dogs - yes, at the slightest opportunity. Females to be able to reproduce healthy offspring. Animals, birds, people become potential victims, in urban conditions - pets.

On a note!

Symptoms do not differ from a person - swelling, redness, itching, swelling, annoying itching. Photos of mosquito bites in dogs can be seen below. Pedigree pets often have an allergic reaction with increased symptoms. This is explained by genetically weak immunity. Short-haired dogs and puppies are more commonly affected.

If one mosquito has bitten a dog, you may not notice a change in the behavior of the pet. If he had to suffer from a colony of bloodsuckers, the animal begins to whine, lick wounds, twitch, run, rub against any surface.

Danger of bites for dogs

Mosquitoes and midges annoy with severe itching, inflammation of the skin. In this case, the danger is as follows:

On a note!

For the prevention of bites from mosquitoes, mosquitoes, ticks, special repellents, folk remedies, tablets are used.

Bite remedies

If lesions are found, the wounds are treated with an antiseptic preparation. As a first aid for a dog use:

• medical, ammonia, boric alcohol;
• tincture of valerian, calendula, motherwort;
• laundry soap foam;
• baking soda paste;
• shaving foam;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• Menovazin.

In case of a severe allergic reaction, the dog should be shown to the veterinarian. Requires antihistamines, antiallergic drugs. Prescribe medications that are used to treat allergies in humans.

• Psilo-Balm;
• Elocom;
• Triaccutane;
• Sinaflan.

With a deterioration in general well-being, they give tablets, drops with an antihistamine effect:

• Claritin;
• Fenistil;
• Diazolin;
• El Tzet;
• Eden.

The condition is normalized in a day, the skin is restored in a few days.

On a note!

If the dog is bitten by a mosquito in the eye, severe swelling occurs. To get rid of it, a cold compress is applied for several minutes, ice cubes wrapped in gauze.

Bite Prevention

Protect pets with special preparations, folk remedies.

• A sachet is dissolved in 100 ml of medical alcohol, stirred, poured into a spray bottle. Wool is processed. Protection is enough for a maximum of 4 hours. Helps with midges, ticks.
• Apply to the coat in several places. Lavender, lemongrass, geranium, mint, eucalyptus, have a deterrent effect.
• Smart spray for dogs protects against mosquitoes, mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, horseflies, midges. The active substances of the aerosol are essential oils. The spray is applied to the coat all over the body. It is valid for a maximum of 4 hours, with a small number of mosquitoes - 6 hours. The average price is 200 rubles.
• Cyperyl. An insecticidal remedy for midges, mosquito bites contains cypermethrin. Produced in the form of a concentrated solution. Immediately before use, dilute in water according to the instructions. Treat the dog's hair. Enough protection for 8 hours. Price 220 rubles.

On a note!

When using an insecticide-based preparation, a sensitivity test should be carried out initially. Allergy to components is possible. In this case, the unpleasant symptoms will only intensify.

Dogs are very curious creatures, they want to sniff everything. Young dogs are especially curious. They need to know everything, they study the world. Therefore, they are often bitten by various buzzing insects, sometimes single, and sometimes by the whole swarm, if the dog climbed into a hornet's nest. Of course, the nose of the dog in this case gets the most. The dog's mouth is also often stung.

Such dangers lie in wait for our four-legged friends in summer, autumn or spring. Just when the dog can run freely in nature. And at this time, a snake, scorpion or tick hiding in the grass can bite the dog.

As a result of insect bites in dogs, serious complications can occur, for example, anaphylactic shock, which requires urgent medical attention. This happens if the dog is allergic to insect bites. The bite reaction may take up to 20 minutes or may take longer, so keep a close eye on your animal.

In case of anaphylactic shock, you can provide first aid to the animal yourself. This happens if the bite fell on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe dog's muzzle. Then the tongue turns blue, loss of consciousness may occur. Urgently give the animal an injection of dexamethasone or potassium chloride (sold in a pharmacy), then take it to the veterinarian.

What are signs of urgent visit to the clinic? The head or neck may swell, shortness of breath or heavy breathing may appear. The separation of saliva may increase, there will be a strong excitement. There are convulsions, disorientation, vomiting or diarrhea.

If your dog was bitten by a bee, and you saw it, you can immediately remove the sting, rinse the wound with water, put an alcohol compress on the bite site and give the animal half a suprastin tablet. The sting must be removed without fail, because poison continues to flow from it into the body. If it is not possible to remove the sting, you can make a small incision and squeeze out the sting along with poison and blood, and then treat the wound with iodine.

To relieve itching at the bite site, you can lubricate it with an aqueous solution of baking soda. Make a cold wet compress or apply ice. This will reduce swelling. Give your pet as much water as possible, and if the bites are in the mouth, temporarily stop dry food and give soft food.

When a bee stings, it leaves a sting in the body. A wasp sting is more dangerous, as it can sting and release poison many times. When bitten by a wasp or hornet, the bite will be very painful, and measures must be taken to relieve the pain.

There is another folk remedy. Just like in the previous example, you first need to remove the sting. Then suck and spit out the poison from the wound. Further, in order to avoid itching, you can attach plantain or garlic juice. Try rubbing the bitten area with dandelion juice.

It happens that dogs prey on buzzing insects. So, after a wasp or a bee stings it, the dog loses its desire for this activity.

If your pet behaves inappropriately, scratches its face, gnaws its paws, then someone has bitten it. Then look around, maybe you will see bees or wasps or find a snake in the grass. Then you will at least know who bit your pet.

Less dangerous bites of mosquitoes and horseflies. He their bites may be just an allergic reaction. The danger is the bites of midges, only if they flew into the dog with the whole swarm. After that, the skin can be severely damaged, as the midges gnaw out a piece of skin and fly away. Caterpillars with a "poisonous" color, accidentally swallowed by a dog, can cause mild poisoning. Big flies bite in autumn, ants can bite if a dog sticks its nose into an anthill. If your dog has been bitten by a horsefly, wash the wound with soapy water and give the dog a sedative medicine. If the dog is bitten by a hornet, make a lotion of a solution of citric acid. It is good to lubricate multiple mosquito bites with dark laundry soap diluted in water.

Determine what your dog bitten by a snake, it is possible for a large tremor. Vomiting may begin, sudden excitement may occur, the pupils may dilate, saliva may flow and the pulse may increase. If the snake has bitten the dog's paw, pull it tightly above the bitten place. To release the poison, apply pressure to the skin around the wound. Lubricate the edges of the wound with iodine. And in the veterinary clinic they will give her an anti-snake serum and save your dog.

Similarly, you need to help an animal if it bitten by a scorpion. It cannot be cured on its own. Contact your doctor. Do not try to suck the poison out of the wound yourself, you can get very poisoned. A cold compress on the wound and a tight bandage will help so that the poison does not spread further. Don't let your dog run. Hold her sore paw down.

“A small animal is a mosquito, and you can’t wave away a hoop from it.”
Proverb

They need to be known

Mosquitoes, midges, midges, elk flies, flies, horseflies

Insects of the order Diptera, where only females are blood-sucking. They use blood proteins to form eggs. All types of blood-sucking insects are called by the common word "gnats". Most of all "gnats" in the spring and in the first half of summer. "Gnus" loves wet places with tall grass. The greatest concentration of midges will be near water bodies and in swampy meadows. The largest blood-sucking insects are horseflies. Their bite is the most painful. Mosquitoes, midges, midges are most active in the morning and evening. Horseflies and zhigalki, on the contrary, prefer a hot afternoon. Moose flies, small flying insects with a wide flat body, widely spaced legs and two wings, appear in late August-September. Leggings are active in warm weather. The insect, falling on the body of the "victim", sheds its wings and crawls for a long time before biting. Without wings, an elk fly can be mistaken for a tick. All blood-sucking insects are movement oriented. That is, they actively pursue a moving object.

Ticks

Bees, wasps, hornets

Flying insects with venomous stingers. The sting is located on the back of the abdomen. Insects are brightly colored, they are yellow or orange with black stripes. Insect stings are used in rare cases and only for protection. They don't attack themselves. These insects often bite overly curious dogs that try to stick their nose into their nest or try to catch the striped hummer. The hornet has the most painful bite and the strongest poison.

Ants

Red forest ants bite most painfully and tangibly. They are larger than their counterparts, actively move and build large anthills. Ant bites in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe paws and muzzle are received by those dogs that are trying to dig up an anthill.

First aid for insect bites

Particularly affected by insect bites are short-haired (or shorn) dogs, breeds without hair, puppies and animals with white hair. Due to their small size, pygmy dogs are more sensitive to bites than their larger counterparts. Dogs and cats that are prone to food allergies are more likely to be allergic to bites.

When bitten, a blood-sucking insect injects saliva into the skin, which causes irritation, swelling of the surrounding tissues and itching. The extreme degree of an allergic reaction is anaphylactic shock and Quincke's edema. These life-threatening conditions can develop in allergic animals with a large number of bites. But sometimes one bite of a hornet is enough if the insect has bitten the animal in the head area. The animal very quickly, just within a few minutes, the muzzle, neck area, paws swell, breathing becomes frequent, first deep, then superficial. The animal is worried, the dog is whining, and the cat is constantly meowing. In this case, urgent veterinary care is required. As a first aid for increasing edema, it is necessary to inject suprastin (or tavegil) 0.5 ml for a dog up to 7 kg and 1.0 - 1.5 ml for a dog from 10 to 30 kg. and take the animal to the clinic. Suprastin will slightly slow down the development of an allergic reaction, but will not stop its development. Further, diuretics, drugs to maintain cardiac activity and corticosteroids are used. The dosage and frequency of administration is determined by the doctor!

For dogs of white color, with delicate skin and puppies, the mass flight of midges is especially dangerous. A large number of bites causes simuliotoxicosis- a disease caused by poisoning by insect toxins that enter the dog's body when bitten. The dog becomes lethargic, indifferent to what is happening, vomiting, loose stools appear. In severe cases, seizures and death can occur. The small biting midge annoys animals not only with its bites. With the mass departure of these small flies, the dogs begin to sneeze and cough because the insects are stuffed into the nose, mouth and eyes.

Bees, wasps and hornets most often sting on the nose, lips and cheeks. The dog squeals in pain, tries to rub its muzzle against the grass and objects, rubs the bite with its paw. The bite site swells and becomes painful to the touch. Small dogs may vomit and lethargic. Sometimes the general body temperature rises.

Treatment

The animal tries to scratch and lick itchy places. This should not be allowed, because with constant licking and combing, the bite sites turn into a long-term healing ulcer. Put a protective collar around the animal's neck or blanket.

Near the bites, the hair should be carefully cut. The bite sites themselves can be washed with a weak decoction of chamomile or oak bark. Repeated gentle rubbing with a solution of baking soda helps relieve itching and reduce tissue swelling. Fenistil gel relieves itching well. Applying something cold (such as a water bottle) will help reduce itching and swelling.

With anxiety and a strong skin reaction to bites, suprastin 1/4 tablet for a dog (or cat) weighing up to 10 kg 2 times a day and 1 tablet 2 times a day for a dog weighing more than 15 kg will help. If the animal is lethargic and does not eat well, bleeding sores appear on the skin, then be sure to show your pet to the veterinarian.

Repellents for animals

Aboriginal breeds of sled and hunting dogs are used to living in places with a lot of midges. Their body is more resistant to insect saliva toxins, they have a dense undercoat through which it is difficult for insects to reach the skin. Dogs know that there are fewer mosquitoes in the smoke of a fire or in a man's hut. Dogs also hide from mosquitoes by burrowing into wet moss.

Pets have long lost these skills and are completely dependent on humans. Once in an environment that is already hostile to them - the forest, they become a quick prey for blood-sucking insects and suffer greatly from this. And only a caring owner can help them. Animals need to be treated with repellents - substances that repel insects.

Many "human" repellents are highly toxic to animals. Cats are especially sensitive to such chemicals. Even a small contact with these substances on their skin can cause serious poisoning. In most cases, they are not suitable for processing animals. Fumigators should also be used with caution in the house where the cat lives. Volatile preparations, if inhaled, can cause poisoning.

For animals, special aerosols are made based on natural ingredients. For example, the aerosol “From mosquitoes and midges” from Agrobioprom and “Smart Spray” from Api-San contain essential oils of lavender, clove, citronella, geranium, and fir. "Smart Spray" contains amylosubtilin, which neutralizes the smell of the animal. Suitable for cats too. It is possible that, being in mosquito places, you will need to use it quite often. Since essential oils evaporate rather quickly.

Many manufacturers of aerosols, collars and flea drops promise protection against blood-sucking and stinging insects. Well proven aerosols, which include fipronil. This is the well-known "Frontline", a spray for cats Rolf Club.

An insecticidal and repellent drug from the group of synthetic pyrethroids, which includes cyfluthrin Sanofly (Api-San), promises protection not only from fleas and ticks, but also from mosquitoes and midges. With a small number of insects, flea collars can be effective. But for dogs that need to work in the forest (for example, hunting or detective), collars will be ineffective. When processing animals, you should carefully study the instructions, choose the drug strictly in accordance with the type of animal and its weight, and avoid contact with the mouth, nose and eyes during processing.