Summer Pet Safety Goes Beyond Tick Bites
Tips to Protect Your Pet From Hidden Summer Dangers
For pet owners, ticks and tick-borne illnesses naturally become a concern when the weather warms up.
However, bites and stings from other insects can impact the comfort and overall health of pets.
Ants, mosquitoes, spiders, bees, among others, can cause a myriad of impacts on our pets – from minor skin irritation to life-threatening allergic reactions.
Summer insect concerns go beyond ticks.
As with ticks, it’s important to check our pets when returning from the outdoors.
If your pet has been bitten or stung, here are some non-emergent remedies to try at home:
- You want to remove the stinger
,or the head of the insect if it remains embedded. Use sterilized tweezers to ensure foreign debris is removed in its entirety. - Applying ice to a sting or bite reduces swelling and pain.
- Antihistamines and steroids can be administered to help reduce swelling and pain, however, always consult with your regular veterinarian before giving any medications to your pet.
- While improvement after a sting or bite can be expected after a few days, it’s important to monitor the injury site should the injury worsen. You also want to make sure your pet isn’t licking or chewing on the affected area, as this could put the animal at risk for infection.
The vast majority of dogs will recover quickly from a sting or insect bite; however, just like people, some dogs can be prone to severe allergic reactions.
Should your pet display the following symptoms, seek veterinary care immediately:
- Swollen face or muzzle
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Persistent swelling or redness at the injury site
Keep your pets healthy and safe this summer with these summer safety tips.