Scorpion Sting In Dogs: How To Act?
Although it is not very frequent, the scorpion bite in dogs can occur mostly when your pet walks alone at night, even more if it is in wooded areas. As alarming as it may be to see your dog in pain, when this happens, keep calm and accept that it is an occasional accident.
Based on this premise, the guardian must keep a cool head and act in a calculated way after an accident like this. Here we show you how to deal with a scorpion bite on a domestic dog.
Scorpions and their stings
The scorpion generates the sting in the form of defense, so dogs are affected by getting too close to it. Thanks to their nocturnal habits and their ease of sneaking around, scorpions pose a danger to dogs in open, wooded or desert areas, where they have a greater presence.
The scorpion sting a dog occurs when it accidentally steps on the scorpion or when it sniffs in dark places, where arachnids usually move to feed.
What are the main symptoms?
This sting is quite painful for the dog and, depending on the species of scorpion, it can pose a medium or high risk to the life of your pet. Here is a list of symptoms and tips to act when a scorpion bites your dog:
- Tearing, salivation and moans of pain: If you identify a strange behavior in the dog and try to seek you out for comfort, you are facing signs of an injury. If this was presented in any limb, it is very likely that the dog will hold a leg in the air and constantly moan due to the pain caused by the bite.
- Tremors and dilated pupils: in the same way, if after a night walk you notice that the dog is shaking and its pupils are more dilated than normal, you can feel its body to find out if it feels abnormal pain in any specific area.
- Swelling and breathing difficulties: the bustle and irregularities in the breathing of the animal are another indication of the scorpion sting. If for some reason you delay in understanding the reason for this anomaly, it is likely that swelling is generated, so you can quickly inspect the wound and turn to a professional.
In very serious cases in which, for example, the dog was alone at the time of the bite —or if the scorpion is quite poisonous—, seizures and collapses could occur in the dog. At this point, his life is seriously compromised.
How to act against scorpion bite in dogs?
As soon as you confirm any of the aforementioned symptoms, you should go to the vet quickly. Urgency should not be taken lightly and every minute counts for or against the dog’s health. Because of this, discard any home remedies and start the trip to the pet clinic as soon as you suspect the bite.
As far as possible, it is best to take the scorpion — if it is still near the cannon — with tweezers and carefully insert it into a jar. In this way, the vet will determine the species and the procedure to be followed.
If this cannot be done, try to photograph the scorpion as quickly as possible and go to the nearest veterinary clinic. If the scorpion is no longer present after the bite, you can find on the way to the vet which species are the most common in your area.
If the transfer to the medical center is complicated, you can apply cold compensations in the area of the bite after having properly sanitized the injury. In most cases, this experience only remains as a bad memory and, after receiving the antidote, your dog will overcome the pain and return to his daily life.
How to prevent the sting?
The best rule you can put into practice is to avoid as much as possible that the dog goes out at night to play or walk in your garden or forests. These are the areas and times in which the scorpion leaves their nests or dens, which is why it will be more likely that an encounter between both species will be generated.
Similarly, try not to have accumulated wood in your house or garage. This is an eye-catching hiding place for the animals the scorpion feeds on. A trick that you can apply is to spray the entrances of your home with vinegar diluted in water, since it is a disgusting aroma for scorpions and other arachnids.
Staying calm is difficult, but you must control your emotions so that your efforts are focused on getting medical attention as soon as possible. Remember that the faster your dog is treated, the more likely it is that everything will be a scare.
