Here, in the Tropics, insects and other species of biting/stinging pests abound and flourish. Most of them are harmless, at least where the infliction of pain and lethality are concerned. However, there are those species whose venomousness makes up for the relative harmlessness of their counterparts.
The usual culprits in Guyana are:
Insects
Marabuntas and sundry wasps.
Bees (not lastly those vicious, ferocious, and aggressive Africanised bees).
Ants (we called the real nasty ones “cop-cop” when I was young), including the red ants and the big black ones.
Non-insects (which can inflict the most painful experience upon our pets)
Spiders (the tarantula springs to mind)
Scorpions
Centipedes
Hairy worms
Snakes (to be dealt with next week)
In some cases, the pet is inquisitive and wants to investigate a fallen wasps’ nest, or wishes to find out why the insect is going into and out of a hole in the wall or in a mud heap. The very funny walk of a scorpion or a centipede invites a closer look by any curious companion animal.
Anyway, before you get the wrong impression, let me hasten to add that most insects, even the biting ones, do not go out of their way to create a confrontation. They would much prefer to go quietly about their own business.
In the case of the bee, for example, once the stinging apparatus (stinger) is lost, the insect dies. Insects, especially the flying/biting kind, attack only to defend, usually their hives. In other words, their action is protective, and often the dog or cat gets bitten only by a few insects initially. It is not as if hundreds of honeybees or marabuntas would dive-bomb a poor innocent pooch in kamikaze-like fashion — unless they feel the pooch is hell-bent on destroying their home.
Having said all that, let me tell you that the sting from only one wasp or bee can bring about severe pain to the recipient — especially if the animal is particularly sensitive (allergic) to that particular poison. And if the animal is stung often enough, it can exhibit a toxic shock syndrome which produces a coma, or even death, if professional help is not immediately summoned and relevant therapy introduced.
SYMPTOMS:
When the animal has received several bites/stings, it develops a fever (with chill/ague symptoms) and respiratory distress (laboured breathing).
In all cases, the bite site is extremely painful. Usually, there is a local reaction with redness (inflammation). Often, stings and bites are unwitnessed. By the time the animals are presented to the vet, they may exhibit clinical signs of an allergic reaction, such as swelling on the skin (wheals, hives) and redness in the stung area. Other symptoms may include agitation (restlessness), increased salivation, and weakness of the legs. A total collapse usually follows.
HOME TREATMENT FOR STINGS AND BITES
If you can actually see the sting area, try to quickly scrape the area with a flat piece of plastic, the flat surface of a knife, or even your fingernail in an effort to remove the stinger from the animal. Do not squeeze the area, as that would cause the venom to spread.
Wash the area and apply a mild Hydrocortisone cream, Calamine lotion, or Zinc Oxide cream to relieve itchiness. A thick paste mixture of Baking Soda and water, or an ice pack (crushed ice wrapped in a cloth) placed on the lesion area, would relieve the swelling.
It must be noted that marabuntas can sting multiple times, injecting small quantities of venom with each sting.
It would help the veterinarian if you were able to identify which creature did the biting or stinging. Was it an insect, a scorpion, a centipede, a hairy worm, etc.?
Obviously, the caregiver must act expeditiously to remove wasps’ nests and the like from the premises. Conditions that nurture scorpions, centipedes and tarantulas should be eradicated. The pest removal companies and the relevant officials of the units of the Agriculture Ministry can assist.
Next week, under the rubric of “Poison-based Emergencies”, we will deal with snake bites and frog poisonings.
