Vet's urgent warning after puppy 'collapsed on the spot' and left 'gasping for air'
Owners might think their pets are as resilient as them, but when it comes to incidents like a wasp sting, dog parents must not waste a moment in making sure the situation doesn't escalate into something more serious - or deadly.
This was the case for the owners of Bowie, an adorable Miniature Dachshund from down south who "collapsed on the spot" and "began fading in his owner's arms" after being stung on the mouth by a wasp - in the middle of winter.
The six-month-old was playing in his owner Emily Lomas' back garden when he suddenly ran into the kitchen and let out a yelp. Bowie then crumped into a heap in his bed gasping for air - with the wasp on the floor next to him.
Alarmingly, Bowie's eyes were flickering open and shut as though he was losing consciousness.
There was also visible swelling on the side of his mouth that was ballooning by the second.
"I just can't over-emphasise how upsetting and distressing it was to see Bowie struck down like this and how important it was that we got help straight away," Emily told Vets Now.
'People think 'oh, a wasp sting,' that happens all the time and there's nothing serious'.
"But in Bowie's case it was like he'd been instantly floored."
She went on: "We'd only had him eight weeks when this happened, and I was just in floods of tears.
"With a human when there's something wrong you can usually talk to them and offer them reassurance – but with a dog you can't do that and that makes it so much worse to see them suffering.
"All this actually happened on the first day of December last year – in the middle of winter when you might think there was no danger at all."
The ordeal unfolded on a Sunday night, and adding to Emily's distress, her local vet was closed for the weekend.
As Bowie fought to breathe, a tearful Emily frantically phoned a nearby referral clinic, part of Vets Now's network of UK-wide emergency pet clinics and hospitals. Bowie was admitted straight away as a highest priority emergency.
Lead vet Thomas Cammack did a full physical examination before performing an ultrasound scan to check for any internal swelling, how well his heart was filling and whether there was any bleeding into his abdomen.
He also checked for signs of the severe anaphylaxis which can be fatal for dogs – particularly small breeds like Bowie.
Luckily, and because Emily had acted so swiftly in seeking help, the sting hadn't had any internal impact and after a round of antihistamine medication, Bowie perked up and was fit enough to go home.
But the effects could have been much more serious, and Emily is now warning other pet owners to take no chances if their dog gets stung – particularly with sting cases seen by us nearly doubling over the last two years.
"I am incredibly grateful to Thomas and the team – they rushed into action to make sure Bowie was okay and they were there in our hour of need," Emily explained.
'Because it's spring and dogs are outside more now, we really wanted to remind other owners about how important it is to get help if your dog is stung."
Thomas stressed that it was "essential" that Emily brought Bowie in as quickly as she did.
"Every second can count in these cases – and we're definitely seeing more bad reactions to wasp and bee stings than we used to," he warned.
'I've had quite a few cases where the allergic reaction has been so severe that we've had to administer intravenous adrenaline just to counter the effects of the sting.
'One of the issues here is that the impact of a sting can range from a very mild allergic reaction to extremely serious – and in some cases unfortunately – fatal anaphylaxis.
'That's why we carried out the ultrasound scan on Bowie – to see if there was any indication of gallbladder or heart issues or any bleeding to the abdomen – all of which are potential indicators of something being seriously wrong.
"If your dog is stung or you think they might have been, and has any kind of reaction, seek help without delay.
"Bear in mind as well that in addition to the typical external signs of an allergic response such as hives and swollen faces, there can also be hidden internal issues playing out at the same time.'
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