Here I go again making assumptions about dogs and humans again. My assumption was that dogs can have more severe reactions to yellow jackets, as opposed to honeybees, just like I do. So far, in this case, I'm right.
Leilah got stung by a yellow jacket on the inside of her left flew. She's been stung by honey bees before, never any reaction after an initial wuss attack, not even swelling, always fine after a couple minutes. This time though, with the yellow jacket, it's swollen enough that her mouth is now noticably lopsided. I immediately put meat tenderizer on it. While I prefer baking soda to counteract the acid in venom, it's what I use on myself, I'm out of it and I heard tenderizer might help too. And since it's her first yellow jacket sting, I gave her half a 25mg benadryl (she's 35 lbs) as a precaution.
Other than being a wuss and keeping her tail between her legs (it proabably really hurts), she's acting just fine. It's been maybe an hour now and it's stopped swelling at least. I know that any serious reaction may not happen on the first sting too. But If she's going to have any further reaction this time, would it have happened by now? What are the time frames?
Yellow Jacket stings....msg
Yellow Jacket stings....msg
Last edited by LM on Sun Jun 15, 2003 6:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend:and inside a dog, it's too dark to read."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx
Re: Yellow Jacket stings....msg
signs of anaphilactic shock usually occurr within 20 -25 minutes after the sting but you should watch for signs for another 24 hours.
One warm Thanksgiving Day a few years ago, Roxy was stung 6 times on her head by one hornet - she was lying down in the front yard and by the time I realized somthing was going on, the hornet had done it' sdamage. Poor Roxy looked like she had been in a fight- her entire face was swollen.
On the advice of floks on the board ( davet & KathyLink-Lady) and our vet, we gave her benadryl and the swelling started going within an hour and in 8 hours, she was back to normal. We were very careful after that-since Roxy was paraplegic, if she got in trouble, she couldn't get away.
Sounds like everything will be okay - you did the right things.
One warm Thanksgiving Day a few years ago, Roxy was stung 6 times on her head by one hornet - she was lying down in the front yard and by the time I realized somthing was going on, the hornet had done it' sdamage. Poor Roxy looked like she had been in a fight- her entire face was swollen.
On the advice of floks on the board ( davet & KathyLink-Lady) and our vet, we gave her benadryl and the swelling started going within an hour and in 8 hours, she was back to normal. We were very careful after that-since Roxy was paraplegic, if she got in trouble, she couldn't get away.
Sounds like everything will be okay - you did the right things.
Re: Yellow Jacket stings....msg
Here's a brief page on anaphylactic shock, LM...it lists signs to watch for.
http://www.peteducation.com:80/article. ... icleid=507
http://www.peteducation.com:80/article. ... icleid=507
Re: Yellow Jacket stings....msg
just to clarify::: davet and Kathy aren't floks (whatever those are) - they are folks (and darned good ones)...
Re: Yellow Jacket stings....msg
Oh thanks jdf!!! So we're through the first major time frame here, whew! I won't be going out until tomorrow afternoon, so I'll be able to keep a close eye on here for that 24 hours. Her gums are fine, except for a bit of spinach stuck in her teeth....
Poor Roxy!!!! Many years agoI had a horse with a broken leg who was basically disabled while in a cast for 4 months. One morning I pulled off his blanket and he had a whole bunch of bumps! Turned out there was a new nest of yellow jackets just behind his corral and some had gotten under his blanket. He too wasn't able to do much about it, he was way too lame to fuss much. Fortunately he had no reactions and the barn owner got rid of the nest immediately.
Here's my baby with her temporarily lopsided flews:
<img src="http://www.wonderpuppy.net/misc4/sting.jpg">
Good link too, I'm keeping that one. Thanks!
Poor Roxy!!!! Many years agoI had a horse with a broken leg who was basically disabled while in a cast for 4 months. One morning I pulled off his blanket and he had a whole bunch of bumps! Turned out there was a new nest of yellow jackets just behind his corral and some had gotten under his blanket. He too wasn't able to do much about it, he was way too lame to fuss much. Fortunately he had no reactions and the barn owner got rid of the nest immediately.
Here's my baby with her temporarily lopsided flews:
<img src="http://www.wonderpuppy.net/misc4/sting.jpg">
Good link too, I'm keeping that one. Thanks!
Last edited by LM on Sun Jun 15, 2003 7:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend:and inside a dog, it's too dark to read."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx
Re: Yellow Jacket stings....msg
pOOR lEILAH- LOOK at her poor mouth..hope she is better tomorrow. Honey got stung right on the nose once- ouch!
Re: Yellow Jacket stings....msg
You're welcome, LM - Leilah has a beautiful face in spite of the fat lip.
Sounds like your horse and Roxy had something in common - too bad it was a run in with hornets. They can be nasty, aggresive insects and don't loose their stingers like bees do. Roxy tried to eat a honey bee when she was a youngster and her lip looked exactly like Leilah's. When she was hit by the hornet, though, both lips were swollen and the other four stings made lumps the size of half a ping pong ball at various places around her face. It was a sad sight - luckily, she didn't get an allergic reaction.
Hope Leilah recovers quickly..J
Sounds like your horse and Roxy had something in common - too bad it was a run in with hornets. They can be nasty, aggresive insects and don't loose their stingers like bees do. Roxy tried to eat a honey bee when she was a youngster and her lip looked exactly like Leilah's. When she was hit by the hornet, though, both lips were swollen and the other four stings made lumps the size of half a ping pong ball at various places around her face. It was a sad sight - luckily, she didn't get an allergic reaction.
Hope Leilah recovers quickly..J
Re: Yellow Jacket stings....msg
ER TIP: Be sure to watch specifically in areas of the eyes, nose, ears and throat....the closer the sting to the throat, the more severe the emergency, as swelling and edema can cut off air supply faster than anything. Severe swelling and edema may not respond to benedryl tabs at home, this would require emergency vet vist for injectables, and ER treatment.
..........Traci
Re: Yellow Jacket stings....msg
Yup yup yup traci, that crossed my mind the second I saw any swelling at all! I dropped everything to keep an eye on her for a while. I know it's real common with rattler bites for the swelling to block airways on both horses and dogs. But fortunately here with Leilah, it's not interfering with her breathing at all.
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend:and inside a dog, it's too dark to read."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx
Re: Yellow Jacket stings....msg
Just a quick update. Yesterday the swelling was completely gone, no further reactions, she's fine. Now I just gotta hope that nothing ever buzzes near her in a ring, 'cause knowing her, she's probably gonna panic.
Thanks for all the info everyone!
Thanks for all the info everyone!
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend:and inside a dog, it's too dark to read."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx