An adorable puppy cheated death after being stung on the mouth by a wasp
The miniature dachshund called Bowie – named after late music legend David – was found in a crumpled heap by his owner Emily Lomas.
The six-month-old pup had a swollen face and there was a dead wasp lying next to him on the floor.
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Emily and partner James rushed Bowie to the vet where he had an ultrasound to assess the damage.
And now the couple is sharing the most important action to take if pet owners find themselves in the same situation.
“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 Need to Know.
“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.
“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.”
Lead vet Thomas Cammack did a full physical examination before performing an ultrasound scan to check for any internal swelling.
He also checked the pup’s heart and abdomen as well as signs of severe anaphylaxis, which can be fatal for dogs – particularly small breeds like Bowie.
Because Emily, of Stourbridge, Worcestershire, had acted so swiftly, 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.
Emily said: “James and myself are both 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.
“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.
“Bowie is such a loving dog and a great companion. I just can’t imagine life without him.
“But for the sake of my nerves, I would quite like it if he could stay out of mischief for a bit and save us any more frantic Sunday night dashes to the vet.”
Bee and wasp stings can cause swelling, pain, and allergic reactions, particularly if a pet is stung on the face or throat.
Last spring, Vets Now saw a 45% increase in the number of bee and wasp cases treated in their clinics, indicating pet owners should be vigilant as the weather improves.
Thomas added: “Bowie is a lovely little guy, we were very pleased to be able to help and it was essential that Emily brought him in as rapidly 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.
“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.
“So Emily is absolutely right to raise awareness and, please, if your dog is stung or you think they might have been, and has any kind of reaction, seek help without delay.
“And 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.”
