Miserableolgit Posted October 28, 2011 Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 I was working my young bitch along a ditch on a blind retrieve yesterday when I noticed her suddenly snapping at her back and flicking her head, I knew straight away what the problem was and by the time I'd covered the 25-30 yds to get to her she was covered in wasps. I called her and fortunately she came running with me so we could get put some distance between us and the nest and scores of brassed off wasps buzzing about. Once in the clear I got her on the deck and using my cap as a glove started to nip out the many wasps that were clinging on and burying themselves into her fur trying to sting. She got stung, I got stung - and they were big'uns too. But I finally managed to get them all off and despite being repeatedly stung because she lay still and let me get it I managed to prevent her from swallowing any. I got her back to the farm, into the Land Rover and down the vets for an antihistamine jab PDQ. This pic was taken later in the day when most of the swelling had subsided but she was still a bit puffy around one eye... Fortunately she is back to her normal self again today and hopefully the experience won't have knocked her confidence too much - time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lister1 Posted October 28, 2011 Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 My bitch was bitten/stung by something when she was a pup. Her face swelled up like a balloon. One jab at the vets and all was fine. I'm sure she will be fine. Get her back out in the field after a night or two of fuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miserableolgit Posted October 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 Aye, I had something similar happen with another dog years ago. I'm usually none too bothered about wasp stings but those yesterday let me have some pretty nasty ones on the back of my neck. I felt pretty dodgy after that yesterday and it's still not 100% this morning - and the dog got a lot more than me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 Been there, its hard pulling them off when they are crawling through the fur aint it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 DO NOT STIR UP A HORNETS NEST !!! When I was a kid there were just wasps but now there seems to be different sorts of wasps, small wasps, bigger ones, European wasps and up until last year I’d never even seen a Hornet. A few weeks ago a woman who lives down the road took her three dogs out down the woods. One was a staffy type thing and the other two were collie type mixtures of some sort. Whilst walking through the wood the staffy disturbed a very active hornets nest (Definitely a hornets nest, looked it up in a book, Big Big wasp types with a real loud drone sound, as big or bigger than a standard queen wasp, more orangey colour on the body rather than yellow). Two of the dogs got stung and the woman got several stings herself. She said that she noticed the staffy snapping at something and almost immediately the nest erupted and that it was something like a cartoon where the whole lot came out formed up and flew straight at her and two of the dogs. She had one dog on a lead and the other at heel. They ran away from the nest area but the swarm chassed them. Apparently if one or more of the hornets are injured or killed it gives off some kind of pheromone that alerts the nest and they go into attack mode. She told me that it was very frightening and painful. She said that it frightened her so much because of the feeling of being completely out of control and under direct attack. The staffy got separated from them and was found later by another neighbour that had gone out to find it for her. A vet treated all the dogs and she had to go to the doctor because of the intensity of the swelling. She said that one of the hornets just kept stinging her repeatedly whist she was beating the others off. A most unpleasant experience that could have had serious consequences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miserableolgit Posted October 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 Been there, its hard pulling them off when they are crawling through the fur aint it They burrow their way in the fur to get to the skin don't they, once they were there these were holding on tight too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 They burrow their way in the fur to get to the skin don't they, once they were there these were holding on tight too. Yep i had to pull them out, harder done than you think init Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_r Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 I got stung the other day in my house. I went to pick up the remote to switch the tv on and got nailed by one lurking..... it stings a bit but luckily mine was on a finger and thankfully not near an eye...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margun Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I had the exact same thing with my pup in August, she went on a retrieve on the other side of a river, and she suddenlystarted rolling on the ground in distress. She fell into the water and managed to wriggle her way to me. When I saw the amount of wasps on her I **** myseld and started beating her with my hat (this got them off PDQ but poor dog must have thought she'd done something wrong). Her face was just like OP's dog's - I carry a dog first aid kit all the time in the field, gave her a piriton straight away. She slept the rest of the day but the swelling went down in 6-8 hours Very frightening experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 I had the exact same thing with my pup in August, she went on a retrieve on the other side of a river, and she suddenlystarted rolling on the ground in distress. She fell into the water and managed to wriggle her way to me. When I saw the amount of wasps on her I **** myseld and started beating her with my hat (this got them off PDQ but poor dog must have thought she'd done something wrong). Her face was just like OP's dog's - I carry a dog first aid kit all the time in the field, gave her a piriton straight away. She slept the rest of the day but the swelling went down in 6-8 hours Very frightening experience No matter what keep calm, the dog is looking for a calm leader who can sort things out. I must admit i didn't relish pulling them out of the fur of my GWP by hand but unfortunatly that was what had to be done. Its the same with your kids they do stuff and you just want to wince and leave it to someone else but that aint an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bi9johnny Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 i gotta nest in my garden and it's other side of my pond i carn't get to it 2 in the house week ago hit one with a tea towel and stomped it then hit the other that bounced off the wall onto me eye and stung me very very painful benadryl straight away but felt awful for 48 hours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miserableolgit Posted November 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 No matter what keep calm, the dog is looking for a calm leader who can sort things out. I must admit i didn't relish pulling them out of the fur of my GWP by hand but unfortunatly that was what had to be done. Its the same with your kids they do stuff and you just want to wince and leave it to someone else but that aint an option. Good advice, just one of those occasions where you have to knuckle down and get the situation under control and sorted asap. One week later and my little bitch is back to normal all bar several raised scabs at some of the sting sites, that said one side of my neck is still a bit swollen and I still have some lumps and bumps where I was stung too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miserableolgit Posted December 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 Just an update on this as the experience altered the behaviour of the bitch and I have had to adapt her training as a result. She has fully recovered from the ordeal and the numerous sting sites have now fully healed and furred over again. Her self confidence took quite a knock and so have allowed her to regain it slowly and in her own time. I went back to basics hoping that familiarity will help her regain her confidence. After the attack she was reluctant to sit in grass or anything similar which tickled her backside and belly - she spent a lot of time checking to make sure the tickling wasn't caused by any stinging creepy crawlies! She was a bit sticky to start with but allowing her time to venture out and hunt and explore at her own pace has helped a lot but she does spend quite a bit of time checking back with me that she is doing ok. Her retrieving and delivery to hand is as good as ever as is her stop whistle control, however since she was got at by the wasps she will sometimes not respond to further recall, directions or get out signals [hand or whistle] once she has been stopped at a distance on the whistle. What I mean is if she is away and stopped / dropped on the whistle instead of following further commands she won't respond at all - not even to recall but will often lay down. Closing the gap and maintaining a light voice and whistle will sometimes get her to shift but it's not guaranteed. I think I'm going to have my work cut out to hopefully get beyond the trauma caused by the wasps, it's certainly knocked her back a long way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straightbarrel Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 I would have been tempted to put a neo vest on her for a while when she was out and about, training etc.It might stop her feeling every blade on her body and back, might reduce her panic attacks a bit. Just until she regains her confidence a little? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 Might sound daft but I would let her go a bit, take her somewhere there's plenty game and let her have right good tear about and a few chases. Once she realises that the cover and ground doesn't hurt I would reckon it'll be back to business as usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miserableolgit Posted December 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 Aye, I think it boils down to rebuilding her confidence again ....one way or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 Aye, I think it boils down to rebuilding her confidence again ....one way or another. That's it in a nutshell IMO, however you do it will depend on you and your dog. Hope she comes round and does well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dastardlyandmuttly Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 (edited) suprised there is still some wasps round were do you live just noticed you live in suffolk sorry Edited December 15, 2011 by dastardlyandmuttly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miserableolgit Posted December 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 suprised there is still some wasps round were do you live just noticed you live in suffolk sorry This is an old thread, she ran into the nest back in early November, fortunately the wasps have all had it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miserableolgit Posted December 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 That's it in a nutshell IMO, however you do it will depend on you and your dog. Hope she comes round and does well for you. Unlike some of the others I've had this one was a timid but very biddable bitch to start with so it's always had to be a softly softly approach with lots of praise and reassurance every step of the way. It will be interesting to try and get her over the setback - time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.