Bug Catching is a sport at my house. Spend time with my pups, and you will see. If a fly swoops by at a low altitude, it's fair game. It's not about dinner but the chase.

Last week, as I took down the metal decor from the pergola, I stirred up a family of wasps. Corralling and moving the dogs indoors from the patio proved more challenging than usual. Maze and Malibu chased the wasps, trying to gobble them up.

Finally, after several attempts- me calling out, "Treat! Treat! "Who wants a treat!"- one of the knuckles heads ran inside. The first to listen was Maze, who ran indoors only to claim her reward that she hadn't earned. How long did I have to holler before they listened and the neighbors heard?

Malibu, on the other hand, danced around on the patio. Wasps circled her tail as she pursued them with her mouth open like Pac-Man.

As she swallowed the wasp, I calculated the emergency vet visit cost.

"Hey, Mom, check me out, will ya'. I ate a giant juicy wasp without any ketchup," she seemed to say. "Hehe- hehe!" Her tongue lolled like she was proud of her actions.

I decided to hold off loading Malibu in the jeep and rushing to the emergency vet clinic while panicking. Malibu seemed unfazed. I fed her a Benadryl instead and monitored her for the next 12 hours. I hadn't seen the wasp sting in Malibu. She may pass it on later.

In the end, Malibu turned out fine. She didn't react, and I saved myself hundreds of dollars by not running to the vet's office.

It's normal for dogs to chase bugs and gobble them up occasionally. Maze gobbles flies when she can catch them. Sniffing and eating the yucky stuff is part of their scavenger nature and usually doesn't scare me, but this was a wasp?

I decided it was time to do the research and turn Malibu's wasp-eating incident into a learning experience. Malibu could have had an allergic reaction. I wanted to know what bugs were safe for my dog, but the search continued. There are too many bugs to compile a reasonable list. According to the National Park Service Website, over 90,000 "described species" exist in the U.S. alone. Imagine what else is out there.

To determine what bugs are safe for a dog, I started with what is unsafe. Stinging insects and spiders are commonplace where I live in Louisiana, and for good reason. The hot, sticky weather makes an ideal breeding ground and home for many insects.

Wasp activity rises in Louisiana, as do temperatures from spring to summer. Fertile Queens find themselves a comfy-out-of-the-weather location to nest and rebuild the population before most of the wasps die off in the winter.

Wasps aren't the only unpaying tenants; spiders also crawl indoors when the temperature peaks. They all have their place in our ecosystem, but that doesn't mean I want them to move in with me.

I avoid pesticides because of my pets and the ecosystem, so knowing who the bad guys are is essential. Who can Malibu safely consume?

Stinging insects

While most insects are harmless, there are insects to beware of. The obvious are bees, wasps, and spiders.

If my dogs aren't sniffing, they're chewing. Bees and wasps are an issue in my backyard, building nests beneath the roof's overhang by the patio and on the pergola. The metal decor is ideal for nesting. A tiny metal house suspended from the pergola near an overhang provided double coverage from the elements.

Malibu was lucky. Wasps stings can cause an allergic reaction in pups that come into contact as they do with humans. Swelling could have resulted in or around her mouth or her head.

Hives, swelling, inability to breathe, and seizures are signs of an allergic reaction.

I didn't know then that Anaphylactic shock looks different in dogs than in us. While worried about Malibu's airways closing, I should have also looked for gastrointestinal signs. Anaphylactic shock affects the dog's liver, meaning its enzymes could be elevated, contributing to GI symptoms.

Respiratory symptoms such as the inability to breathe and the dog's gums turning pale or blue are also signs that your dog's entire body is going into shock, and he should be addressed immediately.

Signs of Anaphylactic Shock in Dogs

• Diarrhea

• Vomiting

• Excess salivating or slobbering

• Problems breathing

• Pale or blue-colored gums

  
  

While I knew my vet was only a phone call away, and we have a few 24-hour emergency pet clinics in the area that I could bring Malibu to if need be, I needed to familiarize myself with first aid for wasp and bee stings.

What do you do if your dog gets stung?

First Aid and Treatment, according to the VCA Animal Hospital Website:

• Id the insect—If it's a bee, find and remove the stinger by scraping a credit card across it (never use tweezers). The stinger injects toxins after the bee leaves it behind in your pets.

• Calm the stings- a paste of baking soda and water will work for a couple of stings, or an oatmeal bath for numerous stings.

• Reduce swelling with a bag of frozen veggies or a cool towel.

• Antihistamines by mouth (consult with your vet first for dosage)

• Stop scratching- Break out the Elizabethan collar if you have to.

• Provide plenty of drinking water.

• Feed wet or mix dry food with water for pups with mouth stings.

• Watch for Signs of an allergic reaction.

Dogs are like people. Signs of an allergic reaction might be present within minutes or may take hours to develop, so it's important to talk to your vet if you are unsure about what to do or suspect your pet is having an allergic reaction. In severe cases, your dog may need an IV line for fluids, oxygen, epinephrine, or steroids to recover.

The Not-So-Itsy-Bitsy Spider

Spiders are solitary creatures that generally shy away from people and pets unless your dogs sniff around in everything. An interesting fact about spiders is that most are harmless. I assumed all of them were venomous and horrible, but I was wrong.

Most spiders are venomous but too small in size to break the skin and evenomate (inject poison through a bite or sting) into their prey. Most emergency vet visits stem from black widows and recluse spider bites.

Black Widow

As it turns out, I’m in the prime location for the black widow and recluse species. Although they’re found across the United States, except Alaska, they thrive in the tropics and temperate climates. They like their environment, warm and dark. Sheds, heaps of wood stacked up, and piles of trash are ideal locations for web-building festivities. I don't know if you'll spot the children hanging out with mama spiders, but if you spot a web, the owner is usually nearby.

Black widows build their webs at or around ground level, an excellent place for a nosy pup to sniff around. I keep my yard clean and clutter-free most of the time. The heavily planted areas are fenced off to keep Snoopy and the gang out. The dogs don’t run wild in the yard unless I’m nearby. I’m one of those helicopter parents.

Female black widows are more dangerous than the males. For one, they have a ball-shaped abdomen and are larger than the males, who are longer and narrower. Female black widows will have an hourglass shape on their abdomen or two crosswise lines. The young females are less colorful, but don't be fooled. They're as adept and lethal as mama spiders. The males have red and white markings on their sides.

In general, black widows rarely "dry bite," which means they almost always inject venom. The venom delivers a small amount of "a-latrotoxin" that affects the nervous system and can quickly kill a small animal, like a dog or cat.

Black widow bites are painful but don't affect the skin or surrounding tissue like the brown recluse bite. The signs are neurological, and the affected skin may look slightly swollen or light red. You may think your pet is out of danger, while signs affecting his nervous system take hours to develop and may be too late to treat.

Symptoms of a Black Widow Bite

Painful or stiff muscles that don't bend

Cramps

Irritation

Throwing up and upset stomach

Shaking

Increased heart rate and breathing quickly

Seizures

If you suspect your pup has been bitten, you should immediately take him to the vet. At-home treatment won’t be good enough.

Veterinarians will provide quick and thorough care to help your dog survive the ordeal and stay stable. Antivenom is known to cause severe pet reactions, so your vet may not keep it handy. Treatment usually consists of running intravenous lines as well as medication for pain, nausea, tremors, and seizures.

Brown Recluse spiders

The brown recluse spider, which is small and shaped like a violin, is found in many parts of the US, but mostly in southern and central states.

The bite may be pain-free at first, but signs are usually delayed. Seemingly unrelated symptoms, such as a limp, could indicate that your pup has been bitten. Brown recluse bites cause necrotic symptoms (rotting of skin and surrounding tissue). Enzymes in the venom spell tissue death if the bite is untreated and left to infection.

There is no antivenom, so veterinarians will probably treat symptoms with cool compresses and antibiotics to prevent or fight infection.

How can I prevent Stings and Bites?

• Don’t disturb hives or nest

• Try natural products to deter stinging insects

• Don’t use shampoos with sweet, floral scents that attract insects

• Minimize clutter and piles of debris

• Keep dogs indoors

• Distract dogs from nests, hives, and spiderwebs

  
  

Final thoughts:

Louisiana summers are hot and sticky, making them a perfect place for breeding, nesting, and spinning webs for many insects and spiders.

Most of the time, I’m outdoors with the dogs. My yard is heavily planted, so I must be outside to monitor the pups. Over the years, I’ve surrounded the most planted areas of my yard with fences to keep the pups and plants safe. The patio is littered with chew toys and ropes for tug-of-war games, but the toys are no substitute for Mom’s attention. The second I look away, one of the pups is sniffing around, poking her nose where it doesn’t belong. When the weather hits the triple digits, which it often does, everyone goes indoors (hopefully, not the spiders) until the evening when the insects wake up. Life with four dogs (two that aren’t so nosy, so I didn’t mention them in this post) and three cats is a balancing act.

References:

Anderson, Charlotte. "Bee Nest Vs. Wasp Nest." Carolina Honey Bees, 20 Jun. 2024, carolinahoneybees.com/bee-nest-vs-wasp-nest/. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.

Coile, Caroline PhD. "What to Do If a Spider Bites Your Dog." American Kennel Club, 24 Jun. 2023, www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/spider-bite-dog/. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.

Higgs, Veronica DVM. "Black Widow Spider Bite Poisoning in Dogs." PetMD, 26 Feb. 24, www.petmd.com/black-widow-spider-bite-poisoning-dogs#. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.

Hunter, Tammy DVM, et al. "Anaphylaxis in Dogs." VCA Animal Hospital, vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/anaphylaxis-in-dogs. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.

"Insects, Spiders, Centipedes, Millipedes." National Park Service, www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/insects.htm#. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.

McCormic, Sarah, et al. "Polistes Carolina, Fine-Backed Red Paper Wasp and P. Rubiginosus, Coarse-Backed Red Paper Wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)." LSU AG Center, 25 Oct. 2022, www.lsuagcenter.com/articles/page1666725942341. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.

Tizard, Ian R. BVMS, BSc, PhD, DSc (Hons), DACVM. "Disorders Involving Anaphylactic Reactions (Type I Reactions, Atopy) in Dogs." Merck Manual Veterinary Manual, 1 Jun. 2018, www.merckvetmanual.com/dog-owners/immune-disorders-of-dogs/disorders-involving-anaphylactic-reactions-type-i-reactions,-atopy-in-dogs. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.

Ushkaryov, Yuri A et al. “alpha-Latrotoxin and its receptors.” Handbook of experimental pharmacology ,184 (2008): 171-206. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-74805-2_7

Williams, Krista BSc, DVM, CCRP, and Lynn Buzhardt DVM. "First Aid for Insect Stings in Dogs." VCA Animal Hospital, vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/first-aid-for-insect-stings-in-dogs. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.