Dog insect stings

Believe it or not insect bites can actually cause a SAR dog a lot of discomfort and can cause allergic reactions to the dog such as hives. In some cases the dog may have difficulty breathing. Make sure to call the veterinarian right away. Wasp stings on a SAR dog: Make sure to wash the affected zone with a solution of vinegar and water. Bee stings on a SAR dog: Try to remove the stinger with some tweezers (the stinger looks like a short dark hair). Put sodium bicarbonate mixed with water on the bite.

SAR dog snake bites: Insect and snake bites occur relatively commonly in working dogs. For some snake venom there are specific antidotes, but these can only be given with reliable effectiveness if the snake has been correctly identified. Therefore, always try to get a good description of the snake that bit your dog. However, do not endanger yourself in the process! Don't put a tourniquet on the SAR dog or attempt to suck the venom out of the snakebite.

Symptomatic treatment for snake bites is to cover the bite site with ice packs until veterinary advice can be obtained. Ice packs cool the site, reduce blood flow and swelling.