"Hi, Doc. Ol' Velvet here is looking a little rough," said Mr. Brown. "I know she is a Shar Pei, but this is a little ridiculous. You may not be able to tell, but her face is swollen. I know she has a lot of skin, but she does not normally look like this." I looked at the two-year-old pet. Although she had the excess skin of a typical Shar Pei, her face was indeed swollen. She also had hives along her back. "She looks like she has been stung by an insect," I said. "Did you see what happened?" "She was outside in the backyard. I heard her yelp and went out to see what had happened. She was rubbing at her nose, and then her face started swelling." "How long ago did this happen?" I asked. "About a half hour ago. I called when I saw her swelling up, and your receptionist told me to bring her right in." "Let me check her out. Has she had any trouble breathing?" "No, the only thing she has been doing has been rubbing at her face." I did a physical exam on Velvet. Aside from looking funny with the swollen face and hives, she looked fine. She was breathing normally. I had examined her nose to see if there was any sign of a stinger in her skin, and there was not. "We need to give her an antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory shot. They will help to take down the swelling and counteract the allergic reaction." We gave Velvet the injections and some antihistamines for Mr. Brown to continue giving for the next couple of days. At a follow-up call the next day, Mr. Brown told me that Velvet was back to her normal look and self. Insect stings are a common cause of facial swelling and hives. Most often an inquisitive pet has sought out a bee, yellow jacket, wasp, or hornet, or has gotten into an ant bed. Always try to check the site where the sting occurred. Worker bees have barbed stingers that get pulled out of the bee's abdomen when the bee stings something. Consequently, they can sting only once. However, attached to the stinger is a venom sac that gets pulled out along with the stinger. Muscles around the sac can constrict and continue to pump venom into your pet for two to three minutes after the sac has detached from the bee. Removing the stinger can help to alleviate some pain for your pet. The other insects mentioned above do not have barbed stingers, but they tend to be more aggressive than bees and, unlike bees, can deliver several stings. Yellow jackets and ants tend to nest in the ground, while wasps and hornets live in trees and shrubs. Dense fur can help protect your pet from insect stings. Most stings occur on exposed areas, such as the head and paws. The venom from these insects contains a lot of protein. These foreign proteins can cause the body to have an allergic reaction. In the majority of cases, these reactions are minor and local. Removing the stinger, if present, and applying ice can alleviate a lot of the discomfort. If swelling occurs, it is best to have a veterinarian examine it. Most insect stings are not life-threatening and will respond to antihistamines and anti-inflammatories. Some pets, however, have more serious reactions. They can swell so much that it closes off their airways and they cannot breathe. This is called an anaphylactic reaction. These pets need immediate attention. Usually if an anaphylactic reaction is going to occur, it starts within 15 to 30 minutes. If it has not begun within that time, it is not as likely to occur. Aside from increased swelling and difficulty breathing, an anaphylactic reaction might include vomiting, uncontrolled defecation or urination, weakness, or convulsions. Without treatment, a pet experiencing an anaphylactic reaction could die within an hour. A pet that ordinarily would have only a mild reaction to the stings of one or two insects could have an anaphylactic reaction to the stings of an entire nest of insects. A pet could also have a delayed reaction as the body tries to cope with both the excessive amount of foreign protein that has been inserted into it and its own response to that foreign protein. The liver or kidneys may be affected. These pets are usually depressed and often have a fever. Bloodwork can show if the organs have been injured. Pets are curious, and insects often fascinate them. As the days get warmer, insects start proliferating. Our pets get out more, and the chances increase for them and the insects to come into contact. It is often nothing more than some moments of pain for the pet, but it never hurts to get it checked. -Dr. Reggie R. Cox, is a graduate of the University of Missouri, Columbia and co-owns and practices at Prime Care Animal Hospital, a small-animal practice located at 750 Route 3 South, Suite 12, Gambrills, MD 21054. She can be contacted at 410-923-7387 or faxed at 410-923-3630.

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