Cooky the greyhound is stung eating a jellyfish
Vet worker’s quick thinking saves dog after he suffers bad reaction
A DOG cheated death after he was stung when he tried to wolf down a jellyfish. Cooky the greyhound picked up the jellyfish during a beach walk. Quick-thinking owner Val Tear managed to shake it out of Cooky’s mouth, but he had already been stung. The dog suffered an immediate reaction. He started salivating and frantically scratching his face, which quickly became covered in red blotches. Val, who works in a vet surgery, knew a sting can be fatal to dogs and her quick-thinking actions may have saved her pet’s life. She rinsed Cooky’s mouth out with a bottle of water she was carrying and took him home to drink lots of milk – an antidote to the sting. Val said Cooky has made a full recovery. But she added: “It’s important that owners are aware how dangerous jellyfish stings can be. “There are loads of jellyfish lying around and they can even be found on the grass, half a mile from the shoreline. Like bee stings in humans, some dogs react worse than others.
“We have had cases where collapsed dogs have gone into anaphylactic shock after being stung by a jellyfish.”
Cooky was stung as he walked in John Muir Country Park in Dunbar, East Lothian.
Dunedin Vets in Dunbar, where Val works as a branch supervisor, are warning other dog owners to watch out for jellyfish around coastal areas.
Symptoms of anaphylactic shock caused by stings include blistering, breathing difficulties, itching, nausea, fever, excessive drooling, vomiting, swellings and hives.
Dunedin vet Fiona Campbell said: “Washing with salt water or mild vinegar solution helps to deactivate the sting, but you should take your pet to the vet as soon as possible if they show a reaction.
“Jellyfish stings can potentially be serious if dogs suffer an anaphylactic reaction, and the worst case scenario can be fatal. Most cases aren’t as severe as this but they are still unpleasant for the dog.”