The staff at an experienced pet hospital, like our team at Anasazi Animal Clinic, can tell you the myths and facts about pet run-ins with wildlife, including scorpions.
Living in Arizona, most of us have accepted the fact that we share our space with native creatures. Scorpions just happen to be one of the most unwelcome of all desert guests. It might be the fact that they can reduce their body size to the thinness of a credit card to get into doors. Or it might be the fact that their sting can feel like a hot poker and cause days of numbness. Whatever it is, second only to us or our children getting stung, is our fear that our pets will.
Cat owners can rest a bit easier because cats are predators of scorpions. There are many reasons cats are not typically stung by them. These include the following: they are faster than humans, they usually see scorpions before humans, they have fur to protect them, and they have thicker skin so even if they do get stung the venom is not always injected. In fact, experts often say that if you want to control the scorpion population in your home, get a cat or two. While there is always a chance that your cat may have a reaction to the venom, most cats are safe from scorpion sting reactions.
If you’re a dog owner, you know how often they pick up anything and everything in their mouth. Living in the desert, it’s almost inevitable that your dog will try to pick up a scorpion. Just like cats, there is always a risk that your dog may have a reaction to scorpion venom. But in most cases, with a careful eye from mom and dad, dogs stung by scorpions will be just fine.
No matter what type of pet you have, it’s always a good idea to give your pet hospital a call if a sting occurs. And it’s always good to have something like Benadryl on hand. While it’s not typical that a dog or cat will have a reaction to something like a scorpion, you never know what might happen. Especially if your pet is senior or has health issues.
If you’re looking for a caring team of professionals who will treat your pet with care and compassion, give Anasazi Animal Clinic a call. As a pet hospital that cares, we’ll help you prepare for even the most unexpected of situations.