Nettles

[TomJr]

Nettles are not common here in AZ but we happened to run into a big patch of them yesterday and one dog seemed to have a super bad reaction to them. Or she also had some heat related issues... She seems almost fully recovered this morning.

Yesterday a dumb bear came into the orchard and smashed down the fence so 2 dogs got out after it and ran it way up the mtn. I caught up to them in the biggest patch of nettles I have seen. These were really hot nettles too I brushed one with jeans on and it felt like a red-hot poker right through my jeans.

Anyhow the dog in question was rolling around in the dust and had dirt all up in her mouth and nose because of that. She was also drooling like crazy. I got her up and moving and she followed me home but kept stopping to rub on stuff every so often. Then when I got home I tried hosing her down because water helped sooth where I got hit on my arms...

After the water treatment she sort of locked up then seemed weak in the back legs and stumbled a bit then fell. She was also wheezing and drooling like crazy. She likely got the nettles up her nose. I left her in the shade for an hour and then offered her food but she didn't want to eat regular dog food, so gave her a few treats(meat scraps she ate those). That seemed to perk her up a bit and she got up and drank a ton of water, kept drinking lots all day. This morning she is fine but still rubbing her head on stuff a little, she wanted to go hunting but I didn't take her.

So asking if anyone else has seen this with Nettles or if maybe she had something heat related? It was not all that hot and she has never had issues with heat before, none of my other dogs showed any symptoms like this, even the other dog that got into the Nettles as well.

[Emily]

We have lots of nettles here and bears seem to like living in the middle of them. I always wear long pants and long sleeves until they are knocked down by frost. There are two kinds, and one is much more unpleasant than the other. My hounds will walk around them if they have the option, but sometimes, on a chase, they will get themselves itchy. It usually goes away after a few hours.
The reaction you describe sounds like an allergic one. If either you or the hounds get in them bad, give over-the-counter Benadryl (generic diphenhydramine) to relieve symptoms. The dog dose is 2X the human dose, or 1 mg/lb of dog. The capsules come in 25 and 50 mg. sizes. A shower usually helps relieve the itch on exposed skin. You can rub the dog down with a towel after hosing it with fresh water, but make sure you put it right in the wash. The little prickly threads remain stuck on the towel if you don't wash it!

[leifalweapon]

Nettles can kill a dog, their throat swells up and they asphyxiate, they need antihistamines adapt! Some dogs are more susceptible than others


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