My horse was bitten by a wasp?

Question

my horse was bitten by a wasp and his whole fetlock and part of his cannon has swollen up. what can i do to help?

Answer 1

Cold hose the leg for 15 minutes every couple hours, or hold an ice pack on it (if your horse doesnt stand for the hose). Call the vet if the swelling doesnt go down by tomorrow...

Good Luck! Check your barn, shelters, trailers, stalls etc. for wasp nests regularly so the little buggers dont set up shop!!  

Answer 2

Wasps don't bite, they sting.  If you can locate the exact site of the sting, moisten tobacco (cigarette, cigar, chewing tobacco, etc.) and don't freak out, use saliva.  Between the components of the tobacco and the enzymes in saliva, somehow it reduces pain and swelling.

I've used it for years on humans and animals.

Why or how it works, I can't say, just know it does work.

Answer 3

Give him an antihistamine like benadryl. Check with your vet on the dosage though, or see if he can recommend something else. Also, I would cold-hose the leg to help reduce the swelling. And try to encourage him to move around to increase circulation (also to help with the swelling). It should go down within 24 hours is my guess.

Answer 4

Both of the above posts are good....if you don't have benedryl, just an anti-inflammatory will help.  You should call the vet, though, just for some phone advice.  If it's been more than 20 minutes since the sting, the symptoms probably won't progress.  Ask the vet if you should have epinephrine on hand in case he is stung again....a second sting can cause a more major allergic response that could involve swelling in the airway that prevents breathing.  It's because the body builds up an "army" after the first sting, so a major immune response can happen the second time.

Answer 5

ok  first you need to cold hose off the affected area for 15 minutes.  After that apply baking soda mixed with water to the sting  it works wonderfully and the swelling will be gone in no time