My dog was stung by a scorpion, what should I do? The first thing to say is that in my experience scorpion stings are not such a serious event as venomous snake bites. In fact, not all scorpions are very venomous and the sting from some species can be very minor. However where you suspect a dog has been bitten then you should still play safe and take the situation very seriously until you see how things are going to go.

What symptoms might you expect if your dog is bitten by a scorpion?

The symptoms you might expect to see if a dog had been stung by a venomous scorpion would be some or all of the following. Salivation, eye discharge, dilated pupils, tremors, breathing problems and collapse. These symptoms would come on very fast and you may see the stinger in the nose or elsewhere which would help confirm the diagnosis. Generally speaking, if such symptoms do not arise in the first hour or so then it is likely you will have little to worry about.

By contrast, where the bite was from a less venomous species of scorpion then the symptoms would be more or less what you might expect from a bee sting. And thankfully this is the more common form of scorpion incident.

How are scorpion bites in the dog treated?

Sadly there is not a lot you can do treat scorpion bites on a home remedy basis, but careful removal of the stinger can help if it is visible. In a minor case, all you can do is to keep the dog comfortable and reassured and keep a good eye on him or her. Most dogs will then gradually recover on their own over a period of a few hours.

Where there is marked swelling following the sting the use of an antihistamine such as Benadryl can be helpful. Please follow this link for an accurate article which covers how Benadryl is used in dogs { Including dose rates }: LINK

However in more major cases where the dog’s symptoms are getting progressively worse then your safest course of action would be to have a local ER vet check your dog over ASAP. In severe cases your vet will need to carry out supportive treatment such as intravenous fluids and pain relief, but thankfully this seems to be very rare.