Have you ever encountered an army of caterpillars while walking on the road or in the park? Moving in such a long line, these caterpillars appear to be extremely united and together. This species, which is called the pine purse caterpillar, has very serious damage to many living things from trees to animals and humans. This caterpillar species, which can cause a very serious allergic reaction for us humans, causes fatal cases, especially in dogs.
Many of us don’t know the effects of the pine caterpillar on our dog, so we don’t care. Because these caterpillars are everywhere. After all, how dangerous can it be, right? This way of thinking about caterpillars is terribly wrong. Because the damage they cause to living things, especially dogs, is extremely frightening. You should protect your dog from contact with these harmful animals. In addition, if you see that the dogs living on the street come into contact with the pine purse caterpillar, sending our friends to the nearest veterinary health institution can save your life.
Description of the dog owner who had to receive medical attention due to the pine purse caterpillar
The pine purse caterpillar, which is frequently encountered especially in the period we are in, is the dog of Instagram phenomenon berraque He also came into contact with “Frida”. Berraque explains how she noticed the incident in the post she shared after her dog Frida came into contact with the pine purse caterpillar:
“How did I find out? Frida wandered around the garden for 10 minutes. She came back immediately and started rubbing her mouth vigorously with her paws. His saliva came out and he began to claw his mouth with extreme itching and restlessness. He vomited a little and started shaking. All of this happened within 5 minutes.”
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What are the symptoms seen in dogs licking a pine purse caterpillar?
Pine purse caterpillar may cause a hypersensitivity reaction on the skin and mucous membranes in contact with dogs. There are many white and yellowish light brown hairs on the feet, which are located on the lower part of the abdomen of the caterpillars. These hairs cause dermatitis in the living thing that comes into contact with it. Some of the findings that may occur if your dog comes into contact with this harmful creature are as follows;
- Respiratory distress
- Tachypnea (Fast and shallow breathing)
- Hypothermia (Heat loss of the body)
- Cyanosis (Skin due to decreased oxygen in the blood) and dark bluish discoloration of the mucosa)
- Tongue edema
- Libial angioedema (Edema of the skin and internal organs)
- Pityalism (Excess salivation)
- Conjunctivitis (Inflammation of the clear tissue surrounding the white of the eye and eyelids)
- Severe necrosis of the tongue
Why is it so dangerous for dogs with pine sac caterpillars?
This tiny creature is actually dangerous not only for dogs but also for cats and other animals. (Only cats don’t get very close to these caterpillars, and they can dodge with milder effects even when they get close.) However, dogs that we take out and walk around the corners of trees such as pine trees can come into contact with these caterpillars. Pine purse caterpillars, which reach 3 to 5 cm in length, come down from the trees in April – May to search for food in colonies. It also attracts your dog’s attention when they land in these seasons.
Dogs, curious about the larvae that will become a butterfly, touch these poisonous creatures with their paws or mouths. Even if your dog touches the caterpillar with its paw, the acidic poison (thaumetopoein) released from the larva hurts and starts to lick its paw to relieve the pain. When he does this, the poison now reaches his mouth.
If no action is taken, it can result in death
At this point, which is an extremely painful process for our friends, the dog gets angry and starts to swallow. In just a few minutes, tongue edema begins to appear. This process can sometimes be more difficult than usual. In these cases, dogs cannot close their mouths due to laryngeal edema and begin to have difficulty breathing.
If the dog has swallowed the caterpillar during this period, it may begin to vomit. After a short time, part or all of the tongue becomes zionized due to the difficulty of venous blood flow. If the event is not noticed and the treatment is not started immediately, situations that will cause the dog to die may be encountered. In cases where precautions are not taken, blood clotting may occur. In addition, tongue necrosis may occur between 2 and 5 days after contact and may cause fragmentation of the tongue.
What are the treatment methods if the dog comes into contact with the pine caterpillar?
If your dog comes into contact with a pine purse caterpillar, he needs to be taken to the vet quickly. Dogs with severe respiratory distress require immediate intubation, while using antihistamine drugs and corticosteroids, your dog’s life-threatening situation is avoided. When the dog’s tongue is swollen, it may be helpful to wash the tongue with hot water. Another alternative to hot water, which deactivates the toxin from the caterpillar, is the use of vinegar. Before all these treatment methods, please remember that your first goal is to reach a competent veterinarian.
How do you keep your dog away from the pine purse caterpillar?
When taking your dog for a walk, especially between April and May, you should try to walk your dog around where there are no pine trees, and pay attention to the places it smells. If you see caterpillar nests in the pine trees, you can inform the municipality teams about them and save not only the dogs, but also the trees along with other animals.
Today, we talked to you about a contact situation that we see very often in April and May, caused by pine caterpillars that descend in convoys to find food, and which can be deadly for dogs, which is harmful to humans. Well, do you have any memories with pine purse caterpillars? Do not forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
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