1st May 2006

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Question:

My dog, Austin, was recently stung by a hornet and has a considerable amount of swelling on the flap of his ear. Is there anything we can do to reduce the swelling and prevent complications?

Answer:

Hornet, bee and wasp stings can be very painful, causing swelling localised to the site of the sting and sometimes more general allergic reactions. These allergic reactions can be very serious and, on rare occasions, life threatening. However, they occur within minutes of a sting and the swelling usually disappears after a few hours. If there is any swelling after a sting that you are worried about, you should contact your own veterinary surgeon immediately. They may feel that, from the symptoms you describe, it is necessary to see your pet straight away. It would appear that the swelling on Austin’s ear has not reduced after he was stung and I would therefore suspect that another problem has developed. It may be that a blood vessel has burst in Austin’s earflap, resulting in a ‘cauliflower ear’. (This is very similar to the swollen ears that rugby players and boxers sometimes get.) If this is the case, the blood will need to be drained away and the two flaps of cartilage that make up the earflap will need to be stitched back together under general anaesthetic. I would suggest that you have Austin examined by your vet.