Can stinging nettles sting a dog?

[Marcellus]

Whilst walking our dogs this afternoon one of them backed up to a load of stinging nettles to....... "back one out"

Ever since this he's been really skittish, subdued and there's lots of licking.

I think he may have stung himself...... also his discomfort may be compounded by having got stung whilst squatting he then had a pee on the offensive plant and he may have possibly also stung his willy.

😭😭😭😭😭

All highly amusing but can you imagine the double pain 😖😖😖😖

Is this possible and if so is it just a case of leaving him to his discomfort and taking the proverbial or is there something serious that we should be doing (doc leaves or calamine lotion?)

[babelfish]

Yes they can be stung, puppies are especially vulnerable.

Also areas on adult dogs where there is little or no fur are susceptible.
our lab got a rash around his willy where he was in and out of a river through nettles. This became mildly infected so vet prescribed antibiotics and a solution to bath him.

From your description I imagine it could be very uncomfortable.

[PositronicRay]

Our dog hates nettles, if we've no alternative I trample them well.

[Rumblestripe]

Oddly my terrier will happily piss on them and sniff (presumably where other mutts have anointed them) He has never shown any sign of discomfort but he won't run through them. I guess they are mostly smart enough to know what you can and can't do to/on a nettle!

[C0ffin D0dger]

Where do you think the phrase "got a face like a bulldog licking piss of a nettle" came from

[CAPP0]

And even more oddly my GSD & GSD X will happily run straight through them with no obvious ill-effect. I always assumed it didn't sting them. Even if a ball ends up in there they'll still go straight in and get it.

[loquacious]

My Lab (Phoebe) lays amongst them and EATS them! She has never shown the slightest discomfort or distaste and has done it for the past 11 years. The other one (the stupid one) doesn't seem to mind them either but is not quite so fond as to eat them.

[Marcellus]

well after an evening of the pooch lying on the wet grass (I guess that's natures calamine lotion) he's a lot happier now and back to his stupid self!!

[pikeyboy]

I give my GSP a piriton before it goes out working to help stop it getting irritated from nettles

[dhutch]

Marcellus said:

Whilst walking our dogs this afternoon one of them backed up to a load of stinging nettles to....... "back one out"

Ever since this he's been really skittish, subdued and there's lots of licking.

Pool lad!

My yes, our greyhound collie lurcher defiantly gets stung by nettles on his paws and is then skittish and licking, runs around then stops still, licks, repeat. Obviously he has short hair, not much between his pads, and also greyhounds have low pain thresholds anyway.


Daniel

[Johnnytheboy]

Our bulldogs ( ) dont particularly like nettles and really hate thistles, which is a bugger as several fields adjoining our house fill up with them from now until the frosts...

[chrisga]

dhutch said:

Pool lad!

My yes, our greyhound collie lurcher defiantly gets stung by nettles on his paws and is then skittish and licking, runs around then stops still, licks, repeat. Obviously he has short hair, not much between his pads, and also greyhounds have low pain thresholds anyway.


Daniel

Our spaniels seem to get stung on paws as well although they don't seem to notice at the time or while they're hooning about but when we get home they are constantly rubbing them on the carpet/sofa trying to sort of scratch them. Our collie wouldn't lower himself to go "offroad" so wouldnt know.

[dhutch]

chrisga said:

Our spaniels seem to get stung on paws as well although they don't seem to notice at the time or while they're hooning about but when we get home they are constantly rubbing them on the carpet/sofa trying to sort of scratch them..

Yes same, only ever notice it once home.