If you live in a dry, hot, and arid area, encountering a scorpion from time to time is probably not unfamiliar to you. These small yet dangerous creatures have lobster-like pincers and venomous stings at the end of their tail, making them no picnic to deal with.
Scorpions and Dogs
Scorpions can be particularly dangerous to dogs because they are attracted to their smell. Dogs have a much larger olfactory cortex than humans, allowing them to not only detect scorpions but also be curious and investigate them.
Dogs are likely able to sniff out scorpions due to the chemical trail and pheromones that scorpions emit to find each other. Are you wondering if your dog has detected a scorpion? Do you want to know the signs if your dog has gotten too close to one of these stinging creatures? Read on for more information!
Signs Your Dog is Sniffing Out a Scorpion
Scorpions, like most animals, emit certain chemical smells and pheromones. Your dog, with its incredible sense of smell, is capable of detecting these scents. While your dog may not fully understand what it is smelling, it will certainly pick up on the scent.
If your dog is investigating a scorpion, you can expect behaviors such as howling, barking, growling, nipping, or biting. However, these behaviors are not recommended. Getting too close to a scorpion can result in pinches or stings, which can be painful. Your dog may also chase, play with, or paw at the scorpion if it finds one.
Unfortunately, if your dog is stung or pinched by a scorpion, you should watch out for signs such as depression, high blood pressure, collapse, diarrhea, excessive urination, drooling, and vomiting.
Body Language
Signs that your dog has detected and found a scorpion include being alert, barking, sniffing, raspy panting, raising its tail, licking, dilated pupils, and other signs.
Other Signs
There are additional signs to watch out for, including vomiting, painful whimpering, collapse, high blood pressure, difficulty swallowing, fever, excessive urination, and diarrhea.
The History of Dogs and Scorpions
You may think that your smart dog would use common sense and not chase after a scorpion, right? However, sometimes even the cleverest animals fall victim to their instincts, specifically their prey drive.
Prey drive is what led dogs’ ancestors to chase small, slow, or defenseless creatures for food when they lived in the wild. Unfortunately, prey drive remains ingrained in dogs, regardless of how domesticated they are, and may cause them to chase what they perceive as prey, such as a scorpion.
However, scorpions are equipped with defense mechanisms against predators like dogs, using their pincers and stingers.
The Science Behind the Scorpion Sting
It is evident why a scorpion pinch or sting would be painful, but it is less clear why it is so dangerous for dogs. Scorpions have curved tails that act as stingers, filled with venom used to paralyze their prey or predators chasing them.
While the venom is not usually enough to kill a dog, it can cause serious pain and adverse effects. Severe scorpion stings can be fatal for dogs.
The scorpion venom contains enzyme inhibitors, neurotoxins, and other compounds stored in gland sacs. Scorpions can release controlled amounts of venom to immobilize their prey or predators. Dogs, with their keen sense of smell, can detect this venom, as well as other chemical smells and pheromones, which allows them to locate the scorpion in the first place.
Training Your Dog to Stay Away from Scorpions
While dogs have been trained for centuries to hunt, sniff out scents, and track specific smells, we do not recommend adding “finding scorpions” to that list. In fact, when it comes to scorpions, it is best to train your dog to stay as far away from these pinchy arachnids as possible.
That is not to say that people haven’t trained their animals to hunt down unpleasant species. Some experts teach dogs to hunt snakes and reptiles by rubbing a scent on objects like coffee filters and training the dog to sniff out that particular scent, rewarding them with treats, love, affection, or a toy.
However, training your dog to avoid scorpions will be different. We suggest ensuring that the area where your dog roams is regularly cleared of harmful things, including scorpions. If the area is too large or known for scorpions, train your dog to walk on a leash or let them mingle with other dogs at a dog park to avoid those areas.
“Dogs, with their superior sense of smell, are not only capable of sniffing out scorpions, but are also instinctively drawn to investigate. This can put them at risk of dangerous scorpion stings. Therefore, it’s crucial to train your dog to avoid these potentially deadly creatures.”
Tips & Things to Know
1️⃣ Dogs have an innate ability to sniff out scorpions due to their large olfactory cortex and the scorpion’s chemical trail and pheromones. However, this instinct can lead them to investigate and potentially get stung, so it’s essential to train your dog to avoid scorpions rather than attract them.
2️⃣ If your dog gets too close to a scorpion, they can be stung or pinched which can lead to symptoms such as system depression, hypertension, collapse, diarrhea, excessive urination, drooling, and vomiting. Be on the lookout for these signs along with changes in body language like barking, sniffing, raspy panting, tail up, licking, and dilated pupils.
3️⃣ The venom in a scorpion’s sting can be harmful to dogs, causing severe pain and potentially being fatal in some cases. To keep your dog safe, ensure the area they roam is frequently cleared of harmful things like scorpions. If the area is known for scorpions, consider keeping your dog on a leash or having them play in a dog park instead.
Frequently Asked Questions, Answered ✅
1. How can scorpions be dangerous to dogs?
– Scorpions have poisonous stings that can cause harm or even be fatal to dogs if they are stung or pinched.
2. What are the signs that a dog has found a scorpion?
– Signs include howling, barking, growling, nipping, biting, chasing, playing with, or pawing at the scorpion.
3. What are the symptoms of a dog being stung or pinched by a scorpion?
– Symptoms can include system depression, hypertension, collapse, diarrhea, excessive urination, drooling, and vomiting.
4. Why do dogs have an instinct to chase after scorpions?
– Dogs have prey drive instincts that are inherited from their ancestors, and scorpions can trigger this instinct.
5. What makes scorpion stings dangerous for dogs?
– Scorpion stings contain venom that can cause serious pain and adverse effects for dogs. Severe stings can even be fatal.
