Before and after photos of one of my pups who was stung by a wasp or hornet in October. “Emissary” reacted immediately, and I called the Emergency Line at my vet's office. While some might panic, I stayed calm and treated him right away with the dosages my vet advised after seeing the live photos.
Always remember: when dosing with Benedryl, read the box ingredients carefully to avoid the dangerous and potentially fatal artificial sweetener Xylitol.
This naturally produced sweetener, also commonly called “birch sugar,” is found in many “sugar-free” products, such as ice cream, candies, pastries, gum, yogurt, juices, and much more. Xylitol may also be known as wood sugar, birch sugar, or birch bark extract. In dogs, it’s highly toxic and potentially fatal if consumed. Even in small doses, it can cause seizures, liver failure, and death.
“Emissary,” who was 6 months old, received a dosage for a child 12 years and older. After two hours, his eyes began to open more, and we felt a huge sense of relief. Because his reaction was so swift, we were anxious he might experience throat swelling, vomiting, shock, or worse.
Other artificial sweeteners you MUST try to avoid that can cause reactions in dogs are Erythritol, Stevia, Aspartame, Saccharin, Sucralose, and Monk fruit. Read more at AKC. The article, Artificial Sweeteners: Which Ones Are Safe for Dogs?” by Chief Veterinarian Dr. Jerry Klein spells it out for you.
Emissary BEFORE
Emissary AFTER