To your pet, bites from mosquitoes and other insects can be very itchy and annoying, as well as stings from bees, wasps, and hornets. Although most bites and stings are not considered dangerous, they can cause a lot of pain and nuisance with your dog.

Below some suggestions on how to alleviate your dog’s pain and irritation that is caused by insect bites and stings:

1. Apply baking soda - An effective way to help soothe the discomfort is by gently rubbing on a paste of baking soda with water onto the bite or sting several times a day, says Larry Thompson, D.V.M., clinical veterinary toxicologist in New York. He stated that the alkalinity helps relieve the itch.

2. Try some meat tenderizer Dr. Thompson stated that meat tenderizers have enzymes that aid in breaking down the poison in insects stings and reduces the irritation. Create a paste by mixing the tenderizer with water, applying immediately to the sting. Repeat as necessary.

3. Break an aloe vera leaf Aloe vera is great for minor skin irritation. Applying a thin coat of gel from the plant soothes discomfort and relieves irritation. You can also buy aloe vera gel from pharmacies and health food stores.

4. Find the culprit If your dog was stung by a bee, chances are the stinger is still somewhere in his coat. To remove it, get a good view by parting his hair. Remove the stinger using your fingers or tweezers. If the stinger is in a visible area and can be easily removed, scrape it out with your fingernail. Doing this will prevent any added venom from entering the wound.

5. Aim for some ammonia E. Murl Bailey, Jr., D.V.M., PhD, a professor of toxicology at the Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine stated that ammonia helps relieve the pain from insect bites and stings. He suggests dabbing ammonia right on the area with cotton.

6. Relieve with some milk of magnesia A medication that contains magnesium hydroxide which eases irritation and itchiness. Apply a thin coat a few times per day to your dog.

7. Cool it off Just like a person, your dog can be helped by applying cold compress reduces the swelling and eases the pain. Hold it in the area for about five minutes or longer, making sure that your pet is comfortable.

8. Try some over the counter Applying a thin coat of hydrocortisone cream is recommended for sore spots.
History of the Greyhound Dog: Part 1 of 4

The bloodline of the sleek and beautiful breed of Greyhound date far back in mankind’s history. In fact, Greek historians during the years 100 A.D. used to write about how Greyhounds were proudly owned by true sportsmen, whom would race their dogs with hares, while most other dogs were used to hunt them.

Yet the Greyhound’s roots are known to reach further beyond this point in history. There was a time when the dog was unleashed to provide meat for the survival of humans by chasing after fleeing flocks of game in the lands of North Africa and Arabia.

Greyhounds were trained to bring this meat back to people for all to share in eating, including the dogs. And since chasing prey for mankind’s survival was the main use of the Greyhounds, breeding them produced yet faster and faster dogs.

Did you know that the Greyhound dog was used as design on ancient tomb drawings? In fact, dogs of the Greyhound form were depicted on the toms of Ancient Pharaohs over 3,800 years ago. The beauty of the Greyhound, one of four things comely in going was recorded by Solomon in Proverbs (30: 29-31).

The value and use of the Greyhound back in those days was so vital, that they were rarely sold. On occasion the dog would be given as gifts to visitors that ranked high of important social levels. The Persian Greyhound, also called the Saluki, were presented to caravan traders in which through them found their way to the rest of the world.

Eventually, this breed of Greyhound found its way to Babylon, Afghanistan, Russia, Greece, Rome, and Britain. Because of the different climates and terrain, the Greyhounds bred into different sub-types. For example, in colder climates the think skinned Greyhound were bred with other native breeds to obtain a thicker coat. This produced dogs that still had the ability to hunt at fast speed in the winter time.

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