By David Gilmer | Free Press Point of View
As summer temperatures continue to rise to extreme levels in Arizona, scorpions tend to migrate inside our homes.
Pets can be curious animals who play with insects or critters, making them highly susceptible to being stung, and in Arizona, this is an ongoing concern as we are home to the most venomous scorpion in North America, the Arizona bark scorpion.
As experts in scorpion pest control at Scorpion Repel, we’ve seen a multitude of scenarios regarding pets. Here are four tips to follow if your pet is stung by a scorpion:
Preventative measures to take:
Scorpions love to feed on crickets, spiders and roaches, so it is crucial to hire a professional to remove these insects. Homeowners with orange trees should be aware that if fruit is dropping and rotting in the yard, this could attract insects — especially scorpions.
Homeowners should also check that no foliage is touching the house as this becomes a ladder for scorpions to enter inside. A good rule of thumb is to keep a six-inch clearance from all vegetation around your home and ensure tree limbs are not growing over your roof as this enforces critters to fall onto your home. Seal up every possible entry and be sure to check all nooks and crannies — scorpions are known for getting into very small cracks.
If possible, keep an open area in your yard available for pets. This area is dedicated for your pets to explore and should not have wood piles, debris or other harborage areas which can attract scorpions.
How to know if a scorpion is in your home:
It would be ideal to understand when scorpions enter your home before they become a threat. The best way for homeowners to know if they have a scorpion infestation is to check outside at night. Scorpions are most active during the nighttime, crawling across rocks and walls. Using a black light, homeowners can inspect their yard and if they come across a scorpion, it will glow in the black light.
What to do if your pet is stung:
Like human scorpion stings, the reaction to a sting differs for every pet. Different pet species and a pet’s size are important factors that can impact the reaction and severity of a sting. Symptoms of a scorpion sting include lethargic behavior, rapid breathing, abnormal eye movements, swelling, vomiting, convulsions and foaming at the mouth. In this case, it is important to seek professional help immediately and visit a local veterinarian.
Taking preventative measures is key to ensure a sting does not occur in the first place. Scorpion Repel advises sealing your home and applying Scorpion Repel, a patented, one-time application, pesticide-free, scorpion repellent that will permanently seal scorpions out of your home.
Editor’s note: Mr. Gilmer serves as COO of Scorpion Repel.
