Pet parents tend to have numerous questions both big and small about caring for their pets. Often our pet concerns can't wait, so if your vet's office is closed for the day, our VetHelpline® can help answer those questions.
VetHelpline is staffed by experienced veterinary experts and it's available 24/7 to Nationwide pet insurance members.
Ginger was stung by a bee while playing around in the tall grass. She currently has localized redness and swelling around the sting. Is this normal or should I take her to the vet?
VetHelpline advice:
Some pets, just like people, can develop severe allergic reactions to insect stings. It will be important to monitor your pet closely for clinical signs for several hours after a sting. Symptoms that would require emergency evaluation would be if the swelling begins to spread or if Ginger becomes lethargic, develops hives, facial swelling or has any difficulty urinating. Veterinary treatment is not generally needed if a pet isn’t showing signs of a severe reaction. It is best to not apply or administer any over-the-counter medications to your pet without consulting your veterinarian first.
Try to remove the stinger if it is still present in Ginger’s skin. This can be done with a gentle scraping motion with a thin, blunt object—such as lightweight cardboard, a credit card or a plastic butter knife. Avoid gripping the stinger in any way, such as with tweezers or fingernails, as this could promote injection of more venom into the sting site or possibly into your own fingers or hand.
Try to keep Ginger from scratching or biting at the sting site and apply ice for about 10 minutes every 4 to 6 hours to reduce swelling.
I started my cat Barry on a new flea treatment. It has been two days and I’m still seeing fleas. I’ve been cleaning my house frequently to make sure these pests aren’t coming from his environment, but I’d like to know when they’ll go away.
VetHelpline advice:
To fully free your home of fleas, Barry (and every other pet in the home) will likely need to be on flea prevention for at least 3 months. Consult with your veterinarian to make sure you choose a flea medication that is safe for your pet.
While the flea treatment does its work, regularly vacuum all surfaces that your pets sleep on in the home, such as couch cushions. Wash all bedding in hot water and dry in the dryer. These manual efforts will allow you to continually remove the eggs, larvae and pupae hiding in the cracks and crevices of your home.
In addition to flea prevention, you may also want to call an exterminator to apply pesticides to relevant areas, but you will still need to regularly vacuum floors and wash bedding to prevent new generations of fleas from hatching.
Sophie came home covered in ticks from a hike yesterday. I carefully removed the one that had attached behind her ear and gave her a medicated bath to clear the rest away. This morning, I found more ticks in her bed. Does my prescription tick preventive even work?!
VetHelpline advice:
The products available for long term prevention and treatment of fleas and ticks are not typically repellent, and most often require that the flea and/or tick contact your pet to pick up the insecticide, either by contact or feeding, before the product effectively kills the flea or tick.
This means that you may still see fleas and ticks on your pets, despite using preventive products. A chewable, topical or collar preventive, in concert with diligent tick checks, can help to prevent infection from ticks that carry and transmit disease to pets that are exposed to areas where ticks live, such as tall grass or wooded areas. As with any medication, consult your veterinarian before administering or applying any tick preventive to your pet.
Pets’ names have been changed. VetHelpline is not a substitute for a visit to your primary veterinarian.
Take advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new petTake advantage of your multi-pet discount when you add a pet to your policy. When covering two or three pets, you can receive a 5% discount. When covering four or more pets, you'll save 10% on your base premium. Visit the member portal to add a pet.
Enroll a new pet