Know the Dangerous Wildlife in your area!

Just a thought for everyone, 4 years ago we moved to Spain, 3 years later after we got settled, we got Ozzie a Lhasa Apso.

One evening I was taking him for a walk, opened the garden gate and there was 2 lines of caterpillars walking towards my garden gate. My first thought was I don't want those b----y things in my garden, Ozzie being Ozzie had to investigate and licked them - breaking their line. I put him back into the garden - got a brush and swept them away, at which point my neighbour came out to see what I was doing. To my horror after he explained to me what they were (processional Pine Caterpillars) and how dangerous they were, I shot back into the garden and found Ozzie pawing at his mouth. We rang the vet and was told to hose his mouth out with water and get him there straight away. My neighbour drove me there (I was in such a state I couldn't drive) Ozzie went listless on me. The vet told me he was in shock, and that he might not make it through the night or that he might lose part of his tongue. I had to leave him there for 48 hours not knowing if he would survive. When he came home he was constantly being sick, the vet told me to take him back 24 hours later as it takes a while for the cells to die off on his tongue. Thankfully he was OK the vet said I was very lucky, if he'd eaten one it could have caused all sorts of complications. Me, well I suffered as well cause sweeping them was the wrong this to do, I had to have antihistermin cream where I also came out in a rash.

I felt such a bad mother, I should have known about these horrid caterpillars. So I say to everyone, be very aware of what is dangerous, check on the internet wherever you live.
There is little I don't know now about processional pine caterpillars now, but after the event could well be too late.

Great advice. When I moved to California I made a point of finding out which bugs and critters were safe and which ones were not safe, what amazed me was how many people that have lived there theyre whole lives but dont have a clue which ones are dangerous.

I'm ashamed to say that I was guilty of that in every way possible - didn't even think about it. I very nearly paid the price. At the time, guilt tries to lay the blame elsewhere - breeder, vets anyone. But I was the only one to blame