Thread: Stinging nettle

I’m about ready to start taking my almost 18 month old pup out for his first proper hunts. I’m a bit nervous about ongaonga/stinging nettle as there is some scattered around the DOC block I do most of my hunting. I end up brushing into little bits of it maybe once every half a dozen hunts.

But I understand it can be pretty devastating to dogs. Other than trying to make sure he avoids it, and getting him to a vet asap if he does contact some- I understand you can carry antihistamines or other meds to help immediately if they do come into contact with nettle.

Any recommendations on specific antihistamines or other meds to use? Is there specific/dedicated stuff the vet can provide that’s even better? Would greatly appreciate any advice/insight.

We have used "Razene". Just get it from the chemist. Same stuff the vet will give you. What type dog you running?. My short haired pointer reacts to Onga onga. Gets little welts on skin and goes all itchy . My huntaways run through it all the time and don't seem to care. Definitely try avoid it but I don't think a little bit is too bad for most dogs.

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Originally Posted by hunter Al.7mm08

We have used "Razene". Just get it from the chemist. Same stuff the vet will give you. What type dog you running?. My short haired pointer reacts to Onga onga. Gets little welts on skin and goes all itchy . My huntaways run through it all the time and don't seem to care. Definitely try avoid it but I don't think a little bit is too bad for most dogs.

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I used Razene on a pup for wasp stings

@hunter AI.7mm08 got a GSP. He’s my first pup so just wanna make sure I don’t put him in a bad spot. Appreciate the razene recommendation.

@Pixie Z around Christmas is when you want to avoid it, had one working dog that just about died from it. My current hunting mate seems ok with it but i will stand on the odd branch to let her past.

Bigbear, is that because the plant gets dehydrated and concentrates the toxin or something similar

@rugerman am unsure
Around Christmas time you will see it glistening in the sun, maybe spring growth? and that's when its nasty
where i have worked the last ten years we have shit loads on the farm. A frost will knock it back if its growing out in the open but takes a bit to kill the plant with spray. Goats don't seem to eat it but deer will at a certain time of year but not hard out just a very light browse.

yeah could be new growth and the plant pumps more toxin to the needles to stop critters eating it.
The first time I saw it was up the back of mangatanoka and 1 look at the stem and leaves and you know it means to F you up

Mate had to carry is old mans dog out after he got badly stung buy it. 2 days at massey and then a few weeks to fully recover

Are there any vets on here that could confirm an appropriate dose of antihistamine 'Razene', etc? I'd guess half a tab for 25kg GSP or similar..? I'd hate to O.D my dog in the heat of the moment

Originally Posted by High Hopes

Are there any vets on here that could confirm an appropriate dose of antihistamine 'Razene', etc? I'd guess half a tab for 25kg GSP or similar..? I'd hate to O.D my dog in the heat of the moment

I'm no vet, but I just give 1 tablet at a time and none of my dogs have had negative effect. That said they are all mongrels and there fore less likely to die than expensive pure bred dogs. This is the stuff I got from vet one time. If you compare it to Razene think you'll find the same ingredient/amount.

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thats what I take....when the dirty hot arsed wasps get me..twice in last fortnight bastards...
big bro has a foxy who got hit hard with nettle last year..vet gave her antihistamines and told bro just give her half a tablet if she gets hit..I will triple check that when I speak to him next...was definately told give human tablets ,will triple check the amount...actually come to think of it we gave both our dogs half of one of those last week when all three of us got hit so half is fine for dog gsp size... Meg is 1/4 gsp poppy half GWP

Originally Posted by hunter Al.7mm08

I'm no vet, but I just give 1 tablet at a time and none of my dogs have had negative effect. That said they are all mongrels and there fore less likely to die than expensive pure bred dogs. This is the stuff I got from vet one time. If you compare it to Razene think you'll find the same ingredient/amount.

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That's just standard antihistamine/hayfever medicine you can buy at any pharmacy as Zista/Razine/ or somethimes just plain cetirizine : https://www.chemistwarehouse.co.nz/b...0mg-30-tablets

Our dog had some foot issues with allergies and the vet told us to use cetirizine , I get tons of the stuff as I get bad summer allergies.

Man this brings back some memories. Walked in to the back of Whirinaki, 7km walk in, had set up camp and went for an evening hunt. My dog managed to jump a waterway and sandwich a heap of nettle between a log and his guts. 20 mins later he started acting strange, I was wondering if it was the nettle or maybe some lingering 1080 as he looked like he was struggling to walk. Got him back to camp where he got worse quickly, whining, wouldn't move. Was pretty disturbing actually as I thought I was going to have to shoot him as he looked in agony. His saving grace was that he was still eating and I kept giving him small amounts of food through the night. I had a plan that if he made it through the night, I would carry him out. Next morning his legs barely worked, but I did try to encourage him to follow me and then he rolled over backwards when going uphill. Luckily he had a twinneedle dog harness pouch jobbie on which allowed me to suitcase carry him. As our journey went on, his legs slowly started to move where he could walk slowly on flat stuff, so just had to help him over deadfall and uphill. Got on the phone with the vet in Rotorua, took him there and had 3 injections (steroid, anti histamine and something else I think) and he seemed to get a heap better. Took him straight home after that. Still took him a week or two to get back to normal. Vet advised to carry anti-histamine, which I did have on me but didn't know if it would make things worse at the time. Horrible experience!

Originally Posted by vulcannz

That's just standard antihistamine/hayfever medicine you can buy at any pharmacy as Zista/Razine/ or somethimes just plain cetirizine : https://www.chemistwarehouse.co.nz/b...0mg-30-tablets

Our dog had some foot issues with allergies and the vet told us to use cetirizine , I get tons of the stuff as I get bad summer allergies.

Wife gets antihistamine tablets for our dog from our vet, a bit under $10 per hundred. Vet nurse uses them for her own allergy. Always pays to check around with prices.