Given the intense bond most of us share with our animals, it’s natural to feel devastated by feelings of grief and sadness when a pet dies. While some people may not understand the depth of feeling you had for your pet, you should never feel guilty or ashamed about grieving for an animal friend. Instead, use these healthy ways to cope with the loss, comfort yourself and others, and begin the process of moving on.

Grieving is a personal and highly individual experience. Some people find grief comes in stages, where they experience different feelings such as denial, anger, guilt, depression, and eventually acceptance and resolution. Others find that grief is more cyclical, coming in waves, or a series of highs and lows. The lows are likely to be deeper and longer at the beginning and then gradually become shorter and less intense as time goes by. Still, even years after a loss, a sight, a sound, or a special anniversary can spark memories that trigger a strong sense of grief.

• The grieving process happens only gradually. It can’t be forced or hurried—and there is no “normal” timetable for grieving. Some people start to feel better in weeks or months. For others, the grieving process is measured in years. Whatever your grief experience, it’s important to be patient with yourself and allow the process to naturally unfold.
• Feeling sad, frightened, or lonely is a normal reaction to the loss of a beloved pet. Exhibiting these feelings doesn’t mean you are weak, so you shouldn’t feel ashamed.
• Trying to ignore your pain or keep it from surfacing will only make it worse in the long run. For real healing, it is necessary to face your grief and actively deal with it. By expressing your grief, you’ll likely need less time to heal than if you withhold or “bottle up” your feelings. Write about your feelings and talk with others about them.

Dog bite facts:

• Each year, more than 4.5 million people in the U.S. are bitten by dogs.
• Almost 1 in 5 people bitten by dogs require medical attention. 
• Every year, more than 800,000 Americans receive medical attention for dog bites; at least half of them are children.
• Children are, by far, the most common victims of dog bites and are far more likely to be severely injured.
• Most dog bites affecting young children occur during everyday activities and while interacting with familiar dogs.
• Senior citizens are the second most common dog bite victims.

There are many things you can do to avoid dog bites, ranging from properly training and socializing your pet to educating your children on how - or if - they should approach a dog. Information and education are the best solutions for this public health crisis.

What should I do if someone is bitten by a dog?

The dog bite victim needs to be taken to a safe place away from the assailant dog to prevent further attack and injury. Since dog bites can cause significant damage beneath the skin, a type of injury that cannot always easily be appreciated, medical care should be accessed by a health care practitioner.

Wounds should be kept elevated and, if possible, washing the wound with tap water may be attempted.

Information should be obtained from the dog's owner about the dogs rabies immunization status, but if this is not possible, hospital, animal control centers, or law enforcement personnel will help gather any required information.

Dogs are curious. They love to run and chase things including insects, which in some cases protect themselves by stinging the dog.

Multiple stings are dangerous. Most of the time, an insect sting is just painful and irritating for your dog. Getting stung several times, or stung inside the mouth or throat, is dangerous and requires a trip to the veterinarian.

Bee and wasp stings are poisons. The two most common types of stinging insects are bees and wasps. It’s not the small puncture wound that causes the sting's pain, but the small amount of poison that is injected.

• A bee’s stinger is barbed and designed to lodge in the skin, killing the bee when the stinger detaches from the body
• Wasp stingers are not barbed but are more painful, and if provoked these insects can sting multiple times

Most of the time dogs get stung on their faces from investigating a stinging insect too closely. A sting on your dog’s sensitive nose is particularly painful. Some dogs may even get stung on the tongue or inside their mouth or throat if they try to bite or catch an insect. These stings can be dangerous. The subsequent swelling can close your dog’s throat and block its airway.

Watch for allergic reactions. A severe reaction can be caused by a large number of stings or by an allergic reaction. Signs of a reaction include:

• General weakness
• Difficulty breathing
• A large amount of swelling extending away from the sting site

If your dog is having a severe reaction, you need to take the dog to a vet immediately.

A simple sting can be safely left alone. It should be bothersome only temporarily. If a stinger is still present, try to remove it by scraping it with a fingernail or a rigid piece of cardboard. Avoid using tweezers or forceps to remove it unless absolutely necessary as this may force more venom out of the stinger.

Administer a remedy for the pain. Applying a weak mixture of water and baking soda to the affected area will help reduce the pain. You can also wrap ice or an icepack in a towel and apply it to the wound to reduce swelling and pain.

Maintain a watchful eye on your dog. Observe your dog closely after the sting incident to ensure an allergic reaction doesn’t develop. If several days pass and the swelling doesn't go down, notify your veterinarian.

Adapted from: http://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/what-to-do-when-wasp-bee-sting-dog-adult.html