Though usually harmless, they may lead to severe allergic reactions or spread insect-borne diseases. For persistent play biters, you may have to attach a lightweight lead to their collar so that you can easily lead them to another room (behind a stair gate is a good idea) for a short time apart from you. Make sure you attach this prior to any episodes as it won't be any fun trying to attach the lead to a wriggly and mouthing puppy.

Take precautions when traveling to endemic countries by wearing long-sleeve shirts and pants and by using bug spray. The bites are not usually painful, and if you’ve not been bitten by bedbugs before, you may not have any symptoms. Puppies often start to do this when they come to live with us – usually they are doing this as they want to play and haven’t yet learnt that this isn’t much fun for us! Some puppies, particularly those from working breeds, seem to play bite more or harder, and this is probably because they tend to be more energetic.

Don’t be afraid to play fun tug games with your puppy – it’s a very enjoyable game to play together. Big soft toys are usually best, as your puppy will have a large surface area to bite and they are less likely to grab your hands by mistake. For puppies who are teething, provide chews or puppy teething rings to help them ease the discomfort they will be feeling. Bites from spiders in the UK are rare, but some native spiders – such as the false widow spider – are capable of giving a nasty bite. Symptoms: Call 911 or your local emergency services number immediately if symptoms of a severe reaction are present.

Most people have experienced a bite like this before. ‘You may have just a few small red bumps which feel a bit itchy,’ says Dr Lee. ‘Sometimes bites can cause larger areas of redness and swelling. You can often see the bite mark in the centre.’ • Local allergic reaction Wasp sting venom is more alkaline and the remedy is neutralising the sting with vinegar to reduce the pain. While not every insect bite or sting can cause an infection or disease, some insects can transmit diseases this way. Loose clothing, fluffy slippers and dressing gown ties can be irresistible to some puppies, especially when they move around as you walk around the house. Keep a variety of toys to hand so you can redirect play biting safely. If your puppy begins to mouth your hands, try not to move your hands away or squeal (this will excite your puppy and encourage more vigorous play!) Instead, gently transfer them onto a toy by animating it and allow them to play with that instead.The most important thing to remember is that for the vast majority of puppies, mouthing or play biting is a phase that they will typically grow out of once they reach between three and five months of age. Ideally use a high quality, insect repellent and cover up with loose fitting, long sleeved clothes and long trousers. Some mosquitos are around more in the daytime, some at dawn and dusk. Deet based insect repellents are widely seen as the most effective. What to do if Bitten: Rare symptoms include breathing difficulties, muscle twitching, drooling, sweating, nausea, vomiting, an increased heart rate, restlessness, and excitability. The form a bite takes depends on what type of animal bit you. Take a look at the photos below to help identify which animal may have caused your bug bite.

If the allergy is more severe it can involve other systems of the body, hence it’s called a ‘systemic’ reaction. If there are toxins involved – for example, in a sting – it can cause a variety of symptoms such as cardiac arrhythmias, kidney problems, neurological symptoms, and abdominal pain, says Dr Lee.

They are members if the Trombiculidae family and are tiny mite like spiders. They are known as berry bugs, red bugs or harvest mites. Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom. Everyone has suffered from those incredibly itchy bites and stings that keep you awake at night. Although some people may seem more susceptible to bites, others may have spectacular and occasionally life-threatening reactions.

Puppy teeth are sharp and it’s not reasonable to expect children to deal with play biting on their own, in fact often their reactions are likely to encourage more mouthing! You’ll need to manage interactions carefully and actively supervise, and if you can’t then temporary separation within the home is a must – this is where stair gates are extremely useful. Why rest, regular meals and exercise will helpAnyone can be bitten or stung by an insect or arachnid, and bites and stings are very common. You’re at greater risk if you spend a lot of time outdoors, especially in rural or wooded locations. Most people only experience a localised reaction to bee stings. This area around the skin is red and painful. About 3% of people stung by bees and wasps have an allergic reaction to the sting, and up to 0.8% of bee sting victims experience the severe and life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis – this requires urgent medical intervention as detailed above. What to do: