I have noticed that my cat "Thomas" plays with bugs sometimes inside and outside the house.  We are concerned that he may encounter a scorpion because we have started seeing them around our garage.

Are the scorpions on the Island poisonous? Is this something we should worry about?

Interesting question.  Scorpions are insects that belong to the family Arachnid-the same family that spiders belong to. They are ancient animals that fossil records report have been existence for 425-450 million years.   Worldwide, there are 1260 different types of scorpion species.  Most scorpions are nocturnal which means they tend to be most active at night. They feed only on living creatures: spiders, insects, larvae, sometimes even small lizards and mice.

Scorpions are viviparous which means that they carry their eggs in their reproductive tract and they give birth to live young.  Depending on the species, their life span ranges from 2 years to 10-25 years!

Their body consists of 18 segments and is usually 5-10cm long. The stinger (telson), is located at the very end of the abdomen of the scorpion right beside a pair of glandular sacs which produces and stores the scorpion's venom. The level of toxicity of the venom depends on species of scorpion.

 Scorpions use their stingers for a variety of purposes: in prey capture, in defense and during mating.  All scorpions are poisonous for their prey, but only some are dangerous to humans and animals.

There are both brown scorpions (common) and black scorpions (rare) here in the Cayman Islands and both are not dangerous to mammals.  This means that the scorpions here in the Caymans Islands would not be able to kill a cat, dog, or human being.

Having said that the bite itself can be very painful and does require immediate treatment.  It is also possible for both animals and people to be allergic to spider and scorpion bites, which means that they could possibly suffer from anaphylaxis (serious allergic reaction) which would require emergency assistance.

Signs to watch for when an animal has been bitten by a scorpion:

- respiratory changes (rate of breathing increases or decreases, breaths become shallower or deeper, breathing becomes labored or difficult)

- increased salivation

- swelling of the face, tongue or throat

- intense pain, redness and swelling where bitten

- dry heaves

- vomiting

- lethargy

- significantly decreased or increased activity levels

- rubbing mouth on ground or other surfaces and scratching at face or mouth

- diarrhea or other alteration of feces.

If you suspect that a scorpion has bitten your pet, it is advisable to call a veterinarian immediately.  Although the bite is not likely to be lethal, medication can be given to alleviate symptoms and decrease any pain and discomfort that your pet may experience from the bite.

If you would like to ask Dr Tiffany or Dr Lana from the Cayman Animal Hospital please e-mail them at askthevets@caymannetnews.com