Dogs and bee stings. They sometimes happen since both animals are often inhabiting the same space for hours at a time. For the most part, dogs will recover from bee stings no problem. However, there is always the risk of an allergic reaction, which is why you need to monitor them to make sure that they’re not experiencing such a thing.
Signs of a Sting
One of the most obvious signs of a bee sting in a dog is that they will excessively lick their paw in a particular spot. If it happens to be on their face, then they may paw at a certain spot, or you may notice they’ve got some swelling or excessive drooling going on as well. In addition, if your dog is outside and suddenly yelps for no apparent reason, then they also may be s sign that they just got stung.
The most common spots for dogs to get bee stings are the pads of their feet, as well as either mouth or face.
Monitor for Allergic Reaction
So, what should you do if your dog gets a bee sting? Basically just monitor your dog for a possible allergic reaction, as well as reach out to your vet in case you have any questions regarding allergic reactions since dogs who’ve been stung previously, or who’ve suffered multiple stings at once are more at risk of having an allergic reaction.
If you notice that the site of the sting is swelling significantly, then you need to watch for your pet’s breathing – especially if the site is on or near the neck or face.
If you notice that your dog isn’t getting enough air and is beginning to show signs of gasping or wheezing then you need to immediately get them to a veterinarian.
Additionally, should your dog start to vomit within 5-10 minutes after being stung, or has increasingly pale gums, these could be signs that they’re going into anaphylactic shock. If your dog shows either of these symptoms, go straight to the animal emergency.
You should also be wary of significant drooling, agitation, or sudden aggression, as these may also be symptoms of an allergic reaction.
If you’ve been monitoring your dog for 30 minutes to an hour and they have no displayed any symptoms of an allergic reaction, then you can focus on making their booboo feel better by making them as comfy as possible.
How to Treat
If you’ve already spoken to your vet, then they may already have already recommended some over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines like Benadryl, to give your dog – but only give them the recommended dosage prescribed by your vet.
In the case of most dogs, their sting site might be a little sensitive and puffy still, so you can try removing the stinger with tweezers in order to ease the pain. And you can use a cool towel on their paw or sting site in order to help reduce inflammation and swelling.
Basically, just make them feel comfy and loved and they will be fine within a few hours, with the sting site completely back to normal in a day or two.
