How to Treat Bee Stings in Dogs

Summer is the time of year that dog owners must protect their dogs from the insect world. This includes flea infestations, mosquito bites and bee stings.

Dog owners can control fleas with flea medications or through natural home remedies. (See Fight Fleas with Natural Home Remedies) And the danger of heartworms from mosquito bites can be prevented by monthly heartworm medication. (See Heartworm Disease in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms and Prevention) But since there is no medication for the prevention of bee stings in dogs, dog owners should be aware of what to do if their dog is stung by a bee. This is especially true if your dog is one that enjoys chasing bees in the backyard.

The stinger should be removed cautiously. Do not use a tweezers as you might with a splinter. Doing so might allow more of the stinger's venom to be released. Use a rigid piece of cardboard or plastic and scrape across the stinger to push it out.

Bee stings in dogs will cause swelling and are painful. Mix up some baking soda and water and spread it over the area of the sting to relieve the pain. In addition, apply ice to reduce the swelling. Benadryl should also be given.

In most cases of bee stings in dogs, the injury is not a serious one. However, in some cases bee stings can sometimes produce a severe allergic reaction in dogs, especially if your dog has been stung several times by multiple bees.

Watch your dog carefully. In severe allergic reactions to bee stings, the swelling will continue to increase despite the application of ice and other symptoms such as labored or rapid breathing, trembling, unsteadiness, fever, pale gums, vomiting and difficulty in swallowing may occur. Your dog may be going into anaphylactic shock, a life threatening allergic reaction. If you observe any of these symptoms, transport your dog to your veterinarian for emergency treatment without further delay. While on the way to the vet's office, apply honey or Karo syrup to your dog's gums.

Your veterinarian, who has probably treated many bee stings in dogs, will be able to assess the situation quickly. He or she will examine your dog, listen to the heart rate, take the temperature, take the blood pressure and possibly perform other tests to determine if there is internal damage to any organs.

Your veterinarian will probably immediately begin administering Benadryl or another antihistamine by injection, along with fluids. Depending on the severity, your vet may also intravenously administer a corticosteroid such as prednisone to reduce the inflammation. Other emergency procedures may also be used. Your dog may need to be hospitalized at your veterinarian's office for continued treatment and close monitoring by your veterinarian.

Remember that most bee stings in dogs are not life threatening. However, if your dog is stung by a bee and you are in doubt as to the severity of the injury, take your dog to your veterinarian. It is better to be "safe than sorry".