Treating Bee Stings in Dogs

Treating bee stings in dogs is not much different than treating humans who have been stung. The first priority is to to assess the dog for signs of allergic reaction. Dogs can be as allergic to bee stings as people are, resulting in a life threatening situation. Here's what you need to know about treating bee stings in dogs.

Dogs explore things with their mouths. They also defend themselves and hunt with their mouths. My own little dog will bite a fly (or a bee) out of mid air if it comes too close. This means that while humans often suffer bee stings on their feet and hands, dogs will typically suffer bee stings on their face, in their mouth and occasionally on the foot. Other locales are possible but less common.

The behavior of a stung dog can be perplexing. They might bark in alarm or rub their face with their paws or on the ground. Assume a possible bee sting if they are suddenly behaving oddly after being in an area where they might have gotten stung.

Assessing The Situation : Is It An Emergency?
Your dog could be suffering an allergic reaction to the bee sting. Symptoms of allergy are difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, asthma-like symptoms,swelling beyond the area of the bee sting, losing consciousness, or excessive barking followed by fainting. Sometimes bee sting allergy in dogs can seem like seizures.

If your dog is showing any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical treatment. Treating bee stings in dogs at home will not be sufficient in the event of an allergy - it is a medical emergency.

Treating bee stings in dogs who are having an allergic reaction includes epinephrine, steroids, and/or antihistamines. If you think your dog is having an allergic reaction, phone the vet - they might suggest some medicines you have on hand which can be administered immediately and will make arrangements to treat your dog immediately.

Treating Bee Stings In Dogs: Non Emergencies
If you think your dog has been stung but he is not suffering from symptoms of an allergic reaction, you can treat the injury at home. If you can find the stinger, remove it without compressing the venom sac attached. Stingers can usually be removed by scraping the area gently with a fingernail or credit card. If the injury site is inside the mouth, observe the dog for symptoms of allergy for a few hours. The swelling from even a mild allergic reaction can restrict the airway.

If there are no complications, treating bee stings in dogs is the same as treating stings in humans. Ice can reduce pain, itching, and swelling. Baking soda paste can be applied to the sting site to counteract the venom's acid.

Avoiding Future Bee Stings
If you have a dog who snaps at things in the air, keep alert of bee activity when he is outside. Keep grass trimmed and remove flowering weeds like dandelions to prevent accidents. Make sure he doesn't have access to edibles outdoors which also attract bees and hornets. If your dog has had bee sting without allergic reaction but suffered extreme swelling, talk to your vet about medication you might keep on hand to give for future events.

As you can see, treating bee stings in dogs is pretty easy and straightforward.