Bee and wasp stings can be painful and frightening for a dog. A single bee sting will produce pain, swelling, redness, inflammation. If your dog is stung, follow these steps: Carefully remove the stinger with tweezers.
Most of the time, an insect sting is just painful and irritating for your dog. Getting stung several times, or stung inside the mouth or throat, is dangerous and requires a trip to the veterinarian. Bee and wasp stings are poisons.
If your dog is stung, follow these steps:
Symptoms your dog has been stung by a bee or wasp
In general, there is no way to predict if a dog will have an allergic reaction to a bee sting, or whether it will be mild or severe. Some dogs have no reaction to an initial sting, and a severe reaction to the next. If your dog has more than one severe reaction to an insect sting, address the issue with your vet.
Dogs who have been stung by bees can experience very mild allergic reactions to very severe anaphylactic reactions. Mild reactions include: Sudden onset of yelping, whining or limping. Licking, chewing, pawing, or scratching at the bite site.
In some cases, however, your dog may be allergic to the poison that is injected by the bee or wasp sting. If not treated this could result in a severe reaction or even death. If your dog is stung somewhere like the throat or mouth, or stung several times in one go, contact your vet as soon as possible for advice.
What to Do if Your Dog Is Stung by a Bee or Wasp
To treat a sting from a bee, wasp, or hornet, dermatologists recommend the following tips:
There's no real scientific evidence that toothpaste can help bee stings. However, people claim that the alkaline toothpaste (high pH) neutralizes the acidic honey bee venom (low pH). If this is true, however, toothpaste won't work on wasp venom, which is alkaline.
Taking an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or a nonsedating one such as loratadine (Claritin) will help with itching and swelling. Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin)for pain relief as needed. Wash the sting site with soap and water.
Generally, bee stings on dogs look like small areas of swelling that may also be red or warm to the touch. If your dog is stung by a bee, she may be sensitive if you try to touch the area. Dogs are most likely to be stung on their face, though stings can occur anywhere on the body.
What to Do if Your Dog Is Stung by a Bee or Wasp