Your dog is a very inquisitive creature who has to get his nose into everything. A bee will not search out your dog to sting because the bee realizes that the dog is often thousands of times larger, and the bee has much more important work to be doing. Most bees will avoid a dog at all costs, and many times will only attack if provoked.
The dog wants to investigate everything, and sticking their nose in a tree, a bush or in the flowers in something they simply love to do. Now add into the mix that soothing humming sound the bees make, and you have a recipe for trouble. The dog will usually be unaware of the potential pain he is about to receive until it is too late. If dogs can get stung by bees, they can suffer all the same symptoms and pain that people feel when getting stung. Here are some tips and techniques to making your dog feel a little better after his traumatic experience.
Many times immediately after a bee sting on your dog, he will run off barking and crying because of the pain. The majority of the time a bee will sting a dog in the face, mouth, ears and nose area because that is usually what they see coming at them first. It is not very likely they will get stung on the body, unless they have wandered into a bush and walked right onto a group of bees working on a hive. In that case he can not only get stung multiple times, he will see sting marks from his paws to his tail as the bees attack to protect the queen. In this situation rather than attempting to pull out all the stingers, you need to race the dog to the hospital for treatment quickly. The excess venom could cause an extreme allergic reaction very quickly.
Bees typically will avoid people and dogs unless provoked, or if they perceive an attack. Your dogs curiosity is often mistaken for an attack, and being stung is a bees last resort. The bee will die once the stinger is lodged into your dog, so they do not seek out animals to attack. This is simply a defense mechanism. If your dog was bitten, your only concern should be is it life threatening or not, and to act accordingly. Many times a simple bee sting will cause irritation and can be relieved with cold compresses and pain medication. In the extreme case of an allergic reaction there is no medicine that can cure the venom that is in your dogs body, and a stay at the dog hospital is the only way to help your pet. Doctors can reduce the swelling and the pain and monitor your dog closely to insure a speedy recovery. So yes to your question, can dogs get stung by bees. You just need to act fast to insure he only suffers for the least amount of time possible.
