Dogs are a very curious breed of animal and they love to get their noses in places they do not belong. Your dog will chase bees and wasps our of curiosity, and many times these insects will sting trying to defend themselves. If your dog was stung in the face, ears or nose, you may notice an initial swelling to the area.
Of course your initial reaction is going to be, can a dog bee sting be deadly? Here are some ways to identify the symptoms and treat your dog in case they get bitten.
Bee Stings on Dogs – What to look for
Once your dog has been bitten, you may be in close proximity and hear the dog yelping. Many times a bee sting is simply painful and irritates your pet. If you know your dog has allergic reactions to bee stings, then a trip to the veterinary hospital is a must. If this is your first dealings with this type of situation, you need to closely monitor your dogs reactions. The infected area may immediately begin to swell or break out in hives. Your dog may begin howling and crying after getting stung, and you need to closely pay attention to not only his bodies reaction, but to where the sting took place. A sting on the nose can be extremely painful for a dog, and the crying may be simply from the pain involved and not a serious allergic reaction.
Don’t Be Fooled By Past Experience
You may have had pets in the past who have gotten bitten with no allergic reaction and are thinking how can a dog bee sting be deadly. The truth of the matter is in extreme cases the sting can in fact be deadly. If your dog was stung multiple times in the face, if your dog has a severe allergic reaction, and if your dog was stung inside the mouth or throat, you need to take this very serious. Your dog could go into anaphylactic shock. The initial symptoms to look out for are sudden urination, severe itchiness, the appearance of hives and diarrhea. These are followed by your dog drooling, getting weak, having trouble breathing, cold limbs and depression. Get your dog to the veterinarian hospital immediately.
If your dog is irritated by the sting, but is not administering any of the symptoms we discussed, then you can breathe a little easier. He may have been stung one time in an area that does not begin swelling. The pain of the sting should only bother your dog for a short while. Once your dog has calmed down a little, see if you can locate the stinger. If you can find it, try removing it with your fingernail. You want to avoid using a pair of tweezers because the strength of the tweezers can actually release more of the venom out of the stinger.
Have your dog relax in his bed and try to apply a mixture of baking soda and warm water to the area to help reduce any pain he is feeling. Using an icepack or a towel soaked in cold water can help relieve discomfort too. If your dog is experiencing minor pain and discomfort, you can relax a little knowing that the worst is behind over. This article hopefully enlightened you on how can a dog bee sting be deadly. Every dog reacts differently to being stung, so pay close attention the next time your dog wanders too close to a bee and gets the stinger.
