Your dog is a very curious animal and everything near your home has to be explored. When your dog sees something in the bushes or shrubbery moving, immediately they stick their nose and face in to investigate. Many times your pet interrupts a bee who is busy doing his own thing, and the result is a bee sting.
When your dog is nosing around in a bush many times the bee can enter his mouth and sting the tongue or throat area. This is an extremely sensitive area and your will hear your dog howling from a block away. There are many treatments for a bee sting in dogs mouth, and working quickly will insure your pup has a quick recovery with as little pain as possible.
A sting by a bee can be extremely serious in people, and your dog is no exception. Your dog may have a severe allergic reaction to the venom and many times this can be life threatening if you do not act fast. The first thing you need to do if your dog was stung in the mouth is try to identify if the stinger is still inside your pets mouth. If you can see the stinger, using your fingers you need to gently get a hold of it and pull it out. While you are trying to get the stinger, have someone call the veterinary hospital and inform them of what happened. They will offer further assistance and get prepared in case you need to rush your dog to them. If you simply wait to see if your dog has an allergic reaction, you may be too late. A bee sting in the mouth is extremely dangerous and the dog can become sick very fast.
Once you determine where the stinger is and if you can remove it, you want to pay close attention to how your dog is reacting. Many times a sting in the mouth is on a very sensitive area and he may be howling simply out of pain of the bite, and not experiencing an allergic reaction. Your dog may initially begin running in circles, crying and salivating. If he continues to only exhibit these signs it can simply be he was stung by a single bee and is only in pain from the sting. Try to keep your dog calm, give him water, and pay close attention to his demeanor. Your veterinarian can prescribe medication to alleviate discomfort.
If your dog was stung by more than one bee, and he is exhibiting signs of swelling, hives, vomiting or has trouble breathing, you should be on the way to the veterinary hospital immediately. The stingers may be lodged in his mouth and tongue causing extreme pain, and the venom can cause a severe allergic reaction. This is very concerning, because in extreme cases the dog can collapse and go into shock. You need to remain calm and try to keep your dog relaxed and cool. Keep a cool compress on his head and have someone holding him and observing his reactions. Your veterinarian will be able to administer medication to help with the pain. The doctor can better analyze your dog and observe them overnight if needed to be sure they are not in a life threatening situation.
