What To Do If Your Dog Is Stung By Bee?

Source : instagram

When your dog has become a victim of a bee sting, one of the most distressing times for you and your furry buddy and one wants to do is to take instant action to deal with the situation and get relief for the poor fellow. 

Early treatment may help decrease the risk of probable complications and speed up the recovery process. Knowledge and awareness of such immediate measures may empower the owner to take action quickly and confidently.

Learn more on how you can take care of your dog if he has been stung by a bee, in this article.


1. Check for the Stinger

This is very essential because bee stingers may keep pumping venom even after having made the sting, you would need to look very carefully since stingers are also quite difficult to find and locate, especially in hairy areas so check the site of the sting for the presence of the stinger. 

This is best achieved by scraping it out with a flat object, like a credit card and avoid squeezing the stinger with tweezers as this can cause more of the venom to be injected into the skin of your dog, if you can locate the stinger you have to remove it immediately. 

After stinger removal, wash it with mild soap and warm water to avoid secondary skin infections, helping in reducing irritation and observe the area for signs of allergic reactions like puss or even watch your dog for further irritation.

2. Examine for Pain Signals

Source : pexels

Following a bee sting, monitoring your dog for pain signals should always be done, they won't just tell you outright that they are feeling uncomfortable or in pain most of the time. So, watch closely for indicators that are whimpering, whining, restlessness, or reluctance to move.

Observe how he acts toward his surroundings and if he flinches when touched or else steers clear of areas, those are some signs he hurts, other signs to look out for are loss of appetite or changes in behavior, excessive licking at the sting site or just keeping to oneself.

If you do suspect that your dog has pain, don't hesitate to discuss appropriate pain relief with your vet, and keeping a watch on these signs will help you maintain the least discomfort for your dog and deal with the after-effects of the bee sting much more easily.

3. Cold compress

Just take some ice, wrap it in a cloth, or use a cold pack, and press it into the area where your dog has been stung. This will have some cold therapy effects that really would help reduce inflammation, a cold compress on the site will help with some of the swelling and, at the same time, give relief to the pain.

Keep it on for 10-15 minutes at a time, taking care not to touch the skin directly with it because it would cause frostbite, and reapply as needed every hour to help with swelling and pain relief.

In instances of uneasiness or distress, you need to remove it immediately, a cold compress certainly might be a successful means to treat the symptoms of a bee sting so that your dog is in reasonably good shape while the body heals itself.

4. Monitor for Swelling

Swelling can even occur a few minutes after the bite. Look for puffiness or enlargement around the area where he was stung and possibly surrounding areas. In case your dog is stung, it means that the swelling could be a sign of a localized reaction, thus telling you how bad a sting it is.

If it is a minor swelling then you can just note and monitor your dog and make sure the swelling is not increasing or spreading.

If your dog has serious swelling, especially on a sensitive part like the face or throat, the pet should be rushed to your vet as quickly as possible, serious swelling may cause complications, such as difficulty in breathing, limping and and hastened medical attention will ensure the safety of your dog.

5. Take Note of the Panting

Source : pexels

They may develop breathing difficulties after the sting like labored breathing, rapid breathing, wheezing, and panting, note the peculiarities of the sounds of their breathing, or lay more emphasis on the changes in the way they breathe, which could tell of a very bad problem.

If your pet experiences breathing problems and seeks immediate help from your professional, labored breathing could mean severe allergies or anaphylaxis, both of which are fatal when treatment is not available within the shortest time.

While you are waiting for the vet's help, keep your dog as calm and comfortable as possible and avoid anything that will make your dog pant, keeping the dog in a cool and quiet environment may also help to be relaxed and comfortable till proper help comes to him.

6. Clean The Area

This is very important to prevent infection, after you remove the stinger you should wash the area with gentle soap and water, cleaning the wound removes any remaining venom and decreases the risk of bacterial infection.

Apply hydrogen peroxide at the site of its sting, wet a cotton ball or pad, and gently dab on the skin, this will further cleanse the area without causing extra irritation and thus help prevent infection.

After sterilization it is good that the area is kept clean and dry, the sterilized area should be even checked for infections. It is characterized by reddishness, swelling, or even pus and if any of these symptoms appear, you better consult your vet to decide on further treatment.

7. Elevate The Affected Area

Raising the affected area may help reduce swelling and ease out the pain and if your dog gets stung on one of his or her limbs, try keeping that limb elevated higher than the level of the heart and this allows for reduced blood flow to the affected area and it minimizes the swelling and discomfort.

Pillows or soft cushions can support the elevation of the limb, but he should not show signs of discomfort or excessive straining due to elevation, it is very effective in preventing swelling during the first few hours of the sting.

Observe the elevation of and increased pain from the swelling and if it remains swollen or worsens after that look for advice from a vet, it will help with some of the immediate symptoms of a dog being stung by a bee, which can facilitate easy recovery much more quickly.

8. Avoid Further Exposure

Source : instagram

After your dog has been stung, preventing further exposure to the bees becomes quite important, let him be indoors or in some other safe area with no bees until your dog gets well so this avoids possible more stings and allows the affected area to heal without additional irritation.

Always look in your yard and surroundings for the presence of bees before letting your dog outside, remove any type of attractant that will bring them to the yard and this includes flowers or sweet-smelling plants and will help in making your outdoor space safe and not experiencing such an incident again.

If there is a high activity of the bees in your region, it would be best to walk your dog during periods of low activity, like early morning or late evening, such precautions would minimize the chance of another sting and thus keep your dog safe.

9. Observe Urination Frequency

Immediately following a bee sting and monitor the frequency of urination in your dog, changes in this area may refer to possible complications mostly if the pet is feeling some pain or discomfort and if a dog urinates less could indicate that either it is dehydrated or, more seriously, in shock.

Notice how many times during the day your dog urinates, a normal dog should be seen to urinate a couple of times a day, depending on the size, age, and ratio of liquid intake the dog takes but if you do feel that there is a lot of deviation like infrequent urination and even distress in urination, then it is pivotal that you ask for professional's advice as soon as possible.

Keeping track of when your dog urinates will give you an excellent baseline for monitoring his general health during recovery, if you notice a problem persisting or getting worse, you'll be able to have a veterinarian look over the situation and advise you on treatment.

10. Provide Extra Hydration

Ensure that your dog has plenty of water following the sting and provide fresh water frequently because it will flush out the toxins from his system and generally keep him fit, keeping him well-hydrated will ensure that he will recover from the sting.

A teaspoon or less of low-sodium chicken broth added to the water sometimes convinces them to drink if they won't otherwise and rehydrating them is very important in reducing the effect of the bee stings.

Part of after-sting care is to ensure your dog has plenty of water on hand to stay hydrated, the water he drinks will help his immune system fight off the invasion, facilitate his recovery and possibly prevent some of the symptoms associated with shock such as dry gums, lethargy, and reduced urination.

11. Lukewarm Water for Cleaning

Source : pexels

Lukewarm water does not cause any kind of irritation to the skin and is capable of removing venom and other debris from the wound quite easily and proper cleaning forms an essential step for the management of a bee sting, cleaning the sting site with lukewarm water relieves the discomfort at the area and further avoids infection. 

Wash the area with some mild soap, rubbing it in well then rinse again to be sure all of the soap washes off, this will help prevent further infection and irritation.

Pat dry with a clean towel, not rubbing as that further irritates and it's very important to keep it clean and dry to help prevent secondary infection and speed up the healing process for your dog.

12. Seek Immediate Vet Help for Severe Reactions

If your dog has a serious reaction to the bite, then he must be rushed to the vet, the more serious reactions will include struggling to breathe, swelling, vomiting, or even fainting.

Apart from keeping the dog alive, early treatment may be able to halt the reaction and severe reactions must not be treated at home.

Keep your pet as calm and comfortable as possible until help from the vet arrives, no aggravating activities should be done meaning no aggravation of any kind and ensuring a cool and quiet environment will make their wait much less of a problem until proper help does manage to arrive.

13. Watch for Secondary Infections

This may lead to secondary infections if the area of the stung region is not treated properly so the area needs to be monitored for signs of infection after the stinger has been removed and cleaned around it such as increased redness, swelling, or discharge at the sting site. 

Considering all factors and early treatment is the best way to take good care of secondary infections.

Keeping good hygiene at the site of the sting may help prevent infections. Wash the affected area daily with mild soap and clean water while on the other hand, keep it dry. Keep your dog under observation for any change in behavior or increase in pain that may be indicative of an underlying infection.

14. Avoid Alcohol-Based Products

Source : instagram

If your dog has been stung by a bee, please do not try treating him with many alcohol-based products, they dry out his sensitive skin and, as a result, increase the irritation and thus swelling or pain and use other mild products purposely made for pets.

This should clean the area without adding to the irritation and possible infection and the alcohol of product stings/burns, too, and your poor dog is suffering enough discomfort while enduring this very painful ordeal.

Recovery will be much more comfortable if you avoid products containing alcohol so always use solutions that are pet-friendly and make sure to consult your vet before applying anything to your pet.

15. Provide Soft Bedding

A warm, cushioning, and resting area eases any possible aches the dog may be having, soft bedding will provide him with a safe place to rest and recover without inflammation at the site of the sting.

Provide soft bedding, like cushy blankets or even an orthopedic bed for dogs equipped with sores and this bedding may be able to provide the needed insulation that helps keep a dog comfortable and continues to recover and ensure cleaning the area where it sleeps of any possible irritants to help healing.

He will feel safe and comfortable lying on it and the supportive environment is so supportive to healing this way, since now they can focus on getting well without the hindrance of the pain associated with the sting and monitor your dog closely and see that it has a comfortable area to rest in.

Recent posts