What Can I Do if My Dog Gets Stung by a Yellow Jacket?

Owning a dog requires you to make a daily commitment to ensuring the dog is happy and healthy. Once in a while a dog gets injured, ill or has a medical concern which requires attention. For dogs that go outside on a routine basis, and especially during the spring and summer months, the possibility exists to get stung by a bee. Treating your dog after being stung is necessary to make sure the dog recovers properly and does not suffer lingering effects of the sting.

  1. Act Fast

    • Remove the stinger from the dog as soon as you are aware that the dog has been stung. The faster you remove the stinger, the less the amount of poison will enter the dog's blood stream. Separate the fur with your fingers and scrape out the stinger by using the edge of a credit card or a pair of tweezers. If the stinger is too far in to the skin, do not attempt to remove the stinger as breaking the stinger off while in the dog will release more toxins. You should get the stinger out right away to stave off any ill effects, especially if you are unsure whether the dog is allergic to bee stings or not.

    Assess the Dog

    • Visually check over your dog. Do this immediately following the bee sting and for the next few hours. Pay attention to how your dog is acting. Watch for signs of anaphylactic shock, which would present by the dog experiencing difficulty breathing. Other signs to watch for include lethargy, reduced drinking or eating, whining, whimpering or even shying away from being petted in the area where the bee sting occurred.

    Administer Medication

    • Give the dog a shot of epinephrine if the dog has a known allergy to bee stings. If this is the case, you should have an epi pen on hand which was given to you by the dog's primary care veterinarian who treated and diagnosed the dog with a bee sting allergy. Call your veterinarian and know your dog's weight and age, to ask if your dog can take over the counter medication, such as diphenhydramine, which will help reduce swelling and irritation at the stinger site. You can also use witch hazel, rubbing alcohol or aloe Vera gel to help soothe the skin where the dog was stung.

    Vet Assessment

    • If you are still uncertain as to how your dog feels, and watching your dog's behavior has led to more questions than answers; call your veterinarian and have the dog seen. You may want to get your dog to the vet if you have noticed in any change at all in the dog's behavior, demeanor or personality in the aftermath of the sting.