As some people are very allergic to bees stings while others are not, so it is with dogs. In severe cases, a sting can be life-threatening. In milder ones, it can simply be painful. As a pet owner, your job is three-fold: to assess the situation and seek emergency medical help if necessary; to treat milder stings yourself; and to plan how to avoid and handle possible stings in the future.
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Assess Symptoms
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Your first task, once you know your dog has been stung, is to assess whether or not your pet is having an allergic reaction to the sting, and if so, how severe the reaction is. Severe allergic reactions, as with people, can impede breathing and swallowing, and cause a loss of consciousness and fainting. Dogs that are highly allergic to bee stings can display asthma-like symptoms. They can start barking uncontrollably, and then suddenly go silent. The area around the bee sting can also swell up terribly.
Get Emergency Medical Help
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If your dog shows any bee sting allergy symptoms, then you are facing a medical emergency and need to call for professional help. Get your vet on the phone, if possible, as he or she may be able to suggest some things you can do to help the situation while the animal is transported to the nearest veterinarian or animal urgent care clinic.
Treatment for Milder Reactions
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If your dog has been stung by a bee, but is not having a severe allergic reaction, you can try to treat it yourself. Check the sting area to see if you can find the stinger. Brush a fingernail over the skin around the bite, and if the stinger is still there, you will feel it. Remove the stinger without breaking open the venom sac. Apply ice to the bite to relieve any swelling. Then form a paste out of baking soda or meat tenderizer and cover the bite with it. The paste will counteract the acid from the venom, stop it from spreading and help relieve some of the pain.
Planning for the Future
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People who are severely allergic to bee stings often carry an Epi-pen with them. This device is an auto injector that administers epinephrine quickly into one's leg. It is not a substitute for medical treatment, but it can save a life while emergency medical treatment is obtained. If you know your pet is severely allergic to bee stings, consider keeping one on hand in case of an emergency. In general, bee stings in dogs are treated with epinephrine, steroids and/or antihistamines.
Environment
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Bees love flowers. Therefore, if your dog is allergic to bees, do what you can to keep your pet out of flower gardens. Similarly, bees like to nest in trees and under the eaves of houses. Look carefully around your property, and if you see a nest starting to form, it is in everyone's best interest to have it removed as soon as possible. Certain types of wasps and hornets, whose stings can be just as venomous, like to nest in the ground. Check your grounds carefully for nests and have them destroyed if you find any.
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