What to Do if Your Dog is Stung by Bee

If you have a lot of flowers in your yard then it’s likely you have bees buzzing around. And that means sooner or later your dog will likely be stung on the face or paws. Vet Street spoke with two vets for advice on what to do if your dog is stung by a bee.

Dr. Paul Richieri, DVM of Melrose Pet Clinic shared this advice on Vet Street:

“If it is swollen and a little puffy, it is a localized reaction to the sting.”

To stop the venom from spreading, try to remove the stinger as quickly as possible.
“The stinger can pulsate venom into a dog or cat for up to two to three minutes after being separated from the bee,” (NYC vet) Dr. Plotnick explains. “Removal of the stinger should be done using a credit card to scrape it out. Do not try to squeeze the stinger out with your fingers or use tweezers because the venom sac may rupture, further exposing the pet to more venom.”

To reduce the swelling, apply a cold compress. You can run a washcloth under some cool tap water and then wrap it around or press it onto the site of the sting.

“If your dog gets stung by a bee and starts vomiting within five to 10 minutes and his gums become pale, that’s when you know they are going into anaphylactic shock,” Dr. Richieri says.

As you can see, in the most severe cases, a bee sting can be very dangerous for a dog. If your dog goes into anaphylactic shock, take him to the vet immediately. Otherwise, the guidance from VetStreet above should be all you need to do if your dog is stung by a bee. If your dog licks or scratches the sting spot, she may benefit from an over-the-counter antihistamine.  But before you give her one, talk to your vet. The dosage is based on your dog’s weight – and there are other criteria to select the RIGHT antihistamine.