The dog was bitten by a bee: an overview of the signs of a bee sting in dogs, what to do

It is difficult to find a person who has never been stung by a bee in his life. Honey insect bites not only cause pain, but also carry considerable danger: inflammation of the mucous membranes (if a bee has bitten, for example, the eyelid), swelling of the larynx (if bitten in the neck area), allergic reactions. In a word, the sting of a bee is not pleasant. What about our pets, dogs? After all, they are also often bitten by striped working bees.

Animals can become victims of bee stings due to their own curiosity when trying to catch buzzing insects. And sometimes a fatal bite is a coincidence, if a bee flew into an open window, and the dog simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Bee sting: is it dangerous?

When bees bite, they dig into the skin of a domestic animal and leave a sting in it, which contains barbs and a poisonous sac.
If the dog encounters not a bee, but a hornet, bumblebee or wasp, they may also bite. Dog and bee

Note! Bees don't bite, they sting. They can do this only once, after which they die, leaving a sting in the enemy’s body with part of their intestines.

After a bee sting, the animal's paws and nose usually swell. But in addition, other troubles may develop:

• Anaphylactic shock is a consequence of an allergic reaction to an insect bite. Main symptoms: blisters form on the skin, severe swelling of the tissues and skin, wheezing is heard during breathing, possible vomiting, convulsions, involuntary bowel movements and gall bladder, and a plaintive whining.
• Suffocation. It’s not so scary if the dog is stung by an insect, for example, on the paw. It is much worse if a honey insect flew into the mouth of a curious pet. In most cases, the dog's oxygen supply is blocked, so assistance must be provided immediately.
• An allergic reaction develops mainly only if the dog is bitten by several bees at the same time or with a slight difference in time. Against this background, the following symptoms may develop: severe itching and swelling at the site of the bite, upset of the digestive tract, and fever.

Slight swelling and a single squeal are a normal reaction and there is no cause for concern. If more severe symptoms develop, you must take your dog to the hospital immediately, otherwise it can lead to death.

Types of bites

What actions the owner needs to take when stung by a bee depends on the type of insect itself. All stinging insects behave differently.

Wasps and hornets do not leave their sting at the site of the bite. Therefore, when they bite, you need to treat the wound as soon as possible and squeeze out a few drops of blood from the bite site. It will still contain almost the entire amount of insect poison.

But bees and bumblebees leave their sting at the site of the bite. It contains a capsule with poison. In this case, the owner needs to carefully remove the sting as quickly as possible and try not to crush the capsule. If everything goes well, the dog will feel almost nothing.

Symptoms of a Dog Insect Bite

A cat was bitten by a wasp or a bee: what to do at home

If your dog is bitten by a bee, you need to carefully monitor your pet's condition for a while. If alarming symptoms appear, your pet should be taken to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Dachshund bitten by bees

A dog bee sting may be accompanied by the development of the following clinical picture:

• the dog whines and jumps away from the bite site or, on the contrary, tries to attack;
• after a short period of time, pain and swelling develop at the site of the bite, the muzzle becomes swollen;
• if the bite site is in the mouth, then the palate and mouth swell primarily, the dog cannot close it, and there is abundant salivation.

Subsequently, symptoms develop individually. A puppy and an adult dog may experience rapid heartbeat and fever, feverish trembling, vomiting and diarrhea, unsteadiness of gait, disorientation in space.

The most dangerous places for bites

The most unpleasant and dangerous place is insect bites in the dog's face. The reaction can be especially unpredictable when bitten in the mouth or if the dog swallows a bee and the bite occurs on the tongue, mouth or larynx. In these cases, the swelling begins to develop too quickly and the air supply may be blocked and the dog may suffocate if help is not given in time.

Bee stings on dogs' noses, lips or mucous membranes of the eyes are not so dangerous. The skin in these places is very delicate and reacts painfully to the poison. The dog will feel pain, itching, swelling and fever for quite a long time.

When a dog bites on the paw, nothing terrible usually happens. Most often, the bite site is simply itchy and slightly painful. If you are bitten on the paw, what should the owner do? You don’t need to do anything special, you just need to do standard processing. The dog will probably limp slightly.

Signs of a bee sting in dogs

1. swelling at the bite site
2. facial swelling
3. redness
4. pain at the bite site
5. itching at the bite site
6. difficulty breathing
7. weakness
8. vomit
9. diarrhea
10. convulsions
11. nervousness
12. dizziness
13. salivation

While some bee stings are minor, others can cause life-threatening symptoms in your dog. Symptoms of a bee sting are similar to those in humans and usually include only swelling, redness, pain and mild itching around the sting site . Sometimes there may be hives on the body. These symptoms are usually not very severe and are of short duration. However, other symptoms can be very worrying. Some dogs may experience difficulty breathing, vomiting and diarrhea, nervousness, watery eyes, weakness, dizziness and even seizures. These symptoms usually appear within about 20 minutes, but may not appear for several hours after a bee sting.

The first symptom of a bee sting is usually barking or howling from the dog after the sting. If a bee stings your dog on the leg, he may limp, hold his paw, or lick it. If the sting is on your dog's face or mouth, he may lick his lips and rub his face on the ground. Redness and swelling at the site of the bite occurs quite quickly before other symptoms.

First aid algorithm

1. Wash the bite site with soapy water or 3% peroxide;
2. Thoroughly treat the skin around the bite site with a 5% iodine solution;
3. Attach a bactericidal film or patch to the wound and wrap it with a sterile bandage;
4. Seek help from a doctor immediately.

There is no need to ignore the first aid algorithm; specialists specifically inform about it for the purpose of human safety.

Rabies vaccination immunization scheme for humans after a bite:

• First immunization – 3 injections on days 0–7 and on day 30;
• The first revaccination exactly one year later - 1 injection;
• Repeated revaccination exactly after 5 years - 1 injection.

Immunization of rabies vaccination for a person after a bite of a sick animal is presented in accordance with all the rules and standards of medical institutions.

Treatment for bee stings in dogs

If your dog is stung by a bee, you don’t need to panic right away, you should first monitor the dog’s breathing. If your dog has trouble breathing at any time or shows signs other than minor redness, itching, pain and swelling at the bite site, your veterinarian should see it as soon as possible. Sometimes home care is not enough and quick-acting injections of steroids and antihistamines along with oxygen therapy are required.

Here is a list of things you should do if your dog is stung by a bee.:

1. Remove the stinger - First remove the dog's stinger, if you can find it. Do not use tweezers to remove the sting as this may force out more venom.
2. Disinfect the bite site - After removing the sting, you can apply a mixture of baking soda and water to create a soothing paste on the bite site.
3. Reduce Swelling – To reduce swelling, you can hold an ice pack on the bite site for 10 minutes.
4. Protect the bite site from your dog's influence - If your dog is scratching the bite site and injuring himself, it may be worth trying to put a sock on your dog's foot to reduce the risk of further injury.
5. Call your veterinarian – Finally, call your veterinarian to make sure it is safe to give your dog an antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine . This medication will reduce bee sting symptoms and help your dog feel more comfortable.

Remember to use common sense and remain calm, as nerves will only hurt you. Dogs take on our emotions.

First aid for a tick bite

The algorithm of action when bitten by this dangerous insect is as follows:

• extract the parasite;
• treat the damaged area;
• taking infection-blocking drugs.

It is necessary to remove the parasite very carefully, especially if its victim is a child. The place where the insect is attached must be lubricated with a fat-containing substance, this can be a nourishing cream or regular vegetable oil. For adults, you can use substances that have a strong odor, such as gasoline. The fact is that ticks cannot tolerate such “odors” and can detach themselves. However, such measures cannot be resorted to with children, due to the sensitivity of delicate skin and the likelihood of intoxication of the child.

After treating the bite site with oil or cream, you must wait about 15 minutes, and then remove the tick using tweezers.

It is important here not to crush the insect, as in this case the risk of infection will greatly increase. In addition, it is necessary to take into account that the insect’s proboscis has a spiral shape, so it must be removed by carefully rotating it clockwise so that part of the mite does not remain in the child’s skin

After this, you need to treat the wound with any disinfectant that is on hand, for example, brilliant green or alcohol.

For prevention, it is advisable to take an antihistamine to protect the child from severe allergic reactions that often occur in such cases, even if the insect is not a carrier of diseases. In addition, it is advisable to take immunomodulatory drugs to help the body block the infection if it is acquired through the insect's saliva. True, only a doctor can prescribe such drugs, therefore, if a child is bitten by a tick, in order to reduce the risk of disease, it is necessary to seek medical help.

First aid

In the event of a bite, behave calmly, do not panic or scold the dog under any circumstances: after all, the dog is already stressed from pain and surprise. Take the following actions as soon as possible:

1. Pull out the sting if there is one.
   Insects sting in different ways: for example, a sting remains at the site of a bee sting; wasps, bumblebees and hornets do not leave it. Therefore, if a dog is bitten by a bee, the sting must be removed immediately. This can be done using tweezers, nails, nail scissors, or a handy tool such as a plastic card. There is a sac with poison on the bee sting, so it must be pulled out carefully, using sliding movements, so that the remaining toxic substance is not squeezed out and does not enter the animal’s blood.
2. Treat the stung area.
   Apply a gauze or cotton swab soaked with water and ammonia to the dog's paw, nose or lip. The bite can also be washed with alcohol or even regular vodka. If you don’t have anything like this on hand, just rinse with water.
3. Apply a cold compress.
   Cold helps reduce swelling, reduce pain and slow down the absorption of bee venom. Do not keep the ice pack on for more than 15 minutes. During all these manipulations, talk to the dog and calm it with your voice.
4. Use folk remedies.
   the cous can be treated with grated parsley leaves, dandelion juice, plantain or honey.
5. In case of numerous bites, provide the dog with plenty of fluids
   - this will help the toxic substances leave the dog’s body faster.
6. Lubricate the wound with an anti-allergic ointment that relieves itching
   . This is important because, as any dog ​​lover knows, a dog can easily scratch an itchy bee sting and cause an infection. As such a remedy, you can use fenistil, lorinden, one percent hydrocortisone ointment, etc.
7. Give your dog an antihistamine.
   One tablet of suprastin, loratadine, diphenhydramine or tavegil will be enough.

As a rule, these measures are sufficient for a bite on the paw. During the first time after a bite, observe the dog as carefully as possible in order to promptly notice the manifestation of an acute allergy to the bite of a poisonous insect.

A dog was bitten by a bee: symptoms of an allergic reaction

1. Difficulty, heavy breathing;
2. Severe swelling (swelling) at the site of the bite;
3. Blue discoloration of the tongue, lips and mucous membranes of the mouth;
4. Foam appears at the mouth;
5. Vomiting may begin;
6. The most frightening symptom is loss of consciousness.

The dog was bitten by a wasp: what to do

A separate story was when a bee bit a dog on the nose. In this case, the resulting swelling can completely block the airways. Yes, of course, if the nose is swollen, the dog can breathe through its mouth and at least will not die. However, the fact is that the swelling can spread to the larynx and then your pet will be on the verge between life and death. Thus, if a bee or wasp sting occurred specifically on the nose or on the lips, cheeks and nearby areas, there can be no doubt. As they say, grab your dog and run to the vet. Only he will be able to correctly assess the risk to the health and life of your pet.

It is worth mentioning another common question: a dog was bitten on the paw by a wasp, what should I do? Everything is the same, there will be no separate recommendations. In this case, she will be scared and begin to whine and cry. Most likely, she will limp, or even just tuck her paw and jump on three feet. You shouldn't be scared, it will pass. In any case, an allergic reaction is possible, which means the whole range of measures described below is quite relevant.

So, precautions did not help, the dog was bitten by a bee, what to do? To begin with, do not panic under any circumstances. Stupid throwing has never benefited anyone

If your dog has been bitten by a bee, you can help yourself. Carefully inspect the site of the bee sting.

First of all, figure out for sure whether there is a bee sting left there or not. True, if the dog was bitten by a wasp (photo below), you will not find anything. Remember that it is the bees and bumblebees that throw it away when they sting the intended enemy. If your dog is stung by a bee (photo below), you will see a sting.

Be sure to try to remove it. If it remains in the wound, it can cause serious suppuration. When removing, be careful not to damage the sac of poison near the base of the sting, otherwise an additional portion of poison will get into the wound and you will cause serious pain to the dog. To extract, use tweezers, and not necessarily medical ones. You can take a cosmetic one, and if this is not available, you can use your own nails, but only with movements along the skin, and not away from it. Also try to squeeze out the oozing blood from the wound; there may also be poison in it.

After all these measures, you can begin to directly treat the wound. In principle, the location of the bite does not play a special role. For example, if a dog is bitten on the paw by a bee, what should you do? The same is true if a dog is bitten by a wasp in the face, or in the back or tail. The wound should be externally treated with hydrogen peroxide, or a solution of potassium permanganate, or even ordinary brilliant green.

To remove local swelling and acute pain, make a lotion of gauze soaked in boric acid (about one teaspoon per glass of water), and then apply an ice compress.

When you do all these procedures, be sure to talk kindly to your pet. This way the dog can stop being nervous and forget about the pain. If you have a first aid kit with you, then give it an injection of any antihistamine, for example suprastin or tavegil. These medications will prevent a serious allergic reaction from developing. If you don’t know how to give injections to a dog, then at least give it tablets of the same drugs. Make sure she has plenty of water and monitor her condition for a while, two to three hours. If it begins to noticeably worsen, then immediately grab your pet and rush to the vet without delay.

Some advice from a veterinarian

A dog has several places that are considered the most dangerous for a bite, these are the muzzle, neck, and palate (in case the insect has been swallowed). If a dog is bitten in the face by a wasp, what should you do? When bitten in such places, swelling of the respiratory tract may form, so you should immediately go to the doctor.

If possible, use these sting removal techniques, then disinfect the bite area, give your pet antihistamines, and take your pet to the vet. If there are signs of anaphylactic shock, the temperature will rise, there will be powerlessness, vomiting and a rash on the skin will appear, and she may begin to choke. To localize the reaction, veterinarians give diphenhydramine, suprastin or pipolfen. To normalize blood pressure, use cordiamine (about 20 drops), and the area where you were stung should be injected with adrenaline and an antihistamine.

What to do in case of an acute allergic reaction

If the dog has been stung for the first time, the risk of allergies is less than with subsequent bites. The following symptoms indicate that the consequences for the dog were much more serious than usual:

• heavy or difficult breathing;
• severe swelling of the stung area;
• foam from the mouth;
• vomit;
• tongue color changes to purple;
• loss of consciousness.

In this situation, you need to immediately give an injection of an antihistamine and urgently take the dog to a veterinary clinic.

Allergy

While walking, your dog was stung by a bee or wasp, developed an allergic reaction, and you don’t know what to do? It is urgent to administer an antihistamine. This may be chloropyramine or tavegil. Diphenhydramine shows good results, but pharmacies sell it with a doctor's prescription. Medicines are administered by injection. The dose is selected depending on the size of the bitten dog (its weight).

• up to 10 kg - 0.1 ml/kg;
• from 10 to 20 kg - 1 ml;
• more than 20 kg - 2 ml.

What should you do if your dog is bitten by a wasp on the cheek or lip and severe swelling develops ? A glucocorticosteroid drug, dexamethasone, . It is an immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory drug. Used for anaphylactic shock, edema, acute manifestations of allergies. The dosage of the medicine is selected taking into account the size of the dog according to the formulas specified in the instructions.

What to do if a puppy or an adult is bitten by a bee, and the sore spot is itchy and itchy? will help : fenistil, sinaflan . Or traditional hydrocortisone ointment (1%).

You should not self-medicate if the animal has developed an acute form of allergy: the tongue has turned blue, heavy breathing has appeared. You should immediately take your pet to a specialist.

Antiallergic drugs

In case of a bite in the face or lip, or the onset of an acute allergy, it is necessary to give injections rather than give tablets: the latter act too slowly, and the stung area swells very quickly. Therefore, dog breeders should purchase a couple of ampoules of the following drugs so that they are always on hand in their home veterinary medicine cabinet. You should also take the ampoules with you during trips to nature - to keep them safe and sound, wrap them in foil.

1. You can buy suprastin or tavegil in ampoules at the pharmacy without a prescription. Diphenhydramine is also suitable - but, unlike the previous ones, it is available with a prescription.
2. Dexamethasone, also in ampoules.

In case of severe swelling, some veterinarians recommend additionally injecting the dog with a diuretic (furosemide) and magnesium.

How to relieve irritation from a bee sting

Irritation and swelling are unpleasant consequences of a bee sting. To make all this go as easily and quickly as possible, you need to understand the principles of their actions and ways to deal with them.

What you need to know about edema

The swelling from the bite is most often small - only a couple of centimeters in size. By touch you can clearly determine its boundaries, since it is quite hard. In case of allergies, the swelling reaches a more noticeable size.

Why does swelling occur?

After the sting enters the human skin, it injects poison under the dermis. The immune system begins to react sharply to this process - it quickly fills the bite site with the necessary substances to neutralize the consequences. Thus, various liquids and substances accumulate under the skin, which “swell” the site of penetration of the sting. Among these substances is histamine, which causes irritation and itching.

Treatment and relief of edema

Was your dog bitten by a wasp? There is a high probability of developing inflammation and swelling. Swelling may appear immediately after the poison enters the body, or over the next 2-3 hours. To eliminate the condition, medications and folk remedies are used.

Pills

Animals with edema that have been bitten by insects are prescribed the following medications:

Medicines are convenient to use. Before use, they must be crushed and turned into powder . Dosage for treatment should be discussed with your veterinarian during an in-person visit or by telephone.

If a dog that has been bitten by stinging insects develops swelling, doctors recommend using diuretics. For example, Lasix, torsemide, veroshpiron, hypothiazide. In this case, it is necessary to provide the animal with plenty of fluids .

Ointments

What else needs to be done for swelling if the dog has been bitten by bees or wasps? Use anti-inflammatory, analgesic ointment Indovazin . It should be used together with the drug Famotidine , a gastrointestinal protector.

Dexamethasone ointment, which has antiallergic and decongestant properties, effectively helps against bites. It will relieve a dog that was bitten by insects while walking from pain, swelling, itching, and hives.

Glucocorticoid ointments show high effectiveness in treatment: elocom, advantate . They are also available in the form of cream and suspension. They are hormonal drugs. Relieves inflammation, swelling, reduces tissue susceptibility to allergens.

Typically, ointments are applied 2 times a day (morning and evening) until the swelling subsides. Any medications can cause allergies. If it occurs, you should stop using the drug and consult a veterinarian.

Traditional methods

What to do if an insect bites a dog, but there is no way to use pharmacological agents? Minor swelling, inflammation, and itching can be completely dealt with using traditional methods, using the healing properties of plants.

1. Aloe vera . The juice of this succulent has been used for centuries to treat skin diseases. It relieves swelling and inflammation. Relieves rashes and severe itching. If a puppy or adult dog is bitten by a wasp while walking, you can apply the pulp of the plant to the sore spot.
2. Echinacea . Dogs that have been bitten by bees or wasps in the summer are given a lotion with a decoction of this plant. Echinacea is a natural antiseptic and antiviral agent. Effectively helps with symptoms of snake bites.
3. Pharmaceutical camomile . The plant heals wounds, reduces inflammation and swelling in pets. Medicinal decoctions are prepared from chamomile, which are used for compresses on the bite site.
4. Plantain . It is a kind of ambulance. Owners remember it as soon as the question arises: what to do if a dog was bitten by a wasp or a bee while walking. A leaf of the plant can be applied to the wound, kneading it in your hands to release the juice.
5. Bulb onions . You can apply half of the whole head to the affected area, cut side down. Another way is to chop the onion using a knife or blender. Apply the resulting pulp to the bite site through gauze so as not to cause a skin burn.

Herbal lotions are good for wasp bites. They may include, in addition to the above plants, calendula, comfrey leaves and roots, mint, lemon balm, parsley, dandelion. You can enhance the effect with honey. It will help draw out the poison that remains after removing the insect sting from the wound.

“Green healers” are used to prepare healing infusions for allergies. 1 tbsp. l. dry raw materials are poured with a glass of water, put on fire and boil for 3-5 minutes. The resulting product is given to the animal 30-50 ml with each meal. For these purposes, nettles, wild rosemary, yarrow, oak bark, blueberries, and cinquefoil are used.

The owner should be aware that herbal infusions and teas may taste bitter. Getting your pet to drink them for treatment is quite difficult. What to do? Sweeten the resulting infusion with dextrose or glucose to make it pleasant to drink. For internal use, you can use dry herb. It is recommended to finely chop it and mix it with meat or minced meat.

Traditional methods of treatment must be coordinated with a veterinarian. Many plants, if used incorrectly, can cause harm to animals. Only a doctor knows what to do and how to use them correctly if a four-legged friend is bitten by a bee.

Dangerous situations

These include a bite from a woman during pregnancy, a sting from a small child, a bite to the head, finger, neck, soft tissue or eye. We propose to analyze each case and its harm separately.

Stinging Children

A bee sting is much more painful for a child than for an adult. In addition, the area affected by the insect, be it a hand or just a finger, can become inflamed. If it happened that a child was bitten by a bee, what to do in such a situation?

First you need to provide first aid. After the sting is removed, the wound must be treated with a disinfectant and anointed with “Rescuer” ointment. It has a pleasant aroma and is gentle on children's skin. If such an ointment is not available at home, you can use a slightly pinkish solution of potassium permanganate.

If assistance is provided correctly and in a timely manner, the swelling and other symptoms of the bite should disappear on the second day. If body temperature rises, chills appear and signs of intoxication appear, the child must be urgently taken to a medical facility.

What if a bee stings a pregnant woman?

Many people wonder what to do if a woman is stung by a bee during pregnancy? After all, you can be attacked by these insects in a clearing, meadow, park, garden or in an outdoor cafe. If a woman is bitten during pregnancy, it will not harm the health of the child. The only thing that can cause discomfort is pain, itching, and swelling. In the absence of an allergic reaction, the consequences of the bite will have to be endured, since treatment with drugs during pregnancy can negatively affect the condition of the fetus.

Bite into soft tissue

If the bite is on soft tissue, for example, on the lip or tongue, treatment should be aimed at relieving swelling. If your lip is stung, as in the photo, you can use Rescuer ointment. But why not use an effective folk remedy? After all, the bite site can be smeared with an aqueous solution of soda. Literally in 10 minutes there will be no trace of swelling left.

In the case when a wasp or bee sting occurs on the tongue, it looks really scary. Self-treatment may worsen the situation. After all, if the swelling spreads to the larynx, it can cause suffocation. That's why it's better to see a doctor right away.

Bite to the head or neck

When a wasp or bee stings the head or neck, the most severe consequences are observed. In addition to burning pain, redness and swelling appear on the skin, which quickly spreads to nearby tissues. After providing first aid, the victim must be taken to a medical facility, where they will take the necessary measures and tell you what to apply to the stung areas.

Bite in the eye

If the organ of vision is damaged by a wasp or bee, the eyelid closes completely, as severe swelling appears on it. Against this background, complications may arise in the form of blepharitis, conjunctivitis or panophthalmitis. That’s why you shouldn’t waste a minute trying to apply folk remedies to your eyes, but consult a doctor immediately.

Prevention

We looked at the symptoms, treatment and prevention if your dog is stung by a wasp or bee. Is there any way to protect your pets from stinging insects? This cannot be done completely. But you can minimize the risks.

You should keep an eye on your pet while walking. Keep it away from flowering plants and berry bushes. This is especially true for active breeds. After all, you can often meet, for example, a curious dachshund that was stung by a bee while out for a walk. But a calmly walking French bulldog rarely becomes a victim of stinging insects.

The walking area should be checked for wasp nests. By following these rules, the number of bites will be kept to a minimum. The dog owner must have a first aid kit containing the medications necessary to provide medical care.