picture courtesy of http://www.agf.gov.bc.caOn Sunday a dog was in its yard and somehow upset a nest full of bees. Whether the dog was chasing the bees as a game or was attacked while laying in the yard is not known. The bees stung the dog repeatedly which caused severe allergic reaction and led to death as the dog was outdoors unattended while the family was out. It is possible that there would not have been time for the family had they witnessed the bees stinging their dog to get the dog help as the toxin in bee stings multiples as more and more bees attack overloading an animals system just as it would our own.
Spring is here in full force which means sunshine, flowers, outdoor activities and of course bees and wasps. Like you, your dog will have a reaction to bee and wasp stings. Some dogs will react more then other and some area of your dog are more prone to lead to complications from a sting. Anytime your pet is stung from the neck to the tip of its nose can become serious as breathing can become labored. If this occurs you should treat as a first response and drive immediately to the vet.
The most important step is to remove the stinger with tweezers. Stingers are usually clear, which can make them difficult to locate due to your dogs fur. However you should be able to find the general area easily because there will likely be swelling around the stinger and if you can see skin it will be red and warm to the touch. Look toward the center of the swollen area to locate the bee stinger. Be sure to pull the stinger straight out when your dog is stung by a bee breaking it will allow more poison into your dog's blood stream. If you can't reach it, leave it alone unless your dog needs veterinary attention. Then let your vet get it out.
Clean the area of the sting with a baking soda and water paste. You ca leave this mixture on in order to help draw out some of the toxin. This will also help if the area starts to swell or gets itchy. Give your dog an antihistamine like Benadryl after consulting your vet for the proper dosage. If you buy liquid be sure to buy the bottle without alcohol. This will help keep swelling down and could help your dog make it to the vet for more aggressive treatment if it is necessary. The antihistamine will most likely make your dog drowsy make sure to keep an eye on them and any sign of weakness or fever or vomiting should be seen immediately by a vet.
For non serious cases you can use an icepack a few minutes on the swollen area a few minutes off in order to bring down the swelling but not freeze your pet. Do not allow your pet to fall asleep on an icepack as prolonged exposure can be harmful.
Read more:
How to Treat a Dog for Bee Stings | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2093265_treat-dog-bee-stings.html#ixzz1LJv6TAHT
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Bees-Kill-Dog-in-Torrance-121168679.html