We’ve all seen pictures and videos of dogs that ate bees. The internet is full of them! And, to be honest those pooches do look a bit funny. But, it stops being funny when it happens to your dog, doesn’t it?
One moment you’re relaxing with your dog by the pool, you’re having a cold drink and just relaxing. And then the other second you see your dog swallow a bee and you start to panic! It’s a scary scenario to see your dog get bitten by a bee or eat one. But, no one really ever told you what to do in those moments, right?
Obviously, your first reaction at dogs that ate bees (the one to panic) is natural. But please if this ever happens to your dog, stay calm.
In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know if your dog ever gets bitten by a bee. And no, pulling out your phone and snapping a picture or filming a video, is not it.
So, while you’re here, we have many other interesting articles about dogs:
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- Dog nail polish: How safe is it to paint their nails
- How to get a dog unstoned: “Help, my dog is high!”
Dogs that ate bees – Why do they do that?
What could be the reason your dog wants to eat a bee? They are annoyed by them! No really, if one second your dog is completely calm and sitting with you, and the next they are attacking a wild be or trying to eat it, that’s probably the reason why. Your dog is very likely just annoyed by the bee and wants to get rid of it.
But what if your dog swallowed the bee or it stung them?
If your dog has been stung by a bee, know this is completely harmless in most cases. It usually only becomes dangerous when the bee has stung your dog in the throat. Because then his throat can swell and breathing problems can occur.
Firstly, check the outside of your dog’s snouts and lips, see if they really swallowed the bee. Please, look closely at the inside of their mouths, including the gums, tongue, and back of their throat.
Secondly, if your dog was stung by a honeybee, remove the stinger. Remember, only a honeybee leaves a stinger, a hornet or wasp doesn’t. If you don’t remove it the spot can become inflamed.
To remove the stinger, gently scrape it out, please don’t pinch and pull the stinger out. The reason for this is that it can force more venom into your dog, and you don’t want that.
The best way to scrape the stinger out is to lay a credit card against their skin and slide it in one direction to coax the stinger out.
It’s great if you saw your dog getting stung by a bee. in that case, you can react in time. But what if you didn’t see anything happen?
Signs that your dog has been stung by a bee
So, how will you know your dog got stung by a bee? Dogs let you know they’re in pain by barking or howling. And that’s exactly how they will let you know they got stung by a bee. If your dog is stung by a bee, he will usually let you know by howling loudly. This is at least helpful if you are near your four-legged friend during the bee sting.
In addition, the swelling caused by the sting can often be easily felt, and you’ll probably see the stinger. It typically gets stuck in your dog’s skin, together with the poison gland.
As we’ve already mentioned, unless your dog is allergic to the bee’s venom, external stings won’t cause any further symptoms.
But, if the bee has stung your dog on the throat or inside the throat, this can be very dangerous. Unfortunately, this happens more often than you think. Your dog can swallow a bee while eating or drinking.
In this case, the mucous membranes can swell, which can lead to breathing difficulties or even life-threatening attacks of suffocation. In addition, your dog can go into shock. This is noticeable, among other things, through pale mucous membranes, tremors and apathy.
If this happens to your dog, please don’t take any risks and immediately take your dog to the vet! You should always take a dog that has been stung by a bee in the throat, to the vet immediately.
In that case, putting ice on the affected area alone is not enough to prevent your dog from suffocating.
The same applies to dogs that are allergic to bee venom. Your dog might not suffocate, but anaphylactic shock can occur. And we don’t need to tell you that it can end fatally.
Conclusion
Bees and other insects such as wasps or mosquitoes are annoying, but they are part of the warm season. If your dog has been stung by a bee, you have to stay calm, remove the stinger and cool the area where the bee stung your pooch.
Remember, bee stings are only dangerous for dogs in the neck or throat area and if the four-legged friend is allergic to the bee’s poison. In these cases, your dog needs to see a veterinarian immediately. The vet can treat your dog accordingly and possibly even save your dog’s life.
There are also some preventative measures that you can take to reduce the risk of your dog getting stung by a bee, especially in your dog’s mouth.
What you can do to protect your dog:
- check your dog’s food bowl regularly for insects and don’t let them eat food that has been left around for too long.
- teach your dog from an early age not to snap at insects.
- make sure that your garden is as dog-friendly as possible. The more flowers you have, the more likely it is that bees will frolic in your garden.
- if you know that your dog is allergic to bees or other insect stings, ask your vet to give you an emergency medication to take home with you.
We know that it’s funny to see dogs that ate bees on the internet, but in reality, it’s a very scary situation.