My dog almost died from a bee sting. What do I do to prevent it again?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Stella! We routinely don't use epinephrine in anaphylactic reactions in animals. Usually injectable benadryl and steroids are given. If the animals blood pressure is low we hospitalize for IV fluids. And they usually do great with a few hours. Stella should be taken to a Vet ASAP. Common signs of an allergic reaction are hives, facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhea and rarely collapse. Epi-pens are prescription and a vet would need to prescribe it in order for a pharmacy to give you one. From what I know they are expensive. I hope this helps and I wish Stella the best!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Kronk! Check his mouth inside and out well. Flush out his mouth with water. You can proactively give benadryl to hopefully prevent any type of reaction leading to swelling. If his face swells despite the benadryl he should be seen by a vet for steroids. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/ I wish you the best!

Dogs can be allergic to bees and stings will swell. It could be possible that she was stung by a bee, but my answer is still the same, she needs emergency veterinary care now. Swelling from bee stings in the mouth can and do cause the airways to be blocked off, leading to respiratory distress and death. She sounds very ill, and if there was anything you could do at home for her, I would tell you. There honestly isn't, she needs to see a vet right away.

They do tend to swell varying amounts when they get stung by bees, but they don't tend to have severe complications, so I would not worry too much right now. You can safely give one 50mg tablet of benadryl by mouth to help prevent allergic reactions. Just know that this will make him drowsy. An allergic reaction normally happens within the first couple of hours, so if he's doing OK by the end of the day, then he should be fine. If he starts vomiting, you notice his face swell excessively, or he seems to have trouble breathing, then these would be signs of an allergic reaction that needs emergency vet treatment. I hope that helps and Ardie turns-out OK.

Benadryl is an antihistamine that is useful in managing allergic reactions, which in dogs, could include facial swelling, hives or difficulty swallowing and breathing. If Shasta experiences facial swelling or has difficulty breathing or swallowing, she should be taken to an emergency veterinarian immediately, as she likely would require steroids in addition to an antihistamine. However, if she seems perfectly normal after eating the bee, there is no need to give her medication. Just continue to monitor her closely over the next few hours for any changes, as most serious allergic reactions occur shortly after exposure to the allergen. I hope that all goes well for Shasta!

You can cool the area where the sting is with some ice wrapped in a cloth. This will take the pain and reduce the swelling. By tomorrow the area should look normal again. If your puppy starts to vomit, gets breathing problems or appears ill, you will need to take it to a pet ER for treatment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I do think that she should see a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. She may be having an allergic reaction to the sting. Also, this appears to be causing her pain which may be why she is not eating. It is hard to know without an examination but this is certainly concerning. They would be able to examine her and determine what would be best to treat her with. Good luck and have a good night!