What are the Possible Adverse Effects of Bee Stings in Cats and Dogs?
On vacation our little Min Pin(7 lbs) was bitten by a bee/wasp/yellow jacket on the hind leg. Of course she cried and limped and refused to let us put ice on it. I was able to dab a bit of witch hazel on the bite. About 2 hours later her muzzle began to swell. We watched for signs of breathing problems and she seemed Okay. I am unsure if the sting caused the swelling or the witch hazel that she promptly licked off. The site of the bite did not swell. It just looked red.
Since we were camping and it was a weekend with no vet care close by we watched her closely all nite. By morning the swelling had gone down considerbly. After reading many blogs about how serious this could have been I am now frightened to take her anywhere outside. What should we do to be prepared if another incident occurs?
Carol
Sewickley,PA
Arthropod (that is to say, bug) bites and stings are very common in pets. In warm climates they can occur at any time of the year.
Dogs most frequently are stung on the mouth or muzzle as they try to catch an insect in flight. Cats most often are stung on the front feet when they pounce on or bat at a bee, wasp, spider, or other arthropod (bug).
Most stinging arthropods (such as bees, wasps, yellow jackets, and fire ants) inject a toxin that is painful and locally irritating. Some animals will develop a body-wide, or systemic reaction to the toxin. This is the equivalent to a human suffering from an allergic reaction to a bee sting.
Animals that suffer systemic reaction to arthropod stings or bites may develop hives, itching, red skin, vomiting, diarrhea, or swelling of the face. These symptoms can progress to shock, which can be fatal. Also, animals that develop facial swelling also may develop swelling in the throat, which can compromise breathing.
Witch Hazel can cause allergic reactions as well. However, based upon your story I suspect that your dog’s facial swelling was caused by the bee sting.
If your pet is stung by a bee or other arthropod, stay calm. If a stinger is in place and your pet will tolerate you handling the area, use a fingernail to scrape out the stinger gently. Do not squeeze the stinger or use tweezers, since this may cause additional poison to be injected through the stinger.
Diphenhydramine, also known as Benadryl, is readily available over the counter at drug stores. I pack this medicine any time my pal Buster and I go to the wilderness. Diphenhydramine is available in a children’s suspension that allows accurate dosing in small dogs. A dose of 0.5 to 1.0 mg per pound of body weight will prevent shock and reduce the likelihood of facial swelling, hives, and other systemic reactions in many cats and dogs after an arthropod bite or sting. Never use a combination product that contains pain killers, anti-inflammatory drugs, or decongestants in a pet.
Remember that this sort of home remedy is no substitute for veterinary care. Some animals will suffer side effects from diphenhydramine. For many animals, diphenhydramine alone will not be enough to halt a systemic reaction to an arthropod bite or sting. But if you are in the middle of the wilderness and getting to a vet isn’t an option, diphenhydramine can make a big difference.
Finally, remember that some types of bites and stings are more serious than others. If your pet is bitten by a black widow spider or brown recluse spider, for instance, simple remedies such as diphenhydramine will not suffice to address the situation.
Photo: Mlouis.
You have questions. 
My kitten (he’s not a kitten anymore) chases bees outside and this has been a worry of mine. Thanks for the post. Right now, I just keep an eye on him. So far so good!
Kimberly
I had heard about Benydryl (sp) for your pets but wasn’t sure how the dossing went. Our German Shepard pup got stung in the mouth this last summer and her face swelled so bad she looked like a pug. We were able to get her to a vet, who gave her the benedryl and a steroid shot. By next morning she was good to go. Her breathing was fine she just seemed uncomfortable over the swelling. She still hasn’t learned her lesson and I’m sure we will be running her to the vet again next spring.
I have been worried about this for a long time. Sugar is an Am P.B.T. and she loves to chase and catch bees, wasps, etc. It doesn’t seem to bother her when she gets stung.(i have seen this happen and she just keeps going). sometimes her face swells up a little, but just where she gets stung. My vet said to give benadryl only if she is uncomfortable, but we always keep some around.
Morning Taxonomy fail: photo is not a bee. http://tinyurl.com/y8vkfg5
BOL…. I eat zee bee’s all the time. Thank goodness I am not allergic.
That’s an awesome fly bug_girl! LOL! My chis sunbathe among the bees in my garden, they occasionally snap at the bees casually who casually evade capture, we’re all just slow motion lazy in the sun. I do keep benadryl well stocked and try to distract their occasional bee snaps but I would never try to get rid of my plants that feed the bees, they are sweet little bees.
I stepped on a bee when I was under a year old.
I went into shock with in about 2 minutes. I screamed, mom got the stinger out, I passed out and lost all of my bowel and urine. My eyes rolled back in my head and I started breathing very slow. On the way to the vet mommy bounced me, shook me and begged me not to go yet.
The vet gave me Dexamethazone and now mommy has it on hand in injections.
And thank goodness the vet knows us well enough to allow us to have it because last year I got bitten by a black widow and mom is sure that had she not given me the injection I would have died.
Remember, that every now and then there is a special case so don’t always assume that it will just be fine.
Another thing to watch for in Texas is scorpians. Several years ago I stepped on a baby scorpian and got stung. I was really sick all night but mommy gave me half a benadryl that night and another half the next morning and I was fine. It is just natural for us to be curious about bugs and things so keep benadryl close by as wekk as benadryl cream for external use.
Adam Chewbacca
My Golden was stung in the mouth (we think) a few years ago. Her tongue swelled up very large and she was unable to eat for several days after treatment. We did not see it happen so don’t know for sure, but since she always liked to catch bees we are pretty sure it was from a bee sting.
our little min pin had a run in with a bee of some kind this past summer. My husband went out to bring her in from a potty break and she was just sitting in the grass and drooling all over. he brought her in and i thought she had over heated so i immediatly started scooping water over her a little a t a time. then my son noticed a spot on her upper lip that was getting bigger and bigger as we watched and i knew right away she had been stung. she is only four pounds so i knoew we needed to do something. called the vet(after hours) and got a very prompt call back(they are a wonderful bunch of people there) and she advised me to giver her half a benedryl. tought odo but just added it to some wet dog food i keep. within and hour she was much better but still scared the begeeberse out of us!!!
Sorry guys, but the photo you’ve chosen to represent a bee or wasp appears to be neither. Rather than a stinging member of the hymenoptera, it appears to be one of the many species of flies (diptera) that mimic venomous bees and wasps. This insect has very tiny antennae, compound eyes that cover most of its head, and what appears to be a small yellow haltere. Unlike bees and wasps, which have two pairs of wings, flies have only the front pair. Their hind wings long ago evolved into a pair of small knobbed structures that act like vibrational gyroscopes that allow flies to perform such incredibly fast aerobatics. Most likely this critter is one of the harmless hover flies that feeds on flower nectar disguised as a venomous bee or wasp.
Before you try benedryl, try to apply a paste of powdered meat tenderizer (unseasoned) with enough water to make the paste. There is an enzyme (papain) in the meat tenderizer that neutralizes the venom in bee and wasp stings and spider bites. This info came from a bee keeper; I’ve used it on wasp stings and spider bites (brown recluse) and it works-takes the burn and pain away, tho’ there may still be a bit of swelling. The main thing to remember is to apply immediately after the sting/bite. FRESH pineapple or papaya will also work–not canned fruit. If you don’t get to it soon enough, use benedryl. It may help to apply a baking soda wash to the sting (to ease the pain) if you are too late for the meat tenderizer or FRESH pineapple or papaya.
Thank you for the information. A friend’s Dachshund was stung recently on her nose by a yellow jacket. Not knowing what to do she called me. She had already put Neosporin on her dog’s nose. I didn’t know about the Neosporin, but I did know about Benadryl and the proper dose.
I’m glad that your Min Pin is doing much better.
Today in the woods Rupert was attacked by a swarm of some sort of stinging bug that leaves it’s stinger behind. Unsure of what to do, we RAN for it!! Rupert seems okay. He kept walking back to the car, and drank some water. I got home and gave him 25mgs of Benadryl (he weighs about 30lbs) and am allowing him to sleep. I believe he was stung multiple times, as I saw at least 5-10 bees actually on him. I got one stinger out that I found.
Great blog you got here. It would be great to read a bit more about this topic.