Summer is here and so are the bees. While they can be fun to chase, the outcome can be painful and in some cases, life threatening. So what do you do if your cat or dog gets stung by a bee?
Both cats and dogs get stung in the mouth, the throat, on their paws or their nose. Just like humans they will experience some localised pain, irritation and some swelling.
Signs that your cat or dog has been stung by a bee or wasp:
Nibbling or licking the place they have been stung
Yowling or vocalising more than usual
Swelling in the specific area (this may be harder to detect with long-haired animals)
Pawing at the place they’ve been stung e.g. their face, mouth or throat
What to do
Immediately, try and remove the sting using tweezers, a credit card, key or fingernail, taking care to scrape from below the venom sac if using the latter options. The longer the sting stays in your pet, the more venom will be released into their system. But it’s no easy task with furry bits and a wriggling animal!
Treating a bee sting with homeopathic remedies may reduce the pain and swelling – and in some cases, within a matter of 15 or 30 minutes, they’ve forgotten they’ve been stung. The remedy, Apis is used for allergic reactions with red or swollen bites or stings and Ledum is used for insect stings or puncture wounds.
Applying an ice pack to the wound will decrease swelling and help with the pain. You can mix baking soda and water to create a thick paste and apply that to the sting site for a few minutes before rinsing off, to assist with pain and swelling. Gel from the Aloe vera leaf will also soothe the pain.
Signs of an allergic reaction
The most important thing to do after a suspected bee sting is to closely watch your pet for any signs of an allergic reaction which can happen within minutes or hours.
Severe symptoms include:
Rapid or difficulty breathing (watch for swelling around the face and neck)
Profuse drooling
Dizziness, agitation or disorientation
Weakness or difficulty walking
Seizures
Vomiting or diarrhoea
If any of these signs are being displayed immediately get to the vet.
But on your way there, give your pet Apis which can act quickly to reduce swelling. Apis should always be a part of your First Aid kit – for animals and children.