The sunshine has arrived, which means flowers are blooming and the great outdoors looks more attractive than ever – however with it come the bees.
UK bees are most active during the spring and summer months, when temperatures are warm enough for them to fly and forage for food – the warmer the weather, the larger, and more active the bee population will be.
Bees play a vital part in maintaining healthy ecosystems but have been known to sting a curious cat, or nosy doggy.
While pets are enjoying their outdoor time, any owner knows there are all sorts of ways they can get themselves into some mischief. Their curious nature and desire to sniff everything means that they often end up sticking their noses into things, and sometimes that can result in a nasty surprise.
PDSA vet nurse, Nina Downing, said: “Insect bites and stings are quite common in dogs during the spring, summer and early autumn. They’re most often stung or bitten around their face or paws, as these are the bits of them that go investigating first.”
What are the symptoms of a bee sting?
Some of the symptoms to watch out for if a pet has managed to get an insect bite or sting are:
- Mild swelling in the affected area
- Licking, biting or pawing the area
- Whining and crying
- Limping or holding up a paw
- Drooling
How to treat a bee sting
Nina says: “If you notice any of these then have a look through your pet’s fur – if they’ve been stung by a bee there may be a stinger left behind. If you see a stinger left in their skin it’s important not to try and pull it out with tweezers or your fingers – this could squeeze more venom into your dog causing more pain.”
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Instead, PDSA vet teams recommend taking the following actions:
- Place the edge of a credit card under the venom sac (yellow-ish blob) sting, and gently scrape out the sting.
- Place a cold, damp cloth on the affected area to sooth the skin and reduce swelling. You could also use an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel if your dog is comfortable with this.
- Anti-histamines can help to reduce swelling, but it’s important to speak to your vet first. They can advise on what type of medication might be appropriate, and what dosage is safe for your pet.
- Home remedies such as vinegar for wasp stings, or bicarbonate and water for bee stings, won’t do your pet any harm. However, there’s little evidence that they are effective in relieving symptoms.
Nina says: “If your pet has suffered a bite or sting, it’s important to monitor them closely for signs of an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions are fairly rare, but they can happen. Signs include hives or a severe rash, rapid swelling around the affected area, rapid breathing or difficulty in breathing, vomiting, diarrhoea or collapse. If you notice any of these things, then call your vet straight away.”
In most cases, stings and bites are fairly mild and can be managed at home, and thankfully, most pets will only experience mild symptoms, and after a few hours will be feeling much better.
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How can you prevent bee stings?
To help keep your pets away from buzzing bees and avoid any painful stings, it is worth teaching them a simple ‘leave’ command.
How to teach the 'leave' command
With positive reinforcement, using a really high value treat, so that the reward is of greater importance to your dog than whatever they are otherwise interested in (such as a bee!)
- For learning how to leave it, only start training when your dog is relaxed.
- Hold a treat in your hand and tell your dog to “take”, giving them the treat.
- Then hold a treat in your closed fist and let your dog sniff and lick at your hand, but don’t respond. Once your dog backs off, even if just for a second, open your hand to give them the treat saying “take”, with lots of praise.
- You’ll need to repeat this many times over several short, regular training sessions. Once your dog is consistently moving away from the treat, add in the command “leave” as they start to back off, then open your hand to give them the treat as you say “take”.
- Once your dog has mastered this step, progress to practicing with the treat in your open hand, and eventually on the floor. If they struggle at any stage, just go back a step.
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