PSA: Dogs and Bees

[MTLabrador]

It’s a good idea to keep some Benadryl in your dog supplies, because a bee sting might turn into this in 15 minutes and require a trip to the emergency vet. His face was so swollen that the vet tech was convinced it was a rattlesnake at first.

 

[Nick87]

Oh man, hope he heals up! Noted on the benadryl.

 

[stillkickin]

Good advice, just put some in my vet kit. Hope your pup is back to normal soon

 

[BirdManMike]

Good advice!

 

[MTLabrador]

He’s doing better after a heavy dose of Benadryl and some steroid injections, but I’ve never seen a reaction happen so fast. About 5 minutes after the sting he started getting hives, 10 minutes later he had hives all the way down his legs and his eyes were swollen shut. I’m glad it happened in town.

 

[BirdManMike]

Like people, they react differently. One of mine has gotten stung umpteen times. I know because I pulled off umpteen bees, or whatever, stuck in her fur with their rears and stingers stuck in her. She doesnt like it - I know because she comes running to me, tail between legs - but she has never swelled up.

 

[Rob96]

Happened to my Lab a couple of years ago. Gave her 75mg of Benadryl and still had to run her to the vet for an injection of an additional 50mg of Benadryl and a steroid injection. That was then followed with a weeks long regimen of Benadryl and Prednisone. Since then she has developed food and seasonal allergies. Vet says coincidence but funny she never had allergies before. This year she had a severe reaction to eiter her Rabies or Lymes vaccination which required an emergency trip to the pet ER. The reaction then happened again the next day which required a patient safety event being filed with the vaccine manufacturer.

Needless to say I now buy my Benadryl at Costco.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Poor guy- that sucks. Glad you were close to town. Hope he makes a speedy recovery.

 

[wytex]

Glad he's ok as well.
Back when our labs were alive they learned the hard way not to dig up bumble bee nests. Both ran into the house with bees stuck to their backs, thankfully only happened once.
Hope he learns to avoid them when possible.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I have long advised packing Benadryl in upland vest. Several years ago a fella I met while hunting in Montana gave me that tip. At a field trial in Missouri he had a young Lab get bit in the face by a rattler. Someone shoved a half dozen pills down his throat and it kept the pup alive till it could be treated by a vet. As many dogs die from allergic reaction to snakebite as from the venom itself.