Lenny’s Encounter With A Bee!
Meet Lenny, a 15 week old golden retriever puppy who came in to see the Emergency Vet Hospital team after he tried to make friends with a bee! When his owner noticed his face starting to swell they acted quickly and brought him in to be checked over.
Lenny, was such a brave boy throughout the ordeal and took his antihistamine injection like a champ. The swelling reduced and he headed back home after making more friends here in the hospital, friends that don't sting!
A bee sting is an emergency, especially if the sting is around the face area, as the swelling can be severe especially around the airway and can cause respiratory distress. It can also cause anaphylactic shock.
There are some signs you can watch out for if you suspect a bee sting on your pet:
Swelling is usually first, but other signs can include:
discomfort
pawing at face or licking paws/area where they got stung
laboured breathing and lethargy
redness
off food
listless
It is not recommended you take a "wait and see" approach with bee stings. It always pays to call your vet, or after hours service, even if it’s just to get advice. There may be a suitable home remedy for your particular situation, however we ALWAYS recommend you check in with a vet before giving medications at home.
It is relatively normal for swelling to reduce pretty quickly after treatment at the vet, but depending on severity and the reaction an individual has, it may require further treatment and monitoring. The faster you act, the better the prognosis.
Some animals experience mild discomfort from receiving the antihistamine injection, this is much better than having a swollen face! A steriod injection may also be required, both these injections fight the histamine released by the stinger.