If you’ve ever been stung before, you would know how it feels to have your Labrador stung by a bee. As with humans, your dog can die like a bee; wasps, hornets, and certain ants can also cause allergies in dogs. Here are some things to keep in mind.
A Labrador dog is more likely to get stung by stinging insects like bees than a human. Often, they aren’t aware that some of the flying, buzzing insects might hurt them.
Hymenopteran species, such as bees, wasps, hornets, and ants, are the most likely to sting. Stings by bees or wasps can result in a wide range of reactions, from mild swelling and pain to shock.
Difference Between a Bee And a Wasp Stinger
| BEE: A bee’s stinger is barbed and engineered to embed into the skin. This kills the bee whenever the stinger detaches from it. |  |
| WASP: Wasp stingers are not barbed but are much more intense in pain and will sting several times if annoyed. |  |
What To Do If Your Labrador Is Stung?
Mild Cases
It is quite common for bee and wasp stings to have minimal redness and swelling. A stung Labrador may yelp (of course they will) and seem to limp when stung in the foot or have a red and swollen mark when stung in the face.
It is possible that the stinger of the bee was still attached to your Lab if it was stung by a bee. The stinger needs to be removed, but this can be challenging given that your Lab will be unwilling to relax or stay quiet. A veterinarian should be able to remove the stinger most of the time.
A simple treatment for stings and bites is to apply a cool cloth on the area to help ease discomfort and inflammation. You can also wrap a towel around an ice pack as with humans. Please DO NOT give your dog any random human medicines because they can be dangerous.
You should contact your Vet as soon as possible if you think your Labrador may be experiencing serious discomfort.
Similarly to you, your Lab may experience hives or welts if stung. They tend to be itchy and painful. Labradors tend to scrape their faces and eyes over objects as one of their first symptoms.
Red lines or lumps may appear on the skin as hives or may appear in a single location.
All of the following advice must be discussed with your veterinarian first. As long as there is no nausea, diarrhea, or fatigue associated with the illness, a mild case can be treated at home comfortably. For further information, please consult your veterinarian.
| Benadryl can be administered at a dosage of 1 to 2 milligrams per pound of body mass. When using Benadryl, check that it doesn’t contain any other additives. Benadryl formulas may also contain decongestants, which are toxic to your lab. The effects of Benadryl can last between six and eight hours, depending on the situation. In many cases, it takes several hours or even several days for them to settle down. Your lab may feel drowsy after taking Benadryl. |
Server Cases Of Bee Or Wasp Sting
In the most severe cases, your Labrador may experience anaphylactic shock. The shock system in dogs is the stomach, as compared to the lungs in people. Apart from the Labrador’s normal breathing issues, anaphylactic shock usually does not cause the animal to have difficulty breathing. Vomiting, diarrhea, and collapse are much more likely to occur. Diarrhea and vomiting can both be bloody under certain circumstances.
Any of these symptoms can be fatal for your Labrador and should be addressed immediately. Have your Lab visit an emergency veterinarian immediately. In addition to intravenous fluids, epinephrine, antibiotics, and ventilation, your Labrador will need to be monitored closely. There would also be a need for blood tests, blood pressure, and possibly an abdominal scan.
Your Labrador should recover from the shock with immediate care and vigorous treatment, though early intervention is critical. Your veterinarian may recommend that you keep an EpiPen on hand for any outdoor trips your lab might take.
Even if you have this on hand, you should still be able to get a quick assessment from your vet.
Multiple Bee Stings On Your Labrador
The first signs that your Lab has been stung more than once are painful swelling, hyperthermia, heavy panting, rapid heartbeat, and often trembling muscles. The treatment for multiple stings is intended to support therapy, as there is no cure. The treatment must be applied quickly to prevent adverse effects later on, such as renal failure.
The bites and widespread muscle damage result in kidney damage due to hyperthermia. During a weakened state, the muscle releases excess myoglobin into the blood. Because the kidneys must metabolize it, large quantities released can cause renal dysfunction. Acute renal failure requires careful monitoring of vitals and blood tests, intravenous fluid intake, and pain management. The majority of bee stings cause minimal symptoms, but it’s important to identify the more serious ones. By identifying the more serious ones, you can begin treatment promptly.
Pet First Aid Kit For Bee Sting
Put some Benadryl in your Labs’ first aid kits and keep some on hand in your household. You should check with your Vet first to be sure it’s safe for you to give this medicine to your Labrador if he gets stung by a Bee or Wasp.
In the event that your Lab gets stung, you can now quickly administer their medication—possibly avoiding some inflammation, hives, as well as other issues.
As the primary component of standard Benadryl, diphenhydramine may be extremely helpful for allergic reactions caused by stinging. Benadryl is not necessary since you can get the generic diphenhydramine that would work just as well and would be cheaper. Diphenhydramine is the only primary ingredient, as mentioned above. You should not include additional pain relievers, decongestants, or other types of medications. Other examples can be Cold and Flu, Benadryl Cold and Allergy, Tylenol PM, ibuprofen, or any combo of diphenhydramine-containing.
Drug-Free Treatments For Stings
| Apple Cider Vinegar | Apple cider vinegar can often neutralize the toxin from the bee’s bite or wasp. Apply the vinegar to a facecloth or cotton pad and keep it directly on the stung location. I can keep doing this until the swelling starts to subside.⠀ |
| Aloe Vera Gel | Aloe vera gel could also help soothe the stung location of your Lab. Use only natural aloe, not a moisturizer, and other gels mixed with other things. |
| Ice Pack | When you have located the stung location, you can apply an ice pack over the inflamed area. Leave it on for five minutes and frost, then another five minutes without ice applied. Repeat this process for the first hour. Make sure you wrap the ice in a cloth to avoid potential contact with skin, as frequent direct contact with the ice can cause harm. |
| Baking Soda | Make a baking soda paste and water using three portions of soda / one portion of water. Apply this mixture to the sting location once every two hours for the first day until the inflammation disappears. |
Known Severe Sting Reactions In Dogs
A Labrador already having reacted seriously to bee or wasp stings, then there is indeed a decent possibility that their reactions to any future stings would also be severe. The risk to your Lab is too great not to be prepared! So, if your Lab has already experienced a serious, anaphylactic sting reaction in the past. Find out where your nearest Vet is.
| Bee Allergy Shots | Some dogs can become desensitized to bee and wasp toxins. Allergy shots, called hyposensitization, can be given to achieve this. Using this method will help prevent your Lab from developing serious reactions to any bee or wasp stings, as severe reactions can lead to death before you can take your Lab to the vet. |
| Pre-treat with Benadryl | Whenever you are taking your Lab for a walk or taking them outside, try giving them Benadryl regularly if you know you will encounter bees and wasps. This will help limit the symptoms they may experience from the stings they may receive. Labradors generally need to be re-medicated every 8-12 hours with Benadryl since it passes through their system so quickly. Benadryl may not be effective in your Lab’s system by the afternoon if it was given in the morning. It is always best to consult with your Vet before doing anything. Consult your Vet whenever in doubt. |
| EpiPen | Time is essential when coping with extreme, severe allergic reactions to stings. Having an EpiPen on you when you’re out with your Lab might be a good option if you realize your Lab has a severe reaction to bee or wasp stings. An epinephrine shot delivered by such devices could be the difference between life and death for your Labrador. |