Bee safe! Dogs are famous for being curious and playful, which are two of the reasons we love them so much! However, these personality traits don’t mix well with bees and other poisonous insects. To a dog, what could be more fun than scampering after a low-flying bee? Unfortunately, our best friends have no clue that what they’re chasing has a stinger on its rear end that could give them a world of hurt!
A Pound of Prevention
Before you and your dog go out and play in the back yard or park, take a quick look around for hives and bee attractants. Many bees build underground nests, so scan for hives at ground level as well as in trees. Should you discover a hive, leave it to the professionals and don’t attempt to move or destroy it yourself.
Traps are a great option for nuisance bees such as Yellowjackets and Wasps: the non-toxic pheromones only attract those varieties and not our beneficial Honeybee friends. Placing a few of these near high traffic areas can make a big difference. Bees are of course attracted to flowers, so it’s a good idea to check for any activity in your garden before your four-legged friends go outside to smell the roses.
Food…who doesn’t love it? If you have your dog with you at a BBQ or picnic, burning a Citronella candlecan help keep beesaway (along with pesky mosquitoes!).Citronellaisn’t harmful to bees, butthey will avoid areas infused with its smell.
How to Treat a Bee Sting
If you notice your pooch has met the wrong end of the bee, keep a careful watch for an allergic reaction. Just like humans, some dogs are severely allergic to the venom. Symptoms to look for: difficulty and/or rapid breathing, weakness, vomiting, pale gums, diarrhea, and a large amount of swelling that extends away from the sting site. Contact an emergency vet immediately should you see any signs of an allergic reaction. If your dog is not allergic to bees, but is stung multiple times, you should also consult your vet immediately, as reactions can be more dangerous than a single sting.
Try to remove the stinger if possible; it will make your best friend more comfortable and decrease the likelihood of infection. You can treat the area with a mixture of water and baking soda, and by wrapping an ice pack with a towel and applying to the site to reduce swelling. Benadryl is a safe and effective antihistamine for bee stings. Proper dosing for dogs is 1 mg per pound. Most Benadryl comes in 25 mg tablets, which is easier to dose for larger dogs but for small dogs, try children’s Benadryl in a 12.5 mg dose (the liquid option makes it easy!).
What happens if your dog swallows a bee? Trapped in your dog’s mouth, a bee will sting anywhere. If your dog has tried to swallow it, the stinger may be at the very back of the tongue or even down the esophagus. This can be a very dangerous situation as swelling could occur and block their airway.
Long story short, keep your vet’s number handy along with Benadryl, and keep a close eye on free range pups during these warmer summer months! Bee safe out there!
Tags: allergies, animals, BBQ, bee sting, dogs, fido, large dogs, pet health, pet safety, picnic, pooch, puppies, small dogs, summer
This entry was postedon Friday, June 8th, 2018 at 3:50 pmand is filed under Uncategorized.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.Both comments and pings are currently closed.
FAQs
Always wear shoes when walking around outdoors to prevent a painful encounter. Don't swat at them or make sudden movements. These actions are more likely to make them feel threatened. Bees and wasps will rarely sting unless they feel threatened, which is usually a byproduct of nesting in human areas.
How to prevent bee stings before they happen? ›
Workers should take the following steps to prevent insect stings:
- Wear light-colored, smooth-finished clothing.
- Avoid perfumed soaps, shampoos, and deodorants. ...
- Wear clean clothing and bathe daily. ...
- Wear clothing to cover as much of the body as possible.
- Avoid flowering plants when possible.
- Keep work areas clean.
Always wear shoes when walking around outdoors to prevent a painful encounter. Don't swat at them or make sudden movements. These actions are more likely to make them feel threatened. Bees and wasps will rarely sting unless they feel threatened, which is usually a byproduct of nesting in human areas.
What can protect you from bee stings? ›
Clothing/ Bee Suits – Choose loose-fitting, long pants and a light-colored, long-sleeved shirt with a smooth finish. Khaki or chambray material works well for the shirt and khaki or faded jeans work fine as pants.
How do beekeepers keep bees from stinging them? ›
For example, avoid working with bees on cold, cloudy, and windy days. These conditions tend to make bees more agitated and may lead to a greater chance of being stung. Beekeepers also often use smokers when working with bees. A little smoke around the hive helps to calm the bees and make them less active.
How to make bees not sting you? ›
They sting people who either wander too close to their nests… or startle them with sudden movements. If you see bees around you, try not to move too quickly. Don't jerk toward or away from the bee, freak out, jump up and down, whatever. Instead, move away from the bee sloooooowly.
What neutralizes bee stings? ›
Mix 1/4 of a cup of aluminum-free baking soda with 1 to 2 teaspoons of water together, and then apply the paste to the area that was stung. Reapply every 15 minutes or so. It's believed that baking soda can help neutralize the acidity of the sting and mitigate inflammation.
What do bees hate the most? ›
What smell do bees hate the most?
- citronella.
- citrus.
- mint.
- clove.
- rosemary.
- eucalyptus.
- cinnamon.
- cedarwood.
Using Plants that Repel Bees
Plants, like citronella, mint, and eucalyptus are all good options. If you don't want to add new plants to your yard, you can also try using citronella candles to ward off bees.
Do dryer sheets repel bees? ›
Dryer sheets also make effective insect repellents: tuck one in your pocket if you're hiking or place a few under your picnic blanket.
A series of bee venom shots under the skin (bee venom immunotherapy) seems to be effective for reducing reactions to bee stings in people with severe allergy to bee stings. Bee venom immunotherapy provides 98% to 99% protection from reactions to bee stings.
What fabric can bees not sting through? ›
Woven fabric is another option for bee clothing. Woven cotton and cotton blend jackets and suits protect against bee stings because the material is too thick for the stinger to penetrate.
What attracts a bee to sting you? ›
When dining outdoors, cover sugary drinks, fruits or popsicles, as bees are typically attracted to sweets. Avoid wearing sweet-smelling perfumes, colognes, sunscreens or scented hair products, especially if you'll be spending a lot of time outdoors. If you see bees near flowers, change your path.
Can you be a beekeeper and never get stung? ›
There are some extremely good beekeepers who have never been stung. Really! As one example, one of our contributors was three years into her beekeeping experience before her first sting.
What to do if bee lands on you? ›
If a bee lands on you, don't make any sudden movements
It's easier said than done, especially when insects scare you, but making sudden movements will just make them feel threatened. Do your best not to swat at them. When a bee or wasp lands on you, it's better if you sit still and just try brushing them off gently.
What time of day are bees most aggressive? ›
Bees are usually more aggressive as the sun comes up and temperatures increase. That said, most bees are not aggressive unless they are agitated by someone of something. Of course, bees can become aggressive even at night if they are disturbed while they are resting.
Will a bee sting me if I stay still? ›
Bees aren't aggressive insects and only sting to protect themselves. If you swat at bees or try to shoo them away, you put yourself more at risk of getting stung. If you stay calm and let the bee pass by, it'll go away without harming you.
What to do when a bee is near you? ›
Know what to do when a bee is near you: Don't swat at it or you could send it into defense mode. Rather, calmly move away in a straight line until you reach an enclosed shelter. Even then, some more aggressive bees may still sting you. Don't try to hide from bees by diving into water.
Can you build a tolerance to bee stings? ›
Some beekeepers, who are repeatedly exposed to beestings, develop immunity. They often get swelling and itchiness until immunity is achieved. After that, these reactions either disappear or are greatly reduced. However, immunity can fade over of time if the person is not exposed to stings, typically over winter.
