Dogs are curious, anything that moves in their vicinity is going to get explored.
Also, dogs use their mouths and noses to examine things that move about in their world.
This is a recipe for your dog running and howling to you with a bee stinger attached to him somewhere.
Bee stings on dogs are common.
This shouldn't be something to worry too much about.
However, a bee sting is one of those issues where you should drop what you are doing and immediately focus on your dog.
What you want to look for is an allergic reaction, which could make the sting a life or death situation.
Hopefully, the bee sting will just bring about a day or two if discomfort, but it is time to seriously pay attention to your pet and determine his reaction to it all.
The only real satisfaction that you can really have in a bee sting situation is to know that the bee itself has gone off to die, because they cannot live without their stinger.
When the bee stings, if left to its own devices, it walks around in a circle, around the stinger forcing the stinger and the venom sac to detach.
The stinger is a self-pumping venom sac that needs to be dealt with a quick as possible.
Usually though, the bee is brushed away or squashed at the moment of the sting, because the pain from the sting is so quick and acute.
When you see the detached bee stinger, it looks sort of like a small ball with a hairlike needle on the end.
The ball is the venom sac, and it pumps venom autonomously through the needle into the wound.
If you have a minute, it is fascinating to watch the stinger do this.
However, most people dealing with an irritated dog have no time for this and are looking for a way to get rid of this agent of pain.
There are many methods for pulling the stinger out.
The main idea is that you don't want to squeeze any more of the already pumping venom into the wound.
You can scratch, tweeze, or scrape the stinger out.
The fact of the matter is that bee stingers are hearty, and the idea of breaking one off under the skin is rather unlikely.
The biggest thing to worry about is if your dog is actually allergic and possibly going into Anaphylactic shock.
Anaphylactic shock is when your dog has a hard time breathing directly after the sting.
His air passages literally swell shut.
Other symptoms of serious bee sting allergies are raspy asthmatic breathing, problems swallowing, incessant sneezing, congestion, red eyes, a series of rashes and bumps on the skin, swollen limbs, swollen areas outside of the general bee sting radius, and lethargy.
Sometimes a bee sting allergy can result in a seizure or what seems to be one.
There is also the chance that your dog may vomit, or pass out as well.
If there is anything greater than the general discomfort of a bee-sting, you shouldn't be reading this article, you should be calling your vet.
After you have determined that your dog is not allergic to the bee sting, there are several different methods that can be used to ease the pain for your dog.
A lot of these cross over for human use as well.
The best method is to use a cold pack, like you would pack in a cooler to keep beverages cold or an ice cube on the area.
This keeps the swelling down.
This really depends on how still your dog will sit for treatment.
If you can manage, make a point of doing this a few more times as the day progresses.
This is one of the simplest and best measures to employ.
Probably the best thing that you can do for your dog though is to get some aloe vera on the stung area.
There are many products made especially for dogs featuring aloe vera, such as IVS Dermasol Extra Strength Skin Relief.
Other treatments, some verified, some "old wivesy" are all over the Internet.
Toothpaste is supposed to be a painkiller, as is a water and baking soda paste.
There is even the advice to place a penny on the wound to relieve pain.
A drop of honey is another one.
A meat tenderizer and vinegar mix is another sworn-by painkiller.
Then there is the notion that a mustard seed or raw onion held to the wound will ease the pain.
If you are at a loss though, the easiest, most tried and true method is a piece of ice.
If your dog is stung by a bee, there is no real need to panic.
Remember that dogs are curious, and they have been getting stung by bees for thousands of years.
Pay attention to your pet and don't feel overwhelmed.
The key issue is to look for signs of an allergic reaction.
If you find none, then treat your dog at home, because there is no real need to worry.