What to Do If Your Pet Gets Stung by a Bee
It’s both adorable and distressing when our furry companions get stung by bees. When your pet gets stung, it’s important to know how to effectively manage pain, swelling, and prevent complications.
How do you treat a cat stung by a bee?
Step 1: Assess the Severity of the Sting Normal Symptoms: Swelling, redness, pain. Severe Symptoms: Severe swelling, hives, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhoea, shock – requires immediate medical attention.
Carefully check the entire body for multiple stings. The more stings, the higher the chances of severe symptoms.
Step 2: Remove the Bee Stinger Bee stingers are usually translucent and located at the centre of the swollen area. Use tweezers to gently remove the stinger.
If stinger removal is difficult, seek help from a veterinarian. Remember! Do not squeeze the sting area or damage the stinger, as this could release more venom.
Step 3: Dilute the Venom After removing the stinger, clean the sting area with mild soapy water. Mix baking soda with a small amount of water until it forms a paste. Apply it to the sting area, just enough to cover the skin’s surface. This can help alleviate local pain and dilute the venom.
Apply an ice pack or a towel-wrapped ice cube to the sting area for cold compression. After reducing the swelling, put an Elizabethan collar on the pet to prevent scratching.
Step 4: Monitor for Complications If symptoms persist or severe swelling and hives occur, seek immediate medical attention. A veterinarian may prescribe stronger antihistamines or corticosteroids to help the pet through the crisis.
Important Note! If the sting is around the mouth or nose, seek medical attention immediately, as pain and swelling can intensify, even affecting breathing!