Summer is a great time for picnics, pool parties, pretty
flowers, and .. bees! Wasps, hornets,
bees, are out in force in warmer weather, and dogs are often curious enough to
get a little too close. If your dog
reacts to bee stings, you will likely notice swelling around the eyes and
muzzle, and possibly hives over the entire body. The medical term for generalized raised welts
or hives is urticaria.
If the welts are increasing and an oral dose of
diphenhydramine (generic for Benadryl), at approximately 1 mg/lb. body weight,
doesn’t cause the process to reverse within 10 minutes, I would suggest you
bring your pet to a veterinary hospital.
Once there, your pet will likely receive a diphenhydramine injection and
a steroid injection to arrest the reaction and that will usually reverse the
process more quickly.
The risk is that if left unchecked, a pet’s airway could
become obstructed and this would be life threatening. Or less dangerous but still problematic, the
pet could become uncontrollably itchy and uncomfortable. That is what happened to Zoe the other day at
5pm. Luckily her owners live close
enough to rush her in, and within 15 minutes after her shots, as she waited in
the waiting area, you could see her swelling subside. We looked for a stinger, which you can
sometimes find near the area of greatest swelling, but did not find it.
Zoe will need to take an antihistamine regularly for a few
days. We suggested 50 mg diphenhydramine
every 8 hours for the first day, then every 12 hours for 48 hours. Some pets have stronger reactions and need to
be treated longer, and at times with more than just an antihistamine. Each case is different. If you notice your
pet’s face looks swollen, you may not be imagining it. Enjoy the summer and keep an antihistamine on
hand just in case!
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