Bee Season Is Here: Puppy With Swollen Face
Bee season is here! Poor little Ginger was fine when her owners left to run errands. When they returned, her face was swollen and she could barely open her eyes. They raced her into the clinic for care. Thanks to their quick action, Ginger made a complete recovery.
Although we don't know exactly what Ginger reacted to, I suspect it was an insect bite. Bees and ants are extremely active during July and August. That's when I see dogs like Ginger come into the clinic with swollen faces. This is also what can happen in an allergic reaction to anything including medicine, cleaning products and vaccines. I recommend that all dog owners stock an antihistamine like Benadryl in their medicine cabinet. Contact your veterinarian for the proper dosing instructions. Carry some with you on vacation. My dog Buddy likes to catch bees in his mouth - he is not always the brightest bulb on the tree but I love him! I send some Benadryl with instructions when he stays at the pet resort. 
Categories: Ask The Vet
Tags: dog with swollen face allergic reaction in a dog
Interested to see that you call this bee season over there. Even though it is supposed to be our winter here in S.Africa, and has been quite chilly for our sub-tropical city, there have been signs of spring on its way, with rain, birds chirping and, the past few days, two bees that flew into the house, having presumably lost their way. I tried opening a window to let the first bee out, but it was on its last legs (wings?) and died on the window-sill, although in the meantime I had to field my semi-feral cats who will go after anything that moves. The other bee did escape through an open window. I had been concerned after reading about threats to bees, as I hadn't seen any for quite a long time (as in a few years), so I am pleased there are still bees around, especially since we live next to bush where there should be some wild hives.
Some years ago, at a friend's place one evening, their (expensive) little King Charles spaniel began to behave strangely, mouthing, and then began to go limp. Someone had noticed a stray bee around, so the concensus was that the dog, not being very bright, although very beautiful, must have eaten the bee. The owner rushed him to the vet, who reckoned the dog would have died if it hadn't received treatment so quickly.
P.S. What could I use for my cats if one of them tackled a bee? Is Benadryl safe for them too? If so, how much?
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Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is safe to use in cats although I must warn you, they hate the taste. I recommend an alcohol-free liquid preparation for small animals. I dose it based upon weight and the severity of signs so I can't really give you a standard dose. I am glad the little dog survived his allergic reaction. My sister has a Cav/King Charles spaniel and he likes to catch bees too.
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Daughter's Chihuahua swallowed a bee and got stung in her mouth, she barely survived!
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The same thing happened to my cat MaeMae a couple weeks ago. She came home one Sunday evening with her face so swollen, she could barely open her mouth to eat. I couldn't even get a half of Benedryl down her.
The next morning, my vet found a tiny wound on the bridge of her nose and concluded she may have stuck her nose in a yellow jacket nest. Their bites are as bad as a bee sting and they're just as mean when their nest is tampered with. They nest in the ground so it's easy to step on a nest before you see it and easy for cats to think a mouse or lizard might be hiding in there.
The vet gave her an injection to reduce the swelling as well as an antibiotic. After a couple of days she was back to normal. It was scary there for awhile.
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Thank you for the yellow jacket warning! I am relieved that MaeMae is OK after what she went through.
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I know this does not directly pertain to this article, but I didn't know where to ask.
Question: Is it legal for someone other than a Veterinarian to perform surgery to spay a dog?
I ask because walking out of my vet’s office, I overheard the receptionist talking and she said that the vet would not be coming in. However, I had just dropped my dog off to be spayed. I just want to make sure she isn’t in harm’s way.
Thanks!
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Only a veterinarian licensed to practice medicine in your state is allowed to perform surgery. In rare circumstances, other professionals may be allowed to perform some procedures under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian. I recommend you contact the clinic to clarify this situation.
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