The official first day of summer is fast approaching, and chances are you’ve already started spending more time outside with your dog. Perhaps you’ve started noticing more flowers blooming too, and with them, more bees buzzing. No one likes getting stung by a bee, but for most people it’s only an annoyance unless you’re allergic.Dogs, on the other hand, can suffer serious
kidney problems from bee stings if they are stung by multiple bees at once.
So what if your dog is stung by a bee?
There are even cases of dogs dying from multiple bee stings, so it’s a good idea to know how to keep your dog safe and what you should do if your dog is ever stung.
Bees vs. Wasps
Both bee and wasp stings can be poisonous to dogs, and if you end up needing to take your dog to the
veterinarian following a sting, you’ll want to be able to tell the vet just what type of insect stung your pup.Worker bees are rounder and smaller than wasps. Worker bees have barbed stingers that are designed to lodge into the skin, killing the bee when the stinger detaches from the body.Bumblebees have a “fuzzy” appearance. Bumblebees have smooth stingers that can actually sting multiple times and the bee will not die as a result.Wasps have longer, smoother bodies. Wasp stingers are not barbed, but they do tend to be more painful, and if provoked, a wasp may sting multiple times.
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Here are some useful tips for avoiding bee stings: