Bee Stings

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Treating a Bee Sting in Cat - Multi-Approach + Give it Time

SKM (Madison, WI) on 09/28/2021
5 out of 5 stars

This post may be a little different, but I wanted to share my experience. I'm sure you will find mistakes in my approach! But did want to share as an encouragement, should others find themselves in a similar situation.

Our 14 year old kitty Raul loves going outside and always seems to be getting into something. One afternoon he emerged from the garage sporting a sting on his cheek. (He is known to allow mosquitoes to bite his face, but this sting idea was something new and different.) He kind of laid low for the rest of the day while nursing his new injury. At this point it was a little swollen, but nothing really to write home about.

The next day, it remained the same. I wondered if there was a stinger I should pull out, so I felt around a little and kind of felt something, yet nothing that I knew for sure was the stinger. All seemed well and we both eventually went to bed.

The next morning, his cheek was s w o l l e n! Of course, it's so difficult as a pet 'owner' when something is off. The worst anxiety and stress ever. I immediately jumped on to Earth Clinic.

I tried mud,

I tried colloidal silver,

I tried George's Aloe Vera,

and I tried honey.

Sometimes it seemed to get bigger, more swollen, and it was when I applied the honey that it seemed to stabilize itself. I was checking him every hour if not more often, fully prepared to take him to the vet, but also unsure as to when to make that call. Getting it to stabilize was a huge relief, yet things were still stressful. I would apply the honey about every hour or 2. (At this point, I still wasn't sure what it was, since I had not seen so much swelling before, I didn't know if it was a spider bite, abscess, tumor, or what-have-you!! I now know that I probably caused the sting venom to be released when I was poking around a little.)

At any rate, my husband suggested we eventually just leave him be, and wallah! In the morning, the swelling had decreased greatly.

So I just wanted to say, that, if it weren't for us humans, the pets would get stung and heal naturally as well. So don't freak (as is so easy to do, and as I did), and let your cures + time do its thing. Do closely monitor, though, and if you don't like taking slight chances, then this post is not for you.

Thanks for listening, feel free to chime in!

Stacy in Madison, WI

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Organic Raw Honey and Aloe Vera for Bee Sting in Dog

Julie (Illinois) on 07/01/2018
5 out of 5 stars

I noticed my pitbull's eye was red and smaller than his other eye and immediately applied a mixture of 1 tsp of organic raw honey with 1/2 cup colloidal silver with an eye dropper, thinking he had a bacterial infection which he previously had six months earlier. He never did act as if it bothered him but I later noticed swelling on his bottom eyelid, very near the opening and realized it was a bee sting.

I slathered Aloe Vera from a plant I keep, to the swollen area outside the lid, being careful not to get any inside the eye.

Next, I reapplied the honey solution inside the lid using a spray bottle this time. The dog took a nap and about an hour later, his eye looked normal again! I had the same result two years earlier with my small terrier but his bee sting was not as close to the eye opening as the pitbull's sting. At that time, I immediately applied aloe vera from a bottle kept in the refrigerator and after reading about honey for bee stings, I applied honey directly on the swollen area within minutes of the aloe vera. I was shocked at how quickly the swelling disappeared at that time also.

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Turmeric Golden Paste for Dog's Bee or Wasp Sting

Flower's Mom (Pueblo Of Acoma, Nm) on 09/06/2017
5 out of 5 stars

My dog, Buddy, got stung above the eye. It quickly swelled up like a golf ball and completely closed up his eye. He was crying and pawing at it until he had rubbed it raw. Meanwhile, I was frantically researching what I could do to help him when I came across the recipe for Golden Paste using turmeric, black pepper and coconut oil. After making sure no stinger was left in it, I covered the raw area with the paste and held his head up so that he could not rub it off. The paste quickly dried forming an orange "patch" over the site and almost immediately Buddy settled down and went to sleep. When he got up an hour or so later, still with his orange patch in place, I noticed that the lump was about half the size as before, and he could open his eye. The paste not only reduced the swelling, but also the irritation. I applied a fresh patch again this morning and will check it when I get home this evening.

Many thanks to everyone who has made this website the invaluable resource it has become for those of us who want a natural alternative for our selves and our beloved animal companions!

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Benadryl for Bee Stings in Dogs

Rebecca (Texas) on 03/31/2017

Benedryl for dogs ex. Bee sting etc

I feel that most should avoid artificially sweetened versions. They can be very dangerous in some sensitive dogs. There are many articles on the subject of avoiding AS for dogs on the web. Symptoms of this are similar to reactions listed by some nay sayers of Benedryl treatment for stings. Dogs are all uniquely wired. Not all will react negative ; if it ain't broke... Hesitation invoked by any comment could make a huge difference in saving a life. Always contact veterinary care either prior to, or if familar w/ post, administration.

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Tobacco for Emergency Bee Sting Relief

Cajun (La) on 10/19/2016
5 out of 5 stars

Tobacco for emergency bee sting relief:

I'm a firm believer in Baking Soda poultice for relief of bee stings, but in the event you don't have access to Baking Soda, if you can find a cigarette, place enough tobacco in your mouth [lower lip] and add enough saliva to make a 'chew'....place that on the sting area and the pain & swelling will also subside virtually immediately. [the 'chew' should be about the size of a quarter].

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Lavender Essential Oil and Vet for Hornet Stings

Georgia (Irons, Mi) on 04/26/2010
5 out of 5 stars

HUGE black Ground hornets & lavender essential oil:

My cat of 3 years old had a near death experience and although it took 2 days to figure out what had really happened I immediately had given an application of lavender oil (3 drops pure on my hand) and lightly brushed his arm and underside of paw with it as soon as I saw there was a problem. He definitely does not like the smell, but I insisted he get the treatment. He was incoherent, stumbling, all in 5 minutes & swelled to the size of golf balls where he was stung (6x) but in 12 hours was alive & well! He doesn't remember his brush with death, just loves me more! I thanked all above who stayed at his side, tho my vet did not believe in Mother Nature's cures, I'm blessed She once again saved another of my pet's lives. I was also stung by these bees 2 yrs. ago and their stings instantly attack your motor skills, altho I 'could not think' to use the oil on me. Hoping this story helps

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Baking Soda, Benadryl for Dog With Bee Sting

Roxy (Santa Maria, Ca) on 01/17/2010
5 out of 5 stars

Thank you for the comments re: treatment at home for bee sting.When I saw our boxers face swollen I immediately called his vet but unfortunately they were just getting done for the day and said for me to take him to the er. I didnt think it was a life threatining situation as I am a nurse and Lu my boxer was breathing normal. When I mentioned to the staff what his status was"swollen right side of the face and some bites or stings on his right side thigh" they suggested it could possibly be that he was stung by a bee...multiple stings by the way. Im glad I researched a home remedy and gave it a shot I used the baking soda with water made it thick enough where it was more like paste. I also smashed the 25mg Benadryl (2) and placed it in his food...worked wonderfully within 20 minutes. Thanks for the website and your tips ..hopes it works for others.
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Benadryl for Dogs With Bee Stings

Elizabeth (Bakersfield, California) on 10/18/2009
5 out of 5 stars

bee sting remedies for dogs

Last night my 2 yr old mixed breed (wire haired doxie and traveling salesman) stepped on a bee and I wasn't quite sure what to do. I did think about anaphylatic shock so watched for that. I googled the problem and got your web site and benadryl was suggested. I had some benadryl tabs so crushed one ( 1/2 of a 25 mg) up and mixed it with peanut butter - WA-LA it worked he slept like a log! This AM I gave him another 1/2 as his little paw was kind of swelled and he was licking and nibbling at it. I did get the stinger out last night. Thank you!

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Baking Soda, Benadryl for Pet's Bee Sting

Lou (Bound Brook, Nj) on 08/11/2009
5 out of 5 stars

I was baby sitting my daughters 1 year old Brittney Spaniel, he got stung by a bee above the eye.Your info was very helpful. I gave him half a Benadryl he weights about 25 lbs. It seemed to calm him and the golf ball size swelling around his eye went down in a couple of hours. He didn't like the baking soda paste to much but it also seemed to help.Thanks again, my daughter will be home from work any minute and all is well.
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Benadryl for Bee Stings

Lori (Scottsburg, Indiana) on 08/05/2009
5 out of 5 stars

My Basset Hound Jethroe was either stung or got into some fire ants he is very nosy when outside gave him Benadryl and it really worked
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Ice Cubes for Bee Sting on Dog's Lip

Natalie (Lakewood, CA) on 07/17/2009
5 out of 5 stars

My 5 year old pit got stung today (from a hive we just discovered yesterday in an orange tree and had not previously called attention to itself!) I suddenly noticed his right lip was swollen! I located the stinger and verified what it was by looking up images online. I didn't have any Benadryl or baking soda, and he's not a dog you can hold an ice pack on. So in the end I put some ice cubes in his bowl. He was quite happy to eat them, which he usually isn't, so I figured it was providing some relief. I then kept feeling the swollen lip and it went down after about 2 hours. All is well, and the beehive has been removed, thank goodness!
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Baking Soda for Pet's Bee Sting

Health Nut (Los Angeles, Ca) on 07/16/2009

My little Yorkie got stung on one of his front paws a couple of months ago and he was hurting and unable to walk on it. I quickly got online in search of a home remedy, being that the vet's office was closed at the time. Anyway, someone suggested making a baking soda paste and to rub it on the infected/swollen area. I made the paste using 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. water (my dog is only 4lbs. so I didn't need so much). As long as you use equal parts 50/50 you should be fine. Well let me say that it worked! Within a couple of hours the swelling was not only down but gone and my little guy was able to happily trot around again.
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Benadyl for Bee Stings

Sarah (Racine, Wi) on 06/04/2009

My 4 yr old black lab "Bela" was playing in the backyard when i noticed her mouth looked extra big (she always has a ball in it) and that her eyes looked a little swollen. At first it didn't seem to bother her but when she dropped the ball and shook her head i figured action was needed. In the past I've had to give my big old dog benedryl for her allergies and actually still had some. The peanut butter worked like a charm!! Thanks for the site
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Benadryl for Bee Sting

Chris (Mt. Albert, Ontario, Canada) on 06/01/2009
5 out of 5 stars

Dog bee/wasp sting on Springer Spaniel's eye: I Notice my dog Heidi, had a red swollen eye~upper lid, I immediately gave her 25mg Benadryl caplet, got a towel with cool water, wiped eye down sideways to ensure no stinger left behind, applied towel with ice cubes to calm down dog from scratching and panicking gave her some ice cubes to eat as to cool her throat from swelling, within 25 minutes she was calm, eye of course still swollen, but sleeping without her eye throbing anf bothering her, this is the second time its happened the first time she was a puppy, I rushed her to the emergency vets (of course after hours - regular vet was already closed and the cost was over 200.00 dollars, it was quite a shock, they said they gave her a needle to immediately effect the sting reaction to her face from swelling even more - she looked like some sort of alien dog...it was just awful (something out of the movies, the vets also at the time suggested I go out and buy - benadryl and give to the pup 1 caplet of benadryl 25 mg for the next 5 days (they wil get diareahia of course) but that is normal. Great news for anyone that wants to save the cost of around $200.00 Canadian dollars - This time, I knew what to do and believed that the benadryl is fast and good enough to calm down and get fast results - keep it handy at all times when you have pets! I am so relieved that I knew what to do this time. Thank you! Saved the dog and money that needs to go for other bills...........take care and good luck!
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Benadryl for Bee Sting in Dog

Eobie01 (Collinsville, Illinois) on 05/22/2009
0 out of 5 stars

I took my 4 year old boxer to the emergency vet clinic, she had hives on her legs and back, she was panting a lot, her tummy was a little red, and when she walked her feet kept coming out from under her and she would just stretch it out. We told the vet all of these problems and she said that it was most likely caused by a bit or sting of some sort. Now Bailey our boxer has been stung before and was given a steroid shot and some benadryl and had no side effects. This time it is different (just to let you know they gave her 2ml of benadryl and 4 cc Dex S/P). We took her to the vet at around 9pm and we left there at 9:30pm. When we got home we let her outside and she seemed fine, then we went to bed. I was up watching tv and she just started to pant and breathe kind of funny, then she started to whine. I just laid there with her for a little bit to see if it would go away and after about 30 min I called the vet to let them know what she was doing. They said that this was a side effect of benadryl. At the time of first writing this it was 1am. Now it is 5:12am and I have been up all night with her. All night she was pacing and laying down and was trying to get comfortable but couldn't. A few times she would put her head under the bed or she would sit up and just stare. And all the while she would start to whine again. Now she is pacing from our bedroom out to the hallway and she just got sick. I am going to be calling the vet first thing in the morning. I don't like what I have seen.
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Benedryl for Bee Stings

Jeanie (Chesterfield, MI, USA) on 04/15/2009
5 out of 5 stars

I tried the Benedryl on my 6month old 3 lb Yorkie... so far she is doing well, I was so worried because she is soooo tiny!! I called the vet, and she said use Benedryl, but because of her age and size they said use liquid childrens Benedryl at only one half ml per pound. It seems to be working for her!!! Thanks!!
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Apis Mellifica for Dog's Bee Stings

Tamara (Tucson, AZ) on 02/23/2009
5 out of 5 stars

My pit bull was snapping at bees yesterday, little did I know she had eaten 9 of them. Her face swelled up, and she vomited. Unfortunately, she is allergic to benedryl. I keep prednisone on hand for her because of the allergy, and also gave her a high dose of apis mellifica homeopathic remedy .

I probably could have just used the apis, but panicked!! Don't discount apis mellifica even for bee sting allergies. I have a friend who is allergic to bee stings who decided to try it for a bee sting (keeping her epi pen at the ready) and the apis mellifica homeopathic remedy worked! No side effects! ( I read that epinephren side effects can be made worse if on maoi's) I will always have apis mellifica in the house, and I hope that the prednisone tip is useful to anyone who has pets or people allergic to benedryl.

Anyhoo, we circled the emergency vet block in the car for an hour until I was sure the swelling was down, then we went home. Everyone fine.

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Benadryl for Bee Sting in Dog

Vic (Hong Kong, HK SAR) on 02/10/2009
4 out of 5 stars

Thanks for the reassurance your site has given me. After my 3 yo 25kg Husky apparently got stung by a tropical bee and the advice from an emergency vet clinic was to use antihistamines, he seems to have less irritation and anxiety. Time will tell to see if the swelling goes down and he gets back his energy. 8mg of drug have chilled him out a whole lot.
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Desiree (Portland, OR) on 01/10/2009
5 out of 5 stars

Benedryl has been shown to cause premature dementia (not that dementia is a normal part of aging). I wouldn't say it is not harmless. I don't recommend anyone take it on a regular basis. I read this in a report about 10 years ago. I can't believe this information is still not mainstream and so many people are still using it.
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Benadryl and Prednisone for Bee Sting in Dog

Heidi (Vaughn, Washington) on 09/27/2008
5 out of 5 stars

I had never had a dog stung by a bee until today, my 10 month puppy got a wasp stuck in her hair! As a nurse I knew about the Benadryl, and Ice, but I also called a friend of mine up who has asthma and got one tablet of Prednisone. I broke it into half and gave a half at the time of the sting and 12 hours later. She did great, we snuggled from the sleepy Benadryl, and the swelling went down with the Prednisone and I didnt have to worry about a relapse in the wheezing I could hear.
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