PDSA shares what to do if your dog or cat is stung by a bee
Bees will be more active in spring and summer so it's important that you know what to do if your dog or cat gets stung.
PDSA Vet Nurse, Nina Downing, said: 'Insect bites and stings are quite common in dogs during the spring, summer and early autumn.
'They're most often stung or bitten around their face or paws, as these are the bits of them that go investigating first!'
What symptoms might a dog or cat get if stung by a bee?
If your dog or cat is stung by a bee, you might notice the following symptoms:
Mild swelling in the affected area
Licking, biting or pawing the area
Whining and crying
Limping or holding up a paw
Drooling
Nina adds: 'If you notice any of these then have a look through your pet's fur – if they've been stung by a bee there may be a stinger left behind.
'If you see a stinger left in their skin, it's important not to try and pull it out with tweezers or your fingers – this could squeeze more venom into your dog, causing more pain.'
What to do if your dog or cat gets stung by a bee
Instead of trying to pull a stinger out of your pet's fur if you think they've been stung, you can place the edge of a credit card under the venom sac (yellow-ish blob) sting and gently scrape out the sting.
Put a cold, damp cloth on the affected area to soothe the skin and reduce swelling. You could also use an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel if your dog is comfortable with this.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by PDSA 🐾 (@teampdsa)
Anti-histamines can help to reduce swelling but it's important to speak to your vet first so they can advise on what type of medication might be appropriate and what dosage is safe for your pet, PDSA explains.
Home remedies such as vinegar for wasp stings or bicarbonate and water for bee stings won't do your pet any harm, however, there's little evidence that they are effective in relieving symptoms.
Nina says: 'If your pet has suffered a bite or sting, it's important to monitor them closely for signs of an allergic reaction.
'Allergic reactions are fairly rare, but they can happen. Signs include hives or a severe rash, rapid swelling around the affected area, rapid breathing or difficulty in breathing, vomiting, diarrhoea or collapse.
'If you notice any of these things then call your vet straight away.'
In most cases, stings and bites are fairly mild and can be managed at home and most pets will only experience mild symptoms and feel better after a few hours.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Bindi Irwin: 'Genuinely healing' after 13 years of endometriosis pain
Australian conservationist and TV personality Bindi Irwin has said she is "genuinely healing" after suffering years of pain from endometriosis and called for greater understanding of the who first revealed her decade-long struggle with the disease in 2023, said in an update, she was "slowly gaining my strength back" and "beginning to recognise myself again".After feeling "utterly ashamed" when told her pain was "just part of being a woman", the 27-year-old said society needs to remove the stigma around women's story has reignited conversations worldwide about the condition which can cause severe pain and infertility, affecting about one in ten women. "Young girls and women shouldn't feel alone with pain in the driver's seat of their lives," she wrote in an Instagram post to her 5.7 million followers. "We need to take away the stigma of talking about women's health. It's time to have open discussions and make change on a global scale."Irwin's original 2023 Instagram post on her struggles with endometriosis got more than 1.1 million likes, with her latest update attracting about 260,000 is caused when tissue similar to the womb's lining grows in other parts of the body such as the ovaries and fallopian can cause extreme pain during periods, sexual intercourse and bowel movements, as well as pelvic pain, abdominal bloating, nausea and is no currently no known reason or cure for the condition. Irwin wrote that after "13 years of fighting for answers" and two surgeries where she had 51 lesions, a cyst and her appendix removed, she was finally on the mend."I can function in everyday life without wanting to throw up or pass out from the pain," she wrote."I felt utterly ashamed as a teenager and young adult being told that my pain was just part of being a woman. I felt lesser. I felt hurt. I felt weak. That is not ok."Irwin is the daughter of Steve Irwin, an Australian conservationist and TV documentary host who was best known as the "Crocodile Hunter" before he died in has since carved out her own path as a self-described wildlife warrior and runs Australia Zoo with her mum Terri and brother is married to Chandler Powell and gave birth to their daughter, Grace Warrior in Irwin died aged 44 after being stung by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Billie Faiers reveals lingering symptoms of Lyme Disease battle amid devastating moment that triggered dormant illness
See which other celebs are battling the horrible disease Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BILLIE Faiers has opened up on her ongoing battle with Lyme disease and the moment that led to her latest flare up. The 35-year-old reality star described the disease as "horrendous" and spoke about how it can get so bed that she can't even get out of bed. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Billie Faiers opened up on her ongoing battle with Lyme disease Credit: Instagram 4 The TV star think it was triggered by a stressful life event Credit: Instagram 4 Billie and hubby Greg Shepherd are parents to three children Credit: Instagram Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks which spreads when they bite humans. There are around 3,000 cases in England and Wales every year. It can cause flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, headache, swollen joints and a fever, which can last for a few weeks. The former Towie star opened up on how she still suffers from symptoms such as brain fog, tiredness and sporadic aches and pains. 'Some mornings I couldn't even get out of bed. I would have to crawl, going to the toilet, I was in bits, I was hysterical, crying, because I was in so much pain,' Billie told The Mirror. 'It was hard for me to sit on the toilet without [husband] Greg helping me. It was so scary. ''I had so many blood tests but no one could figure it out. One doctor said she'd never seen anything like it. It was frustrating. This went on for about two months before we learnt it was Lyme.' Doctors searched for weeks as to what could be wrong with Billie and eventually diagnosed her with Lyme disease, saying she was liklely bitten by an infected tick as many as three years ago. The first symptom of the illness tends to be a red, bulls-eye ring around the bite. But people bitten by bacteria-laden ticks can be struck with debilitating symptoms days or months afterwards. Billie Faiers mum-shamed for 'flaunting her wealth' as she throws extravagant festival-themed party for Nellie's 11th birthday Billie struggle so much after her diagnosis, that not even the antibiotics she was prescribed helped her. 'I was so unwell. It was only after [sister] Sam introduced me to a holistic doctor and I started taking natural medicines that I started to notice a difference and things slowly began to turn around,' she told the publication. The TV star also wondered if the dormant condition was triggered by a string of stressful events, including rushing daughter, Margot, two, to hospital after she had a seizure. "That whole situation was really, really scary," Billie said. "As a parent, you never think it's going to happen to you. You wouldn't even want to imagine it. I was petrified." Billie added: "Margot hasn't had a seizure since, and that was back in January. So I'm praying she's grown out of them. "As any parent who's experienced their child having a febrile seizure will tell you, you're on edge a lot of the time. It's made me realise how much stress can affect your body." She continued: "I think I was holding in a lot of worry and anxiety about the kids and not knowing at the time what was wrong with me. I think it all led to a massive immune system crash." A number of celebs have spoken out about suffering from the disease - from Bella Hadid and her mum Yolanda, to Justin Bieber, Miranda Hart and Ben Stiller.
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
Self-care and wellness are worth trillions - but they are becoming toxic
As soon as I wake up at 7am, I start mentally listing what I'm grateful for and setting my intentions for the day. As soon as I wake up at 7am, I mentally run through three things I'm grateful for. This is often something small and immediate, like the fact the kids have slept in past 6am, a cuddle with my cat, or a project I'm excited about. Then, I set my intentions for the day. This might be a one word anchor, a single word that captures how I want to 'be' today, a reminder to approach a challenge with curiosity rather than stress, or a clear top priority I want to move forward. After that, I do some stretches before jumping in the shower. I don't allow myself to scroll my phone until at least half an hour after I've got up. I do this routine every single day. It's sustainable, flexible, takes minutes, and leaves me feeling calm and prepared for the day ahead. Or at least until the chaos of the school run starts! However, a quick scroll on social media will tell you that my routine is far from the norm. In fact, some of what I see feels quite extreme. Take US influencer Ashton Hall for example. He went viral in April for his five-hour long morning routine. His day, as shown, begins at 3:50am. He removes his mouth tape, does press-ups, journals, dunks his face in ice water (with lemon), has a steam, exercises, uses a banana skin for a some kind of facial and all before starting work at 9.30am. While a large number of reactions from his followers seemed pretty positive, with comments like 'obsessed' and 'loving this routine', I was exhausted just watching. It instantly set off alarm bells about the pressure this puts on people to match a completely unrealistic standard. Occasionally I saw comments along the lines of 'how do you have time for this' but negative comments like this were often shot down by other followers, indicating a pressure to conform and a creeping culture of toxic productivity. Ashton's routine is just a drop in the ocean. On Instagram, the hashtag #selfcare has 96.3million posts alone and #selfimprovement has 11million. That's hardly surprising when my whole feed seems endlessly exposed to a multitude of perfectly-lit videos extolling the virtues of (to name a few) light therapy, cold water exposure, meditation, journalling, oil pulling, tongue scraping, yoga and matcha lattes. But, let's be clear, self-improvement schedules that take three hours or more are not self-care – they're more like performances than genuine wellbeing. And the ferocity with which this industry is growing has left me with a gnawing concern. If we're not careful, we risk fostering a sense of inadequacy. A belief that, because our approach to taking care of ourselves is not as 'perfectly' curated as others, we are simply not good enough. This is the darker side to self-improvement culture, and it's one we must stamp out. While the concept of self-care isn't new, the way we talk about it today has changed dramatically. What began as a deeply human response has since become a $6.3trillion (approximately £4.5trillion) industry, as of the end of 2023 – with social media playing a central role. Wellness influencers portray curated, aesthetic routines as essential for happiness, creating a warped version of what 'good self-care' looks like. Who can forget the self-improvement trend that seemingly had a chokehold on everyone during the pandemic? How many were posting, and continue to post, about learning new languages, starting businesses, getting fit, and documenting their 'glow-ups' online? And how many people were made to feel bad because of their lack of self-improvement? As a psychologist, I'm no stranger to the value of personal development, it's a large part of my work and I help clients with everything from leadership mindset to what I call foundational self-care, including sleep habits. But when self-care becomes another item on the to-do list, another performance to perfect, or another standard to measure yourself against, it can spiral into toxic productivity. And what should be about mental health maintenance becomes another form of achievement culture. It's also important to remember that, while we may be constantly bombarded with images of other people's seemingly perfect lives – immaculate meal prep, serene meditation and gratitude journals – what we don't see are the outtakes, or the financial and time costs of maintaining these elaborate lifestyles. The reality is, real self-care is often boring, unglamorous, and completely unworthy of documentation. You feel guilty when resting or not 'doing something productive' You judge yourself harshly if you're not improving quickly or consistently You're overwhelmed by your own expectations, not inspired by them You view self-improvement as an obligation, not a choice Your self-talk is more inner critic than an inner coach You can't remember the last time you just enjoyed being yourself, without needing to change In fact, the most effective self-care practices are usually the simplest ones: regular sleep, gentle movement, connecting with others, and nourishing our bodies. After years of insomnia, I now have an evening routine that works: low lighting to help wind down, no screens for at least half an hour before sleep, a few minutes journaling, gentle breathwork, and the same bedtime each night (where possible). And of course I have my morning practice that sets me up for the day. But I'm definitely not in the 5am club – and there's nothing wrong with that. If you feel anxious when you can't complete your routine, spend more time planning and tracking your improvement than actually experiencing benefits from it, or find that your self-care practices are creating more stress than they relieve, it's a key warning sign that something has gone wrong. More Trending True self-improvement isn't about becoming a different person, it's about becoming more yourself, without the pressure to document every step of the journey or purchase your way to wellness. I think we all just need to remember that we're all a work in progress and we can, and will, continue to grow and develop throughout our lives. You don't need to get up at 5am to be productive, but if it works for you then great. You don't need to keep up with every trend or challenge that appears on social media, in order to look after yourself. You just need to pay attention to your own individual needs and your foundational self-care: sleep, nutrition, movement and connection. View More » I'm not saying we need to abandon self-improvement entirely, but we do need to return it to its original purpose. And perhaps the most radical act of self-care we can all do is simply believing we are enough, exactly as we are, right now. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: My holiday breakfast buffet hack is controversial but it's a money saver MORE: I stuffed my bra before a Wizz Air flight — it saved me a fortune MORE: My family day out was ruined by hundreds of swearing hikers Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
