Chances are when you were getting your French bulldog, bee bites were at the absolute bottom of your worries (that’s if they even made the list). But a bee bite can result in mild or severe reaction in French Bulldogs. And sometimes, if the situation is not handled properly, it may even result in death.

If you have ever been stung by a bee, you know how much it hurts and how you avoided bees ever since then. However, French bulldogs do not seem to realize that these buzzing flying insects can inflict pain on them. As a result, rather than flee every appearance of bees, they run towards them and get stung. 

If you are wondering what to do in the event of a bee bite or you’re wondering how to keep your dog away from bees, Frenchiestore is the right place to get your Frenchie dog related information. 

How to Know When Your Frenchie Has Been Stung by a Bee

Your Frenchie can either be stung on the face, paws or mouth. This is because these are the parts of the body they use while they chase bees or try to nudge a bee hive. It is not so common but it is very likely that your Frenchie may get stung in the mouth or throat. Getting stung in the mouth or throat for a Frenchie is very severe as any swelling can restrict air flow in brachycephalic dog breeds. If you are ever in this situation, contact your vet immediately. 

Most of the time getting stung by a bee will probably just be irritating and a little painful for your Frenchie. But getting stung multiple times can be fatal in French Bulldogs especially if they are puppies. If your Frenchie has been stung, they will whine, drool, paw the face or mouth, break out in hives; and there will be a lot of swelling. 

Sometimes, Frenchies could have an allergic reaction to bee stings. If you notice difficulty breathing or any swelling of the mouth or throat or if your Frenchie collapses; race to the vet immediately. 

What to Do if Your Frenchie is Stung by a Bee 

Mild cases of bee bites in French Bulldogs

In most bee sting cases, there is usually only mild redness and inflammation. If your Frenchie has been stung, they will most likely yelp and may limp if stung in their foot. If stung in the face, they will have an inflamed red mark. 

The stinger of the bee may still be present as bees often tend to leave their mark. It is important to try and remove it but it can be difficult to get your Frenchie to allow you to touch the wound. You shouldn’t try to remove the stinger with your hand or tweezers as this can cause it to extract more venom. It is a common recommendation to use a credit card to swipe at the stinger but in most instances, the stinger should be removed at your vet’s office.

To help relieve the swelling and discomfort, you can simply lay a cool cloth on the sting. Or wrap a towel around an ice pack and place it on the hives and welts that may appear on their skin.

A mild case can be handled at home with no issues as long as there is no diarrhea, nausea or fatigue. It is also widely recommended that you give your French bulldog antihistamines to help with the pain and swelling. Note that some human antihistamines are great for dogs while others can make them fatally ill. Please consult your vet before administering any such drugs. 

Severe Cases of bee bites in French Bulldogs

In the most severe cases, your French Bulldog may go into anaphylactic shock. Unlike humans, Frenchies do not usually have trouble breathing from an anaphylactic shock. What they experience is a rapid onset of diarrhea and vomiting, in certain cases, both could be very bloody.  

If your Frenchie is showing signs of any of the above, you should get them to the nearest emergency vet immediately. Your French bulldog may be given intravenous fluids, antibiotics, epinephrine etc. They will also have to be under very close supervision, and several tests will be taken. 

Early intervention is incredibly crucial. With treatment and vigorous care, your Frenchie should get better and will get over the shock. Sometimes, if the case is really severe, your vet may suggest an EpiPen for your Frenchie’s outdoor activities.

When should you take your Frenchie to the vet? Allergic Reaction in French Bulldogs due to bee stings

You should rush your Frenchie to the ER or vet immediately if you notice a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms may include:

• Itching & swelling.
• Your Frenchie developes hives.
• Your French Bulldog is excessively drooling.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Difficulty or rapid breathing which is very serious in French Bulldogs.
• Blue tongue and or gums which is one of the deadliest signs in Frenchies.

Multiple bee Stings in French Bulldogs

Killer bees for examples, get their name from how hostile they are. They defend their hives with so much aggression and the more hostile a bee is, the more likely your French bulldog is to be stung multiple times. 

The first signs that your French bulldog has been stung multiple times are; heavy panting, rapid heartbeat, visible pain, swelling, hyperthermia, and muscular trembling. Whatever treatment is given for multiple stings is intended towards supportive therapy, as there is no actual cure. 

The therapy has to be quickly administered as your Frenchie may likely experience kidney failure. The kidney damage occurs from the stings and hyperthermia due to wide spread muscular damage. When the muscles are weakened, they release extra myoglobin into the blood. This myoglobin must be metabolized by the kidneys but due to the large quantities released, kidney dysfunction can be triggered.

It is very important to identify when your French bulldog’s reactions to bee stings are serious. This is so that prompt treatment can begin and any adverse effects curtailed. 

Home Remedies for Bee Stings in French Bulldogs

There are several home remedies for first aid treatment of bee stings in dogs. Please consult with your vet as well:

• Apple Cider Vinegar: Apply some ACV to a facecloth or a cotton pad and place it directly on the location of the sting. Keep at it until the swelling starts to reduce. ACV can neutralize the toxins from the bite of the bee. 

• Ice Pack: You can apply an ice pack over the inflamed area. Leave for 5 minutes, remove for 5 minutes and place it back again. You can repeat this process for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Please ensure that you wrap the ice in a cloth to avoid direct contact with your Frenchie’s skin. Frequent direct contact with ice will do more harm than good. 

• Baking Soda:Make a paste of baking soda and water. You can do this by using 3 portion of baking soda and 1 portion of water. Apply this mixture to the sting location, it will hep with the inflammation. 

Dog Stung by a Bee? Try THIS! | Ultimate Pet Nutrition - Dog Health Tips

If your Frenchie dog gets stung by a bee, it’s easy to get frantic, however, the best thing you can do for your French Bulldog in this situation is to stay calm. Dr. Gary Richter outlines what you should do if you think your Frenchie has been stung by a bee. He explains how to locate the bee’s stinger and removing it as well as when to get medical attention. 

How to Prevent Severe Sting Reactions in Your French Bulldog  

If your French bulldog has been previously stung and had a serious reaction to the bee sting, there is a strong possibility that future stings will have the same results. This is a great risk to your Frenchie; you cannot afford to be caught unawares. Here are some prevention methods you and your vet can work out. 

• Bee Allergy Shots: There is the option of desensitizing your Frenchie to bee toxins. This can be achieved by the process of administering several allergy shots called hyposensitization. It is aimed at immunizing your Frenchie and preventing them from reacting badly towards bee stings. 
• EpiPen: When dealing with severe reaction to bee stings, time is absolutely of the essence. A few seconds can make all the difference. If your Frenchie has severe allergic reactions to bee stings, an EpiPen may be a great option. The rapid epinephrine shot from an EpiPen can be life-saving. 
• Treat with Antihistamine like Benadryl: It may be a good idea to give your Frenchie Benadryl. This will help reduce the symptoms of any sting bee. Benadryl needs to be re-administered every 8 – 12 hours as it passes through quickly. This means that the Benadryl given to your Frenchie in the morning may not be effective anymore once it is noon. As always, please consult your vet, get a list of things you can do in cases such as this. Build your first aid box but do not self-medicate. 

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