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Dear Zelda, My dog has the strange habit of liking to chase bees in our yard. I don’t think he has been stung yet, but I can see it happening. Any advice? Just Bee-ing Careful Dear Just Bee-ing Careful, Timing is everything and I’m taking time to write this column hoping that our misfortune will be your good fortune. A few days ago ZeeZee (my pal and four-year-old understudy) and I went outside for our morning ablutions. After a couple of minutes I noticed that ZeeZee wasn’t acting normal, but then I’m the one who is always saying ‘Why BEE normal?” Our owner brought us back in the house and she, too, saw that ZeeZee was scratching and running in circles. Upon closer inspection she noticed hives and red spots popping up all over poor little ZeeZee. The scariest thing was that ZeeZee started to swell. The bee must have stung her in the mouth (ZeeZee likes to snap at flying objects). Her jowls quickly turned into thick rubber slabs and her eyes were swollen shut. Fortunately a panic-driven trip to the veterinarian saved ZeeZee, but just in the nick of time. Most dog owners don’t know whether their dog is allergic to bee stings unless they’ve witnessed the sting and reaction. So my best advice and our lesson learned is BEE PREPARED! Check with your veterinarian and ask what dosage and brand of antihistamine you should have on hand for your dog at all times. Also, if you are gone for several hours be very careful about leaving your dog with access to an outside doggy door. A bee sting can be fatal in less than an hour. I’d suggest that during bee season always keep an eye on your dog when your dog is outdoors. If you are planning any hikes or holidays that will take you and your dog away from home, be sure to include antihistamines in your first aid kit and incidentally antihistamines help humans who have bee stings as well. ZeeZee spent the night in the veterinary clinic hooked up to an IV. It was a close call and personally I’d like to set up a ‘sting’ and send a SWAT Team out to net the bee or bees that stung my poor little pooch-pal. The good news is that now we know to BEE CAREFUL and to BEE PREPARED. Zelda Share this column with a friend! |
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