A friendly outing with your faithful boxer can become a very frightening experience when those dreaded bees get the best of your boxer’s curiosity. Unfortunately it is fairly common when your boxer does come in contact with a bee or wasp that they are stung once or multiple times in the face. This is the one time that I always wish my boxer would of chosen to “box” rather than sniff or eat his flying friend.
I'm not going to get into the technical aspect of just what the venom can do to your dog, basically because in an emergency situation, your not interested in anything except helping your boxer, and helping them FAST.
If your boxer comes in contact perhaps with an underground nest, the first thing to do is run, and get your dog away from the aggressive bees. The best thing to do is PUT DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU, YOUR CANINE AND THESE BEES/WASPS. If on the other hand you don't see your dog get stung, the first thing he's going to do is shake his head, sneeze and paw at his face, that's an obvious sign that he's come in contact with something he isn't happy with, bee or other insect (spiders or ants as well). If you boxer does take a direct sting or bite in the face or head area, here are some helpful hints on how to react:
1. IMMEDIATELY EXAMINE YOUR BOXER. Try and remove the stinger if it is visible. Do not squeeze the stinger to get it out, doing so will inject more venom into your boxers system, thus increasing the allergic reaction that he might and probably will have. Remove the stinger gently with tweezers, again avoiding squeezing the sack if it is visible.
2. IMMEDIATELY ADMINISTER LIQUID BENADRYL. This is a great product to have on hand for your children as well, but specifically in liquid form for your canines, (it works much faster). For an adult boxer, I use an adult dosage and repeat in 4 hours. For a young boxer, a children’s dose should do, but check with your vet in advance to verify the dosage. It’s nice to be heads up and ready for anything to happen.
3. APPLY ICE TO THE AREA OF SWELLING.. Crate your dog so you can keep a constant watch for possible excessive swelling in the muzzle area. Excessive swelling MAY lead to swelling of the airways. If you are in anyway overly alarmed, notice that your boxer is having trouble breathing or swallowing, evaluate the situation and contact your vet immediately for additional treatment and possible injections.
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