We breed labradoodle puppies and operate a commercial bee farm. Our dogs of all ages and breeds have all been stung at one time or another by bees.
If your puppy or adult dog, regardless of breed, has been stung by a bee, rest assured that they will probably be just fine. Stay calm. Don’t frighten a dog who is already reeling from the unanticipated shock of a bee sting’s pain. Yes, it hurts. Yes, it swells. As with humans, It probably is not a life ending event.
Every one of our puppies and dogs has been stung at least once. Often, their first sting is in the face just below their eye. Most bee stings after this happen on their paws or lower legs. That’s due to the dog’s own behavior modification. This is exactly the same behavior modification we go through. There are not many sane adults who stick their unprotected noses into the entrances of beehives.
Their first bee sting is undoubtedly due to their curiosity. What are these flying things that make a high pitched whine? They always try to swallow, bite or eat a honeybee. That is what always seems to result in their first bee sting.
For about a day, there is a notable swelling on the puppy’s face, usually just below their eye. They might whine or yelp when the sting happens, but in the end, they are always fine.
Their initial curiosity, walking right up to a beehive on its hive stand, which is usually right at their eye and nose level, after the first bee sting, quickly gives way to a studious ignoring of the bees and their hives.
I have 5 adult dogs, a mixture of purebred and rescued mutts, and none of them is willing to join me during a hive inspection anymore. Each of them, whether they came to our bee farm as young puppies or as rescued adults, joined me at least once. Each would put their nose right up against the beehive’s landing board, and each would eventually be stung.
Every human and every dog in our household gets stung by a bee at least once each year. Whether a young labradoodle puppy or an adult Labrador, they all survive the bee sting and learn to yield to stinging insects.
When first stung, our rescued Covid puppy mutts would race across our fields to avoid the mere hum of a buzzing honeybee. Over time, their fear has subsided. While we all, dogs and people, end up stung every year by a bee, we’ve all learned to accept the odd stinger as a part of life with honey. We would all rather live life with a few stings and abundant honey than a life with no stings and no honey.
I’m neither an MD or a VMD, but I wouldn’t worry too much about a bee sting to a puppy. I’ve seen it happen a lot, and it’s never been more than about a day with a bump and a lesson well learned. A wasp, hornet, or yellow jacket sting is worse than a bee sting, but the same process and outcome has occurred at our bee farm.