Bees, wasps, hornets, fire ants, and spiders can inject toxic substances into animals through bites or stings. Dogs usually get nailed on the face and foreleg. Most dogs experience only skin redness, swelling, and itchiness at the bite site which usually resolve within 48 hours. You can apply cold compresses, a baking-soda-and-water paste, and/or topical or oral anti-inflammatory steroids prescribed by your veterinarian if your dog appears to be in discomfort.

Occasionally a dog has a more severe, and potentially fatal, allergic reaction. Signs include widespread swelling or hives, vomiting, loss of muscle coordination, and pale mucous membranes caused by poor blood circulation. Quick veterinary intervention is crucial in these
situations. Your vet will treat your dog with intravenous fluids and epinephrine to help jump-start the dog's cardiovascular system and restore blood pressure. They also use injected steroids to calm down
the overactive immune system.

Always monitor your dog after encounters with things that sting and bite. If your dog has already had one allergic episode, each subsequent episode may be more intense. In those cases your vet may prescribe a pre-measured dose of injectable epinephrine for emergency administration.