Cat Bee Sting

My cat just got stung on his paw by a bee. He is limping on it and won't let me see it. What can I do since the vets are closed?

Is there a 24 hour vet in your area that you can just call? (You can try calling your regular vet too, a lot of vets will have an automatic answering service after hours that often includes the number of an emergency vet in the area to call)... if you can find an open vet to call, they should be able to tell you what to do - my dog's gotten stung several times and we're instructed to give her benadryl - it's ok to do, but I wouldn't even hazard a guess as to what the correct dosage would be for your cat... if nothing's open for you to call now, your kitty should be ok overnight and you should call your vet when they open in the morning (they will either be able to tell you how much benadryl to give, or could possibly just write a script for you to pick up)... it just sounds like a typical reaction to a bee sting and since it's on the paw and not near the neck/face, I don't see there being problems... It probably doesnt necessarily hurt your kitty, but it feels funny which is why he won't let you touch it... if you can keep your kitty calm and relaxed while snuggling him, you could attempt an ice pack on the paw - that depends on your kitty's personality though

Originally Posted by trdarch

My cat just got stung on his paw by a bee. He is limping on it and won't let me see it. What can I do since the vets are closed?

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If there isn't an emergency vet hospital in your area (which I doubt because you live in Portland, OR), then I suggest you contact the ASPCA poison control hotline. Here is their website: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc I just want to warn you that they charge $55.00 to open a case but the staff are very helpful. They have a vet on site to answer your questions. You can call back as often as you want for that particular case and won't charge for additional calls. I called once for Buster and they helped me a lot!!

I also googled emergency vet hospitals in Portland and found this place:
http://dovelewis.org/

Good luck!

check that it's a bee sting not a wasp sting;
Bee stings are acid. Remove the sting and bathe the area in bicarbonate of soda.
Wasp stings are alkali, and the sting is not left in the skin. Bathe the area in vinegar.

If it was a bee then you must get the sting out if you possibly can or it will get infected. After that, most cats recover quickly.