Insect bites and bee stings on dogs are unpleasant realities you may have to contend with sometimes. But there are quite a few ways to apply 'first aid' so your dog isn't burdened by the pain or itchiness for long. And if they're not irritated by the sting or bite, they won't pick at it and make it worse.
 
Dogs can be afflicted with the itchiness, pain, and irritation from mosquitoes, insects, bees, hornets and wasps, just like humans can.
 
To help relieve the pain of insect bites on dogs, here are some tips:
 
There are a number of things you can put on the bites. These include:
 
* Baking soda - Not only is this good for removing old tea stains from your carpets, but it really helps relieve the itchiness of insect bites due to its alkaline nature. Make a paste with a small amount of water and rub it into the bite or sting several times a day.

* Meat Tenderizer - No, you're not going to cook your dog!! But the enzymes in meat tenderizers help break down the poison in stings, and thus reduces the irritation. Mix the tenderizer with a small amount of water, and apply it straight away to the sting. Repeat as often as necessary. Redness and swelling are good signs to continue repeating at regular intervals.

* Aloe Vera - This is a great first aid plant to have on your patio or in your garden. It helps with sunburn and burns in humans, and also skin irritations in your dog. Break a small section of the plant off, and slice it across with a knife. Being careful not to stick the thorny bits into your dog's insect sting or bee sting, gently rub it over and let the juice soak in. You can also squeeze the opened plant section to get more of the juice out. You can use aloe vera gel, but fresh is best!

* Remove the stinger if your dog was stung by a bee. It's best to use tweezers for this. Part his hair to get a better view, and if he has long hair and you're having difficulty finding it, you might trim some of the hair away from that immediate area. If the stinger is visible you might try scraping it out with your fingernail, but make sure you don't drive it deeper into his skin. That's why tweezers are best. By removing the stinger, you prevent more venom from entering his wound.

* Manuka honey is an excellent antibacterial and wound healer. You can apply it to any cuts or irritations on your dog, and my mother has even used it successfully on one of her dogs in the early stages of conjunctivitis. It is gentle and non irritating so can be applied to the eye area. Manuka honey is graded by UMF factor, which measures it's antibacterial activity. Whilst all unprocessed honey has some antibacterial activity, manuka is much stronger, so much so that the UMF graded manuka honey is even used in some hospitals.

Other ways you can relieve the pain from insect bites and stings is applying these agents:

* Ammonia - Applying ammonia straight to the bite will help relieve associated pain

* Milk of magnesia - Apply a thin coat several times a day to your dog's bites

* Cold compresses - This helps reduce the swelling and hence the pain. Hold it onto your dog for about 5 minutes or longer, but make sure your dog is comfortable.

* You could try an over the counter product like hydrocortisone, but I would strongly suggest manuka honey as an alternative. It's available on the internet or health food stores.

It's a good idea to keep a little 'first aid kit' with some of these items in it so you have them on hand should the need arise.