A rare case of anaphylactoid shock in the horse due to multiple bee stings

The swarm of bees is the natural type of propagation of the western honeybee (Apis mellifera). The approximately 10,000 animals are considered peaceful, but in the case presented here, a swarm of bees attacked a three-year-old warmblood gelding and his owner during training in the Round Pen. After numerous bee stings, the condition of the animal rapidly deteriorated despite the rapid initiation of intensive therapeutic measures, ultimately leading to coma and necessitating euthanasia. This case report discusses, on the one hand, the behavior of bees causing such a situation and, on the other hand, the pathogenesis of shock in the affected horse is discussed, because it remains difficult to determine to what extent an immediate type allergy (type 1), the anaphylactic reaction after prior sensitization, or anaphylactoid reaction to bee venom, and what role the direct toxicity of bee venom played on the organism.