Ants!

[ClayBen]

Hiya,

 

Have a 4month old SBT pup that has been itching/chewing at himself quite a lot lately. 

Through a process of elimination and observation we have found the cause of issue - he's being bitten by ants in the backyard while we are away at work during the day.

We have seen him on a number of occasions rolling on lawn having a great time - suddenly yelps when he gets bitten, retreats to safety of kennel and runs around in loops until the bite settles down.

Can treat individual bites (which just show up like small mosquito bites) with a light application of Neocort and they are generally gone by morning - however, the process is obviously uncomfortable for him and he has started to thin his hair in one or two places from constant chewing to alleviate the itch.

 

Can anyone suggest either:

 

a) A way to repel ants from biting him

 

or

 

b) A dog-safe method to remove ant nests from lawn

 

We are in Perth if that helps. I'm not a local - but i assume the ants + sandy soils here are a natural combination.

 

Cheers,

Ben

[persephone]

http://www.mortein.com.au/products/outdoor/kill-protect-ant-sand/

 

[ClayBen]

1 minute ago, persephone said:

http://www.mortein.com.au/products/outdoor/kill-protect-ant-sand/

 

Hi Persephone,

 

I assume this product is not dog-safe though is it? i.e applying to lawn where dog plays

 

[persephone]

Just be aware it may not be ants ... there are many things which can make for an uncomfortable and itchy pup ... Staffords are often itchy  for different reasons. 

you may be interested in the following :  

 

[persephone]

4 minutes ago, Clay2017 said:

Hi Persephone,

 

I assume this product is not dog-safe though is it? i.e applying to lawn where dog plays

 

I have used it  with no probs . BUT I only ever apply into the ant holes, and in a circle around them . I certainly don't sprinkle it everywhere  . 
remove all dog food/bird seed etc  from the yard . Water deep and regularly . Follow/track ants and apply sand to nest hole areas .I also use a surface spray on the holes ..that works well , too. Obviously do these things when pup is out for a walk or out of sight  inside

[ClayBen]

1 hour ago, persephone said:

I have used it  with no probs . BUT I only ever apply into the ant holes, and in a circle around them . I certainly don't sprinkle it everywhere  . 
remove all dog food/bird seed etc  from the yard . Water deep and regularly . Follow/track ants and apply sand to nest hole areas .I also use a surface spray on the holes ..that works well , too. Obviously do these things when pup is out for a walk or out of sight  inside

Cheers Persephone,

 

Will give it a go.

Pup doesn't seem itchy in general - but just localised itch to any bite areas.

Doesn't itch when kept away from back lawn and associated ants 

[karen15]

if the itch is localised to the bite area, talk to your vet about a suitable antihistamine. Then, when pup gets bitten, give him an antihistamine as needed (possibly for a couple of days, depending) and that should stop him scratching.

 

do that in conjunction with killing the nests. I've used a powder in the yard while the dog was in it without issue. Getting rid of the source of the problem is the best way to treat it

 

What you don't want is the pup becoming addicted to scratching and chewing. Then it is much harder to fix. They actually feel good when licking and scratching, so it can develop into a big problem.

 

when I got my Westie puppy he was scratching much more than I thought appropriate. So I discussed it with the vet and antihistamines to give as needed. By the time the bottle ran out he was fine.

 

ETA make sure you check your yard for plants that cause itch like wandering dew (not sure on spelling). That used to set my staffy off scratching.

Edited April 5, 2017 by karen15

[Scrappi&Monty]

We've used ant sand type stuff before, pretty sure that's dog safe, just check the package or call the helpline. Just don't let pup eat near it or eat any of the ant poison regardless just to be sure.

If you are still to reluctant to use poison, you could try pouring boiling water down the ant holes. I remember Dad used to do that when we were kids with the Green ants. 

 

Have you seen your pup deliberately eating/digging up the ants? Hope not, my uncle's old mastiff does that and she gets confused when her mouth is all sore.