Valencia Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 We have red ants in the yard of the house I live in, and I think Stew got bit this am. He came inside after pottying, and was acting fine; then, a little bit later, I saw him rubbing his rear foot on the carpet like he was itching it. Then, he started acting weird, his leg was shaking like crazy, and he would run around trying to find a comfortable spot, but clearly his foot is bothering him. He will come stand next to me to get me to help him, but his legs come out from underneath him. I'm not sure if he is just in pain (he always acts strange when in pain, and will NOT let me help him, he growls and will snap if I push it) or if he is really having trouble with his legs, because they only come out from underneath him on the tile floor, not the carpet. I have him x-penned in on the carpet now, to get him to stop pacing and running around, and so he doesn't get hurt. He has a few little red spots on this lower legs that are started to turn into bumps, and he is licking at them, but won't let me get to them to really see them or clean them. Should I just keep an eye on him, or does it sound like something serious? Also, if anyone knows how to get rid of the ants in a dog-safe way, please let me know, I do not want anymore bites on anyone. Quote Shannon, mom to Shae, Jesse James and Linus the Chinese Cresteds,and bridge angels Sydney Sue and Stewart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Give him some Benadryl, 25mg. per 50lbs. It sounds like he's having an allergic reaction to the bites. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvgreys Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 I'd get some Benedryl into him, and put Benedryl cream on the bites too. Don't know a safe way to kill those ants, but you can probably find the answer on the Net. Poor Stewie... Quote Jeanne with Remington & Scooter the cat....and Beloved Bridge Angels Sandee, Shari, Wells, Derby, Phoenix, Jerry Lee and Finnian.....If tears could build a stairway, and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heavenand bring you home again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbotaina Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Yup sounds like an allergic reaction. At a minimum, I'd call the vet and let them know what's happening and if you should bring him in. Quote Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi."Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 poor little guy...those can hurt! I found this...hope it helps... Here is a GREAT resource for all things on Fire Ants from Texas A&M: http://fireant.tamu.edu/ If you do find fire ants there are two other methods to use that are safe. 1. Hot water and liquid dish soap. Fill a pitcher w/ hot water and liquid dish soap and pour on mound. You can do this even if people/kids are going to be in the yard shortly after and the ants will be gone. 2. Powdered laundry detergent. This suffocates them and you won't have to worry about them moving to a "new home" which is what can happen w/ some products on the market. I've used this method to treat an entire soccer field that was covered in fire ant mounds and after that day we never had another one come up. This also works very quickly and is safe to do if you are going to have people/kids in the yard that day. I buy the biggest cheapest box of detergent and use it when needed. Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valencia Posted May 23, 2007 Author Share Posted May 23, 2007 Sweet, thanks Michelle!!!! I will try those methods ASAP. I will also get the poor kid some benedryl, I feel TERRIBLE for him, he does NOT do well with pain. Quote Shannon, mom to Shae, Jesse James and Linus the Chinese Cresteds,and bridge angels Sydney Sue and Stewart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CindiLuvsGreys Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Poor baby. I hope he is feeling better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valencia Posted May 23, 2007 Author Share Posted May 23, 2007 I brought Stewie to work so I could keep an eye on him. He seems perfectly normal now, so I am really relieved. He is enjoying hanging out at the store, he ran up and down the full length of the studios several times, so I am guessing his bites are not bothering him anymore. Thanks for all the advice, everyone!! If you do find fire ants there are two other methods to use that are safe. 1. Hot water and liquid dish soap. Fill a pitcher w/ hot water and liquid dish soap and pour on mound. You can do this even if people/kids are going to be in the yard shortly after and the ants will be gone. 2. Powdered laundry detergent. This suffocates them and you won't have to worry about them moving to a "new home" which is what can happen w/ some products on the market. I've used this method to treat an entire soccer field that was covered in fire ant mounds and after that day we never had another one come up. This also works very quickly and is safe to do if you are going to have people/kids in the yard that day. I buy the biggest cheapest box of detergent and use it when needed. Okay, so to get revenge for poor Stewie, I made a solution of water and dish soap. There are two mounds of ants, so I decided to try the soapy water on one, and if it didn't work, I'd try the laundry soap on the other. (I didn't want to mix the water and the laundry soap, I figured it would make a mess). I sprayed the first ant hill, and not only did it NOT kill the ants, but it got them MAD!!! They started angrily swarming around, and a bazillion came out of the hole until they made a big red moving pile. I got freaked out and retreated to go find the laundry soap. I'm not sure how the laundry soap thing works, so I just sprinkled it on the second mound. It didn't look like it did anything, but I think I saw some of the ants run to grab their laundry. I'll see if it worked when I get home tonight. If I see a bunch of tiny clotheslines set up, I am going to have to resort to drastic measures. Quote Shannon, mom to Shae, Jesse James and Linus the Chinese Cresteds,and bridge angels Sydney Sue and Stewart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahicks51 Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 You should be nice to your ants. Cook for 'em. http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/609/...Ants95380.shtml I mean, to kill 'em. And stuff. Quote Coco (Maze Cocodrillo) Minerva (Kid's Snipper) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest luvmygreys Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 OUCH!!!!! I'm extremely allergie to fire ants, and know from personal experience that their bites are very painful. I'm sure poor Stewart felt that pain. Keep some Benadryl on hand for those occasions when they get bitten or stung...it sure helps. Glad he's feeeling better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MauCarden Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 I've a cruel streak I guess, born of many encounters with fire ants. I like to take a shovel and transfer ants from one nest to the other--let'em kill each other. When I was back south last month, having totally forgotten about fire ants, I was bitten within two minutes of leaving my car. Of course fire ants did teach me it is possible to strip and run at the same time-even when starting with jeans. Quote Missing my sweet girl Scout. My snuggler, my chow-hound, my kissy girl. It never thunders at the Bridge, and your food bowl is ALWAYS filled. So strange not living in Atty World. I was a love struck handmaiden to your every whim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nanzi Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Poor Stewart. I hope he never has to deal with that again. We had fire ants get in our car whilst at Darlington Raceway in SC. We were sitting on folding chairs eating lunch, and they came up the legs of the chairs, then when we left, they were everywhere. It was a long ride home to Myrtle Beach Hotel. So we left the car all closed up in the sun the next day, and guess we fried them. They're nasty buggers, with evil bites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 oh no! I am hoping you just don't have a lot of mean, clean fire ants now! how's everything look today? Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest maryjo79 Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Have you tried pouring vinegar on them? Just reading this thread has given me goosebumps and itchies. I hate fire ants. the more you are stung by them the more allergic reactions you get. They suck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest robingrey Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 You must let us know which method (if either) worked! I've never heard of vinegar or thought to have ant wars! I kind of like the ant war idea, though. I HATE fire ants. We go on ant patrol here. We load up the golf cart with a sprayer and visit them all - we have a five acre yard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest maryjo79 Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Well the vinegar won't kill the entire colony unless you get the queen (highly unlikely) but it's going to kill the ones that you hit with it. It's also eco-friendly. I gotta stop reading this, I'm itching all over now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 I don't like powdered dishwasher soap because I really don't want the dogs trying to eat it, that stuff is pretty strong ..... I've used the hot soapy water method on anthills. It doesn't kill all of 'em but it does seem to cause them to relocate. I've also put a temporary fence up around a small area and used non-eco-friendly stuff to kill various critters. Sometimes it's us or them, and I'd rather it be them. Be sure to mark the fence well so the pups don't run into it. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valencia Posted May 24, 2007 Author Share Posted May 24, 2007 The fence ideas is a great one! The dishsoap didn't work, and they scoffed at the laundry soap. Stewart did get his own form of revenge, he ran over to one anthill and pooped on it. :lol I will try the vinegar, that's pretty potent stuff. I was just afraid it would kill the grass, but that is better than those nasty ants. Quote Shannon, mom to Shae, Jesse James and Linus the Chinese Cresteds,and bridge angels Sydney Sue and Stewart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Stewart I hope you get rid of them, Shan!! Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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