My dog has ant bites. How can I treat them and prevent licking?

The bites may cause some inflammation and itchiness. If it is only mild irritation you may want to consider giving a dose of benedryl (1mg per pound of body weight) to her to help make her more comfortable. If the bites are severe however, she may need something more effective like steroids. If this is the case you will need to take Pecora to the vet to be checked out. I hope this helps. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Fire ant bites are miserable! I generally recommend making an Epsom Salt soak for the feet (following the directions on the box) for about 5 minutes in order to decrease the inflammation. That does not need to rinsed off, but if they are still uncomfortable after that, then they may need more treatment, so you may need to see your veterinarian for a prescription for their feet. In the meantime, make sure they are not chewing at their feet because they may damage the skin and create more problems. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Oh no, poor Rascal! That must really hurt! Apply a cold compress to his chin for five to 10 minutes to see if that helps with the redness and swelling. The redness and swelling doesn't go down after 10-15 minutes, he will need to see a vet immediately. These ant bites can cause infection and pain, as well as the chance of an allergic reaction (small chance, however), so it's important to have Rascal seen by the vet if the cold compress doesn't help.

That would not hurt. But, if he is doing OK, you can try giving 1.5 tablets of the children's 12.5 MG tablet benadryl to help with histamine release. If he begins to swell, have hives, or trouble breathing, he would need to go in.

While Benadryl can be given to dogs in specific circumstances, by law it is illegal for the experts at PetCoach to recommend using any drug, including OTC drugs, without seeing the animal in person first. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. In addition, the experts cannot say for certain if a specific drug is safe for your dog. I would give your vet a call to see if it's safe to give Dustin Benadryl, and the vet can give you the correct dose for it. I would also wash him in warm water and Dawn dish soap to get rid of the ants, and you can make a home soothing salve to help with the bites from the ants if he has them using baking soda and water. To make this salve, mix one tablespoon of baking soda and add enough water to form a spreadable paste. You will have to keep him from licking it off, so put an Ecollar on him, which you can make at home: http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Poor guy. Yes the vet will need to now give him stronger medication such as a steroid shot/pill and/or another anti-histamine like Hydroxyzine. I would also recommend a topical pet friendly cream from your vet, such as Resortin ointment which has an antibiotic and a steroid in it to help with itching. You may also be able to find a similar topical cream from your local pet store; however giving him something systemically (the steroid shot or pill) is needed to help his itch the best. I hope that Woody feels better soon. Take care.

Poor Ivar! These could certainly be from outside like from ants or it could be a bacterial infection secondary to allergies. You could try Benadryl and a medicated bath. I like miconahex shampoo or something similar that has chlorohexidine in it. See link below for Benadryl dosing. If they aren't improving or if they are getting worse, I would have your vet take a look at them to ensure he doesn't need a stronger allergy medicine or oral antibiotics. I would also make sure he isn't licking at them. I would put a cone collar on him if needed. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/