How to Treat Ant Bites on a Dog

Ants bite people and all types of pets every year. It can be alarming when you suspect ants may have bitten your dog. Dogs may experience startled reactions or yelp in discomfort and pain. Ant bites on dogs may be painful and cause a dog to become traumatized or extremely ill. If you believe your pet may have been attacked by ants, the best thing you can do is get control of the situation. Calm the dog down as quickly as possible so you can determine an appropriate course of action or treatment.

Things You'll Need

  • Baking soda
  • Water
  • Ice pack
  • Ammonia
  • Soft cloth
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Quickly move your dog away from the area or ant colony that is causing anxiety. Do not hose him down or bath him immediately. This can cause ants left on the dog's skin to bite harder. Use your hands to flick ants off your pet as quickly as possible.

    • 2

      Locate ant bites and gently wash them with warm soapy water and dry with a soft cloth. Mix a solution of water and baking soda into a thick paste. Gently smooth the paste over each ant bite. If baking soda is not available, apply ammonia to each bite to relieve itching.

      Apply ice packs to the bites. Hold ice packs on bites for five-minute intervals. Ice helps to alleviate swelling. Reapply baking soda paste as needed.

    • 3

      Observe your dog's reaction to ant bites carefully. All pets may react out of character when bitten by ants. Watch your pet for physical symptoms as opposed to a traumatized reaction to the bites. Pets that have multiple ant bites may have severe physical reactions.

      Adverse reactions to ant bites can include difficulty breathing and disorientation as well as difficulty moving due to severe swelling. If life-threatening reactions appear, call your veterinarian or transport your pet to the vet's office immediately. Pets that have incurred ant bites should be observed carefully for the next 24 hours.

    • 4

      Restrain the dog from chewing and licking ant bites. This can cause bites to swell and may open or split pustules that form. Purposely opening pustules can lead to infection. Sores resulting from ant bites may take a week or longer to begin healing.

      Watch for indications of infection, which include a foul odor, pus and drainage. The dog may be running a fever if bites have become infected. If the ant bites become infected, contact a veterinarian.