Fire Ants Leave Pet Owners Fuming

Fire Ants Leave Pet Owners Fuming

Treating Fire Ants Outside Keeps Pets Safe Inside the House

(ARA) - When pet owners let Fido or Fluffy out into the safe confines of the backyard, too often they overlook the dangers that lurk in their lawn. But for the safety of their pets -- and family -- people should keep an eye out for fire ants, a petulant pest that presents a very real danger to their four-legged friends.

While nationwide statistics documenting pet injuries due to fire ants do not exist, pets are rushed to veterinarians with fire ant stings every summer. Curious pets often fall victim to swarming fire ants while plodding about the back yard and accidentally disturbing fire ant mounds. Fire ants are prone to sting areas with little hair such as the muzzle, ears, eyes or the underbelly of the pet. If a pet is being stung, quickly remove the animal from the area and wipe the fire ants off. Spraying the animal with water only aggravates the fire ants, causing them to bite down with their mandibles and sting the animal.

Animals can suffer allergic reactions to fire ants just like people. Newborn animals are particularly at risk. Caged animals such as rabbits, hamsters and even birds are more likely to be harmed because they can't escape if fire ants enter the enclosure. Some veterinarians have to treat their kennel areas and around the clinics because fire ants attack recuperating animals.

"Mounds pop up everywhere, especially after the rain," says Dr. Steve Lee, a veterinarian at Garrett Vet Clinic in Cuero, Texas. "After it rains fire ants are everywhere. We have to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't get in."

One of the biggest problems pet owners face is fire ants getting into pet food. For pets that are fed outside, this can be a daily occurrence. Whole bags of food can be infested. The problem then becomes what to do with a bowl or bag of pet food full of fire ants. Simply putting the bag in the trash does not work and could cause a colony to migrate closer to the source of food.

"Infested food must be discarded," says Charles Barr, a fire ant specialist and principal of Barr Research and Consulting in Bryan, Texas. "For the penny pinchers among us, putting the bowl or bag in the freezer for several hours will kill the ants and preserve the pet food."

Two-Step to Prevention

The best way to keep fire ants away from pets and their food is to treat the problem area. A proven treatment is known as the Over 'n Out Two-Step Method. It is a fast-acting, long-lasting technique that works against fire ants and controls infestations. The Over 'n Out Two-Step Method uses its new mound treatment product containing fast-acting indoxacarb followed by its broadcast treatment that consists of fipronil.

Step one is to use Over 'n Out Mound Treatment to immediately destroy the visible mounds. The intention is to kill the queen to prevent reproduction. The workers take the granules that contain indoxacarb into the colony and the poison rubs off on other fire ants. Results are seen within three days.

Follow the mound treatment with Over 'n Out Broadcast Treatment, to take care of everything that can't be seen, preventing fire ants from rebuilding their mounds, creating season-long control of fire ants in your yard.

By treating your yard with a long-lasting, fast-acting fire ant killer, you create a safe environment for your family and pets. An even better option is to join forces with neighbors to create a large fire ant free zone, where fire ants are unable to find a safe place to retreat.

To learn more about the Over 'n Out Two-Step Method visit www.fireantfree.com, or to talk to fire ant suppression specialists and homeowners at the FireRANT! (http://blog.thefirerant.com/).

Courtesy of ARAcontent