Fire Ants!
 

Traveling home from Florida, Allie stepped across a small fire ant nest. In literally 2 seconds, they were attacking. My mom (she was walking Allie) swooped Allie up and started brushing then off. Allie wasn't bitten, but mom was bitten badly. Within 5 minutes, mom's arms and hands were swollen to twice their size. She had such a severe allergic reaction. Thank goodness for the iPhone. I was able to locate a local urgent care that was open on Saturday. Mom was given a shot stronger than prednisone, plus prednisone pills, creams and a spray. She is still sick, and very swollen, with nasty fluid filled bumps. She said her arms and hands feel like pins and needles. The doctor said if a little two pound dog was bitten (even once or twice), that the venom very well could have killed her. I always travel with emergency supplies for the pups, but never kept liquid Benadryl in the car. Being uneducated and unprepared could have cost my baby her life. Now I know not to leave home without it. In the 5 minutes it takes to find a pharmacy, it could be too late, especially when traveling, and not knowing where a pharmacy or a vet is located. The doctor said do not use water to get the ants off. It makes them panic and sting even more. Mom is our hero. She really took a big hit for little Allie. I just wanted to make everyone aware of the terrible danger. If anyone else has anything to add, I'd love to learn more about what to do, etc. It was so scary. I like to think I am so vigilant, but danger lurks everywhere! BTW- we finally made it home @ 5 this morning. Thank goodness!

Oh, Kim, we have them all over down here. I am SO sorry this happened to your mom...tell her not to scratch those things. Get some spray that numbs them when they itch. If she scratches them, they will get infected...there is something about those bites that is quite nasty! They itch like no tomorrow! Thank goodness your Allie is ok....I am scared to death of those nasty things and walk around my yard all the time looking for them so I can get rid of them. I have stuff here to kill them, but have also had the exterminator come.

Linda, we just spent 6 months in FL., and I had no idea of this danger. I feel like such a fool. I googled, and a lady on MalteseTalk apparently lost her little one to fire ant stings. Their tiny bodies just can't handle the allergic response to the venom. If a grown woman is this sick from 4 bites, a little tiny pup wouldn't stand a chance. I'm just sick over this.

Kim, here is a thread from last year where sugar was bitten by fire ants while I was away. The ants are a sub plot to the thread at first but still show the dangers.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...both-vets.html

Lisa, I'm so happy that Sugar was ok, though it sounds like she was a sick little pup. So apparently, it's like people with bee stings? Some are more dangerously allergic than others, and you have no way of knowing until it happens. I also just read that most nests are not mounds. Most are holes underneath something protected, so you can't even see them until you are on top of them. By then, it's too late. Allie was so fortunate. The ants got caught in her long hair, and never made it to her skin. I used a brush to make sure they were all gone, then went back over her again with a flea comb to make sure none remained. When I saw mom's arms and hands, I just sat there and cried. She was so brave to keep brushing them off as they were stinging her. She does love her grand doggies!

Oh no I so sorry to read about your Mom. Fire Ants are horrible. I hate those darn things. We have them here all over the place in Texas.

My yard is treated for them and I thank heavens I don't have any in my yard.

I have been stung by Fire Ants before and they are so very painful. I pray your Mom starts feeling better soon.

What an amazing mom you have!!! Getting stung like that herself to protect her grandpup.

Hope she heels quickly. Did they give her something for the pain, as well the the allergic reaction & swelling?

ZoE once bit at a bee on the ground at the dog park, on a Sunday afternoon. Luckily, I grabbed her, got in my car & flew to the Meijer pharmacy that was just a mile or two away for benadryl. It's just such a mad panic when something happens & you aren't prepared for it. Now I have a first-aid kit in my car.

Praying for a quick recovery for your brave Mother...

So glad Zoe is ok, because of your quick thinking. Now that it is spring, what a wonderful idea to put together a first aid kit for the car. You are so wise! Besides the Benadryl, antiseptic wipes, and nutracal, what else would you suggest I put in it? I swear, I will NEVER be unprepared like that again.

I always warn my owners to NEVER leave their babies outside in the yard unattended....one did it anyways...."just for a minute, while I went back into the house to pour my coffee and get the newspaper so I could sit out back with her". In the short time it took for her to pour coffee and get the newspaper and get back out to her patio, her little dog was no where to be seen....the owner started calling and running all over her yard....and when she rounded the corner of the house, she saw her baby, laying motionless on top of a fire ant bed, completely COVERED in ants. She snatched her up and started beating the ants off....baby was totally unresponsive, tongue blue, full arrest....she started CPR and grabbed her keys and raced to the ER, doing CPR with baby lying across her left arm.......they saved the little dog, but it started the allergic "cascade", where the entire systems falls like dominoes from the toxins from the ants....and that poor baby has a horrible time with severe allergies now.....something she never would have had if she had not been thrown into a full allergic cirrculatory collapse from the ant stings. She NOW listens when I say never leave them outside unattended for even a second...it only takes a second for them to get into trouble that could cost them their life.....she believes the crazy dog lady now.........

This is so scary, Kim. It only takes a moment for those awful things to cover a dog if they are in attack mode and that can be it if no one gets them treatment in time. Thank goodness your mom was watching her. I'm so impressed with your poor mom, though, sacrificing herself for her granddog. I hope and pray the poor thing can get some relief soon and none of her spots gets infected and the predisone. doesn't give her other problems. It is so scary when these tiny babies are outside - or inside - really. They have to be pretty constantly observed as there are a host of things on the inside they can get into trouble with, too. I swear I'm going to start wearing Tibbe like a backpack! And travel with Children's Benadryl. Keep us updated on how your mom is doing and kiss sweet Allie for me. Once Tibbe was outside and sat right down on a brand new ant hive and I was right there and grabbed him right up just as the ants were pouring out! So close!

Yes, thank goodness for your mom....now, she may need to carry an Epi pen because if she is allregic to fire ants and has had this severe a reaction, I think they get worse and worse with each exposure.....she may even have a horrible reaction to wasps or bee stings also.......does she need to be carrying an Epi Pen now???

No kidding. Good idea. I'd ask her doc if he'd Rx one. If she just went to an ER Care Center, her PCP needs to know about this.

In ZoE's first aid kit I have:

antiseptic spray
triple antiboitic ointment
hydrocortisone cream
saline solution
gauze rolls
gauze pads
medical tape
tweezers
scissors
gloves
snap cold packs
petclot pack
hydrogen peroxide
vaseline
tourniquet
thermometer
eyedropper
syringe
popsicle sticks
craft sticks
towel/cloths
hockey laces
our vet info
emergency vet info
poison control #

doseage card of meds...like ZoE can have 1/2 of a baby asprin, 1/2 a 25mg benadryl tablet. I wrote it out & put a card in there. I was worried in that in a panic, I wouldn't remember each doseage correctly.

I'd like to know if I'm missing anything?

Very scary! Allie is a lucky little girl to have a great grandmother. I'm glad your mom is okay, and I hope she heals quickly. The pain sounds miserable!

KazzyK,

Just curious....what would you use the vaseline for?

You have an excellent First Aid kit. I am going to use yours as a guideline for what I need to get to make a kit for us.

Thanks for the info.

No, she has never carried an epi pen before, but I'm thinking maybe she should now. Thank you for telling me. We will definitely talk to the doctor about it. She went back to the doctor because she was swelling up again today, and more welts are coming out. Oh heavens, I will be forever grateful to that wonderful woman.

Judy- I read your story about the irresponsible owner, and just sat here shaking. The way you described it, I could just see that horrible scene in my mind's eye, like something out of a horror movie. I'm just beating myself up for not knowing about any of this.

Linda, the doctor mentioned again today about not breaking open the blisters because they get infected. They also put mom on an antibiotic today for that very reason. Thank you so much for the info.

Karan, your kit is wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing this information. I'm going to get to work on one right away. The only thing I don't know about is a pet clot pack.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and wonderful wishes. I'll pass them all on to mom. Hugs to each of you.

So glad your mom and Allie are okay and that your mom acted so fast:D
Shoot my mom would have been screaming for me to come get the ants off Joel, hehe

Vaseline has many uses:

1). :blush: It eases insertion of a rectal thermometer.

2). It's great at stopping crawly things in their tracks. A glob of vaseline on a flea, ant, spider, etc, will stop if moving quickly, so you then have time to comb the hair aside & pick it off.

3). It's a great lube for many things. Say if a dog's paw or head was stuck...like between a railing or something...you could slather it up with vaseline to help it slide out. Many people would use butter in such a situation, but vaseline is easier to transport in the heat/cold extremes of a car. Variable car temperature is also the reason I have things like benadryl pills in the car instead of the liquid. I do have liquid at home though.

Love it!

You're welcome :)

The PetClot stops bleeding. It's made by the maker's of QuikClot. It's a pack, that you open & hold against a cut or abrasion and quickly stops bleeding.

Karan your kit is wonderful, thank you for posting this....I will use yours as a guide for when I put mine together.

OP I hope your brave mother gets well soon....I have been bitten by fire ants, they are nasty. It never occurred to me that these things can kill our precious babies. Thank you for sharing.

I am sooooo happy to read and learn from this!! I just had ants ruin my electric drive gate.... They made a nest in the electric box and between the gate man, the electrician, the bug man AND $500 later I have learned to watch for fire ants! Now I have had my whole yard sprayed and will be more diligent patrolling my yard for ants!! I am going to Walgreens tomorrow to make Charlie an medical emergency kit!
How much Benadryl would I give to Charlie, if needed? He's 4.6 lbs.
In Texas fire ants can be anywhere.... So I need to be prepared!!
Thanks for all the good tips!! This is why I love all of you so much.... Your all so smart!! :-)

Dont beat yourself up because you were not familiar with just how aggressive and vicious these ants are. They are very aggressive and if their hill is threatened, they pour out of that nest in force, with nothing on their minds but stopping the "invader" dead in its tracks.....they can completely swarm over an entire little Yorkie is just a matter of seconds....and they wait until the object is completely covered before they start stinging in unison! I have heard they have killed newborn calves and little fawns that have laid down on a fire ant hill.....I am a hunter, so that is why I knew if they could kill a fawn or a calf, they could kill a small dog or puppy. You know now and you are taking steps to avoid ever being in this position again! Your poor momma.....I hope they are getting her symptoms under control.....I would go to the health food store and get some milk thistle for her...help clear the toxic ant serum from her system, help her liver manage the shock of the ant toxin. You would want to check with her doctor first.....he will probably tell you "it wont do any good"....we are looking for "it wont hurt her" sentence!

Oh my goodness! How horrible!! Your Mom is just wonderful. Praying that she feels better soon!!

Kim, I am so sorry your mom is hurting and so happy she was quick acting!!

Fire ants are all over here in Alabama. I'm always on the lookout for new mounds in my yard.

KazzyK - great first aid kit!

Milk thistle? hmm, We'll call the doctor today. Thank you! You are incredibly smart about so many things, Judy. I so appreciate you and all the wonderful advice you give us daily.

Kim I am so very grateful that your Mom saved Allie from being bit. I am also very sorry that she did. I hopr she starts feeling better soon. I do have a alternative to the epi pen though. I am allergic to any stinging insect and a few other things but I know for me I would not be able to use an epi pen , so my Doctor recommended alavert. they have the ones that dissolve right away once you put it in your mouth. My doctor recommends putting it under the tongue.

Amen to what Judy said about milk thistle for the liver. I've been reading about it since it was mentioned on the liver shunt/MVD material I've been researching lately for Tibbe. Ask her doc and see if he doesn't agree with Judy that it can help the liver. There has even been one thread on it here on YT I think.

God Bless your Mom she is a true hero and sacrificed herself to protect Allie. I hope she is feeling better. How scary I really do need to carry benadryl.