Who does not know it? ants can be extremely annoying, especially in the kitchen, ants are a no-go for many.
When you next go shopping, you quickly reach for an ant poison to get rid of these little beasts once and for all.
But then at home the question: Ant poison – dangerous for my dog, isn’t it?
This question is valid. Because: ant poison contains, as the name suggests, poison.
What happens if your dog eats ant poison, how long ant poison is dangerous and a lot of other useful information about ant poison and dogs can be found here in this article.
Is ant poison dangerous for my dog?
Normally, ant poison is only dangerous for your dog in larger doses.
However, ingestion of ant venom can increase severe stomach irritationsuch as gastric hyperacidity, and should therefore not be taken lightly.
However, if your dog has ingested a larger dose of ant venom, symptoms of poisoning may occur that require veterinary treatment. How long dog poisoning lasts varies from dog to dog.
What can happen if my dog ingests ant poison?
Usually, the doses of ant venom are so small that the dog shows no symptoms.
The dog usually starts to vomit itself, since it has become infected through the poison intake stomach upset got.
If the dog has licked the ant poison or even eaten it, your dog’s mucous membranes may have been irritated by the poison.
However, this will go away on its own after a few days.
Ant Venom Poisoning – Symptoms
If your dog has eaten large amounts of ant poison, it may be the usual symptoms of poisoning How Vomit, drooling and neurological deficits shows.
However, since the dosage in ant poison is not that high, it often happens that the poisoning symptoms are «overlooked» by the dog owners.
It is therefore particularly important that you keep an eye on your dog after ingesting the ant poison and note any changes.
If you notice any changes, a visit to the vet should follow as soon as possible!
What can I do for my dog?
Most important is: You must keep Calm.
After your dog has eaten ant poison, you can use it for immediate treatment activated charcoal administer.
By administering activated charcoal, the poison is bound in your dog’s stomach and can be excreted more easily before it is absorbed into the bloodstream via the gastric mucosa.
Have no fear, you can never go wrong with the gift of activated charcoal!
The exact type of dosage and how you can administer it can be found here in our report: Charcoal tablets dog: correct dosage and application explained
When should I go to the vet?
No matter what kind of poison your dog has ingested: A visit to the veterinarian is always necessary after the admission!
Whenever possible, the poison itself should also be taken to the vet.
The packaging can be used to determine which toxins your dog has ingested and treatment can be initiated with the right antidote.
How long ant poison is dangerous depends on the manufacturer and where the poison is stored.
Can I use ant poison in my garden if I have a dog?
Ants, like us humans and our dogs, also have one right to exist and a task. Therefore, when considering the idea of using ant poison to combat the little animals, it should always be considered first whether this is necessary at all.
That’s why I won’t present any poison alternative to fight ants here, which is tolerable for dogs.
However, there is a wide range of home remedies that have proven themselves to drive away ants and are absolutely harmless for dogs:
Seal food tightly
Ants find almost every crumb.
If an ant has discovered something delicious, an ant trail forms shortly thereafter and thousands of other ants follow.
Therefore, the simplest way is to close the edible food well, quickly remove any crumbs that have fallen down and dispose of household waste regularly.
Ants block the way
If all joints and cracks in the house are well closed, the ants cannot find their way into the house. You can do this yourself with silicone.
The good side effect: Draft is also reduced.
Ants don’t like strong smells
Strong smells make the ants flee.
Herbal concentrates such as lavender or mint, lemon peel, cinnamon, vinegar, cloves, and many other strong-smelling spices will help repel ants.
The easiest way is to mix a cocktail with strong-smelling spices and vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it over a large area if necessary.
This homemade anti-ant spray is completely safe for dogs and humans.
Lime/ chalk against ants
Ants absolutely do not like lime.
If you draw a line across the ground with a piece of chalk, not a single ant will walk across that line.
However, ants are not stupid: they run around the line 😉
Conclusion
If your dog has eaten ant poison, this is usually not a death sentence, but a veterinarian should always be consulted after ingesting the poison.
Activated charcoal acts relatively quickly as a first-aid measure when ant poison is ingested.
You can deal with the fact that your dog eats ant poison by using natural remedies to combat ants in your area.
Not only do you protect your dog from poisoning, you also do good for nature and the environment.
Has your dog already had experience with ant poison? Please leave us a comment!