How to treat fire ant bites on Horses with Banixx?

The Banixx Pet Care RemedyFire ants, aka red ants, are mostly found in states from N. Carolina, west to Texas, and south of those states. Unlike many other ants, which bite and then spray acid on the wound, fire ants bite only to get a grip and then sting (from the abdomen) and inject a toxic alkaloid venom called Solenopsin. These aggressive ants nest in the soil of pastures, fields and wide-open spaces usually undetected unless provoked by a hoof or foot. Fire ants deliver a simultaneous bite and sting to horses that is very painful. Their sting is a sensation similar to what one feels when burned by fire (hence the infamous name). The after-effects of the sting include intense pain, pruritis (itching), and erythema (redness of the skin produced by congestion of the capillaries). Stings usually develop into pustules within 12 to 24 hours although, for the luckier horse, it is possible that only skin redness, circular, crusty sores develop and the skin appears as thickened, uneven and irregular. Banixx may be applied immediately to soothe the tissue and ward off any subsequent infection. Banixx is well tolerated because it has no clinical odor and has no burn or stinging sensation when applied. It's best to use Banixx am and pm as a fire-ant treatment, but, in severe cases, where the horse is clearly uncomfortable due to the pain, veterinary intervention may be needed and steroids, antihistamines or anti-inflammatory drugs may be required.

Fire ant bites on a horse in recovery stage

Fire ant bites on a horse.

  • To treat for fire ant bites on horses apply Banixx liberally to the fire ant bite area several times a day, and pat it gently into the skin. Initially, do this several times a day if possible. Banixx assists your horse in sloughing off the scabby infected tissue, so resist the urge to pick the scabs. They will slough off in due course and removing them can leave your horse open to more infection. Since fire ants are prevalent at the beginning of the fly season, wounds with scabs removed have no protection against fly bites or infection from flies. Banixx applications are simple and will help your horse feel immediate relief.
  • Continue to use Banixx as needed. When you apply Banixx, it’s best to spray it beyond the obvious affected area in order to thoroughly saturate all bites since some may be hidden to the naked eye.

Banixx is a gentle, yet potent treatment against any fire ant attacks on your horse. During the first 3-4 days of fire ant bite treatment, you can dose more often if your schedule allows. You cannot overdose with Banixx and your horse will not develop any resistance to Banixx. Buy Banixx or buy online.

The threat of fire ants to healthy adult horses is generally minimal, noting that the more stings that your horse receives will directly correlate to the amount of distress observed. However, fire ants can be a significant threat to resting animals and newborn horses/ponies if they lie down or are born on or near an ant bed, hence vigilance of your pasture health and removing fire ant infestation is generally recommended.