Fire ant bites on udder

[Alice In TX/MO]

One of the drawbacks of not really having winter is that we are prime fire ant habitat. My alpine has what I'm pretty sure is fire ant bites on her udder, just above her teat. I washed it with teat dip this evening, and I have bag balm, but after reading Vicki's warnings not to use greasy things on a sore, I'm waiting till I get feedback on using it.

Vicki - you are in Texas, too. Has this happened to you?

Alice

[BlueHeronFarm]

We've had our get into fire ants before - mostly on their legs, though. The teat dip should be good enough. You could use topical benedryl if the bites seem to be bothering her. We generally don't do anything but feel sorry for them. As many bites as they get, I get about 10 times that in a season-- I know the pain!

[Alice In TX/MO]

OK, heading to the barn to check on her. THANK YOU!

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Yep, why I chuckle when we hear how organic everyones milk or farm is out here You can loose kids in your barn when born, from fireants, a downer doe or cow, even your goat with his horns stuck in a fence! I poision around the perimeter of my barn with a seasonal killer, they work excellent, applied once (Over and Out etc.... Living in the woods it isn't about killing them, it's about setting a perimeter and sure you can live in the woods, just not around the house, barn or pastures!

I use chlorhexideen for everything like this, and yes if bad enough oral benedryl. People dose for like sized adults, Childs dose for like sized kids. I used to keep an antihistimine for horses here, benedryl is just so much more conveinent and I keep it in my show box for even me. Just like us, their first bites will be worse and stay longer, don't pick at them or dry up the udder. No creams or balms or salves or you will get staph under it. The longer you and the goats are here the less the bites bother you. And yep they always get bit on the udder, but even judges know about fire ant bites Welcome to Texas Vicki