2016 Update: Still winning the ant war and I maintain more properties now.  I’m still using the TERRO PreFilled Liquid Ant Killer II Baits 6 Pack T300 and TERRO Outdoor Liquid Ant Bait 6 pack T1806 for bigger nests.  I’ve tapered off my use of TERRO 600 1-Pound Ant Killer Dust a bit. The only major change is this stuff for when you just are $#@!ing around anymore, Termidor.

I moved to a property in 2012 that has a lot of ants.  Local pest control companies wanted $250+ for the first visit and $65 or so for followup visits.  I have a rental property where they charge far less but for whatever reason they are classified differently.  The ants are coming into the home, trees, planters, gardens, garage, shed, etc.  I started with Ortho Home Defense MAX Indoor and Perimeter Insect Killer RTU Wand, 1.1-Gallon which partially effective for exterior perimeter but I would not recommend.  Perhaps it would be better indoors than out.

Next, I started to use these little traps TERRO PreFilled Liquid Ant Killer II Baits 6 Pack T300.  While they were more effective, they usually did not kill the colony.  I used several other products which were less effective and then decided to step  up the war with the larger traps TERRO Outdoor Liquid Ant Bait 6 pack T1806.  While more effective, these were only a solution for closed environments like planters or raised gardens.  I would recommend a combination fo the little and bigger bait traps for a garden where you don’t want to spray chemicals.

The final ingredient I was missing was a way to prevent the small group of remaining ants from reaching the house, tree, shed etc. TERRO 600 1-Pound Ant Killer Dust did the job and them some.  At this point, the pest issue is under control for the ants I can see.

I have  a Shiba Inu who develops plaque on his teeth consistently.  My vet years ago told me to provide him with rawhide chews to help clean his teeth.  While this did keep his teeth cleaner, he would vomit a whitish liquid after chewing on one for 15 minutes or more.  I tried several different brands and types with the same result.

Naturally, I stopped giving him the chews as they made him vomit.  I could not find another good method to clean his teeth and daily brushing was only moderately effective.  I did have him cleaned at the vet periodically but as he is older now, I didn’t want to have him put under for this any longer.

After talking with a different vet about the issue, he suggested that I try USA made rawhides because the products from Asia, Mexico, Brazil, etc used arsenic and other chemicals in the hide processing & drying.  I tried a brand called Wholesome Hide Chewsthat I purchased from Cherrybrook Pet Supplies.

The chews work, his teeth are cleaner, all is well.  I relate this to pet owner friends often and as I am re-ordering just realized this would be a helpful blog post for many dog owners.