It’s summertime and that means flying bugs. Unless you live in the most arid climate imaginable...you’ve got ‘em too.
The bites and their bumps are disturbing enough, but we all know that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The real predators to fear are usually not the insects themselves...but the even smaller bugs they carry with them. The West Niles and the heartworms of this world are far more fearsome, I think you’ll agree.
Sure, our pets have heartworm meds on board to kill any potential invaders (cats, too), but that doesn’t make any of us feel comfortable with the other possibilities (known or unknown). After all, whether you’re slathered in DEET or not, you know you’re going to face the swarm as you head out of doors. Which means your pets will, too.
Flying insects get in their eyes, their noses their mouths and under their skin. They cause sneezing, tearing, painful stings and insta-itching. A thick coat helps, but no canine or feline coat is thick enough to keep them completely at bay. (Ever felt a horse-fly? Even my sister’s heavy-coated husky mix is not immune.)
Which is why I have a few choice tips to help keep flying insects from doing their thing. All with a minimum of toxic chemicals and other heavy-handed repellants. Some are obvious...others not so much. Regardless, it’s always worth repeating the simple things. Here goes:
#1 Avoid dusk and dawn like the plague. Doing so might just protect you from one. These are the times when many biting insects (mosquitoes in particular) are in fullest force.
#2 Keep moving. Sitting still is a recipe for stings. “Speed is armor,” as they say in the military handbooks. Why make yourself and your pets a perfect target? Walk or, better yet, run!
#3 Move the air. If they can’t (or won’t) move, bring the movement to them. Train a strong fan on your pets when they’re out of doors. It’s not just keeping them cool, it’s blowing those insects away.
#4 Use made-for-pets insect repellants. Some work really well:
- Permethrin-containing products like the once-a-month topical Advantix can work, but they can be deadly toxic to cats.
- The Ex-Officio Insect Shield is a bandana that also contains permethrin.
- PetGuard insect repellant comes as a gel. My sister uses it on her dog’s ears and says it works great. Though the product claims to be good for dogs, cats and horses, it’s got pyrethrins in it. That means it’s a no-no for cats.
#5 Avon “Skin-So-Soft” works. You can spray this bath-oily stuff liberally on your pets (and yourself) and actually get some relief. But its greasiness can be a problem. I recommend a three to one water to SSS dilution in a spray bottle.
Note: Some veterinarians think the essential oils in this products can cause toxicity to sensitive cats, though I’ve not seen any reports of this. Beware mild GI symptoms and never use it full strength on them.
#6 Consider stronger repellants for dogs only. There are plenty of DEET-containing repellants I’ve sometimes been willing to use on myself if I’m hiking through the Everglades...yet I’m not so willing to use them on my dogs. One solution is to spray a tiny amount of these stronger agents on a bandana that your dog will wear for short walks and hikes. The waft is often enough to keep bugs at bay.
But never use these on cats. And never on dogs in combination with permethrin-containing products. And know that they’re not approved for use on pets so be very careful to spray minimally on the bandana, rolling it up tightly so the stuff doesn’t contact the skin, and never spray directly on your dog!
Full disclosure: Here are the dangers of using DEET on pets. In short: It works, which is why plenty of dog people I know use it...but I probably wouldn’t do so myself. Kinda gets me to wondering why I mentioned it in the first place. Maybe so you just. won’t. try.
#7 Clothing repels. And it’s not just the bandanas. A loose cotton vest can be a godsend during horse-fly season. And it’s great for blocking the sun’s rays, too.
#8 Lemon-Eucalyptus oil sprays and creams. Lemon-eucalyptus oil has just been approved by the FDA as safe and effective for mosquito control...for humans. I've been using it for the first time ever this summer (on myself...not my dogs). And I think it's much more effective than DEET. It also smells better, though the fumes can be a bit powerful if you overdo it).
Though some have used it effectively for pets for years, know that cats are especially sensitive to essential oils like these. I would never use it directly on their skin. Sprayed on a bandana it sounds like a good one for dogs, though.
Same goes for products like Herbal Armor. Directly on the skin? Not so much. Cats? Never.
***
Have any more suggestions? I’ll take ‘em.
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I tie a tea towel or bandana sprayed with lemon & eucalyptus oil (my spray also contains rosemary and oregano oils) about 1 foot from the clasp on my dog's leash. This way its far enough away from his skin but close enough for the smell to help with the bugs. He's too interested in smelling whatever he enjoys smelling on his walks to bother with the towel/bandana so there is no way he would ingest the spray -- obviously this method woudn't work for dogs (especially young jumpy puppies) who like to play with their leashes.
Unfortunately he likes to play wrestle with other dogs at the leash-free park so I don't put any spray near him in case the other dog gets a mouthful. There is always a risk of him getting an insect bite, but I think the benefits of the exercise and playtime with other dogs outweigh the risk of infection.
Shauna July 8th, 2009 01:28:05 PM
I'm probably misreading, but it looks like many of these options aren't great with kitties. Is there something that is kitty-safe that I can put on my dog when she's outside?
Posey July 8th, 2009 01:42:43 PM
Sorry, have to disagree a bit on the SSS. Use SSS Lotion instead of oil. One capful in a spray bottle, shake well before spraying, spray everyone at the first sight of landing pests, been using it on kitties and dogs for eons now and have been known to spritz my bedding at camp outs in years gone by. Any of the SSS products can cause issues at full or near full strength for animals (oil alleged toxic, lotion definitely moisturizes and then dries out skin, especially if worked into the coat). Avon changed the SSS Lotion formula a few years ago and that's when many switched to the oil. Sadly, the really good stuff (the original SSS hand & body lotion) is no longer available. (I sold Avon, Tupperware, Amway, and a few other products, including water softeners, back when I was a perpetual student. Gotta know those products to sell them well and with a child and critters I needed to sell them :)
Gonna try more natural this summer but the SSS is so easy for the lazy me but I'm down to the last of my stockpile of the old stuff so...
PJBoosinger July 8th, 2009 02:59:42 PM
Thanks, PJB. Always great to have an ex-"Avon lady" reading this stuff.
Posey: I would try the bandana tricks. Or Shauna's leash trick. Most of this stuff is not kitty safe. Which is why I'm so big on heartworm preventatives for them.
Dr. Patty Khuly July 8th, 2009 03:19:19 PM
Thanks but I'll have to admit it was AKC breeders at dog shows who figured it all out; we Avon ladies just glommed on. Avon regularly included blurbs of disclaimer/discouragement in their newsletters on this use of SSS Lotion; thought it damaged Avon's image.
PJBoosinger July 8th, 2009 03:33:21 PM
Of all the dogs we have had, Mike is the first one to have stand-up ears. Late in the spring, he developed an odd rash on his ears so off to the vet we went. She tried to not laugh but didn't succeed. She explained it was probably mosquitos. Our Dalmatian sometimes had a similar rash on her belly. Must've been the same thing. I'm going to try one of the bandanas I think. Start off with a plain one first so the snot gets used to it and doesn't eat it.
PaulaO July 8th, 2009 04:43:17 PM
Here is an excerpt from a pest control report I am finishing:
"...in 1993 an analysis by Consumer Reports found Skin-So-Soft ineffective. Soon after (1994), Avon added a non-DEET repellent to the product and labeled those products under Bug Guard Plus.
Then in a 2002 an study titled, Comparative Efficacy of Insect Repellents Against Mosquito Bites appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine--which Avon disputes.
In another analysis conducted in 2003 by Consumer Reports, shorter repellent times were found (versus those claimed) for the Bug Guard products.
Even so, many people still swear by this product...
Since many essential oils can have adverse effects on pets please check with any holistic veterinarian or a poison help line prior to use.
There is a new product on the market called Bug Bam which is reported to work well for mosquitoes and fleas--and probably other bugs. I am scheduled to call the developer this week for additional information.
Ark Lady July 8th, 2009 04:56:26 PM
I've been told by people that work outside that Bounce dryer sheets keep bugs away, I have not tried it for myself.
Barb A./NH July 8th, 2009 05:27:02 PM
And now everyone knows why this Avon lady didn't even mention that Bug Guard line of products :)
Bounce does work; however, the reason it works is because its contains petroleum products - a little like coating yourself in a light oil spill. All fabric softener sheets have been banished from my home.
PJBoosinger July 8th, 2009 06:47:41 PM
plant lemon balm around the area where you sit. It's an excellent bug repellant and also makes a nice addition to tea, salad and chicken and fish dishes.
dry it and it makes nice soap and candle infusions.
just watch out, it IS invasive and should be container grown and never allowed to go to seed. unless you wish to replace your grass with it. It gets small pretty flowers.
LorriM July 9th, 2009 12:11:47 AM
Yes, lemon balm is worse than spearmint. Plant at your own risk.
I spent years pulling it up from a single plant my grandfather planted for my mother when she was 13, since her name is Melissa and the scientific name of lemon balm is Melissa officinalis
jen July 9th, 2009 02:58:39 AM
I've heard dwarf lemon or lime trees will deter pests too. Anyone know if it's true?
PJBoosinger July 9th, 2009 07:03:58 AM
SSS and dryer sheets both work. I used to horseback ride in a park that harbors every kind of biting insect. Horse flies 2 inches long. Little nasty green flies and flies so small they were invisible. (I kid you not — I think they are even called "no-see-ums".) And swarms of deer flies. For super control, we put vinegar in with the SSS. What a stench, but it was better than riding a bucking horse trying to dislodge a fly biting that one spot on the top of their haunches that a snap of the tail can't reach. (I have memories of riding the bucking horse while trying to swat the fly for them. Good times.)
I learned a lesson about not using human products on animals — I sprayed human "Off" on the area behind my horse's ears and caused an itchy, flakey rash. Ooops. Don't permethrins carry all sorts of warnings? I never found that they were any more effective than pyrethrins which weren't any more effective than SSS. They all wear off way too soon. At least dryer sheets can be attached to the tack and tied in the mane and tail.
Most effective? A steady 13+ mph breeze. :-) (That's the speed of a good, strong trot or a nice canter.)
Deanna July 9th, 2009 01:25:38 PM
For #3 take a look at this: http://skeeterbag.com/
You might as well reduce the population while you're blowing air. They have a page on how to set it up to be most effective. You and your animals are the bait, so it catches the insects that bother you most.
Bob Jones July 9th, 2009 03:54:54 PM
Bob: That IS a great product! I'm seriously going to buy one of those. Wonder if they make them for round fans like mine. Going to check right now.
Dr. Patty Khuly July 9th, 2009 05:11:48 PM
Nope, just a 20 inch box fan. Will have to invest.
Dr. Patty Khuly July 9th, 2009 05:14:24 PM
I have used the SSS for more than 20 years. My preferred method is to bathe the dog as usual, then after rinsing, I take about 1/3- 1/2 capful (not cupful) of the oil in a 2-gallon bucket of warm water. I then pour this over the dog using a cup and work well into the fur and down to the skin. Let the dog shake as usual, then rinse again with warm water until the water runs clear, and again let the dog shake. Towel or blow-dry as usual. In all those years, I only once saw fleas on any of my dogs; and that was after being kenneled at a country kennel during haying season. Since then, I have used Frontline before kenneling them; the rest of the time I use the SSS. Not only do they not have fleas, they smell nice, too!
Shellie July 9th, 2009 07:35:45 PM
I'll bet these would work on a round fan, though a square one would fit the window better.
http://www.bestglide.com/Basic_Head_Net_Info.html
Bob Jones July 10th, 2009 07:54:08 PM
Also looks like the SkeeterBag could be adapted to a round fan by threading twine through the edging and cinching it. Always worries me to let my cats sit on the draw side of a fan though, afraid they'll have their tail sucked into the blades.
PJBoosinger July 11th, 2009 12:15:50 PM
I had the goats out for our first camping trip this weekend and the skeeters were horrible in the morning and evening. I knew they might be and had tossed in some dryer sheets to try just in case.
One moment you could see all the bugs against their white hair, then after a rubdown with the dryer sheet, nothing. However, when you scratch a goat in the dark he glitters due to the static. This doesn't happen after the dryer sheet.
We actually had a deer join us for breakfast. It would actially follow our little herd. A couple times when I got too close she'd scamper off. But when I would walk away...head down like grazing, goats close on my heels, she would then rejoin us and follow.
Bob Jones July 14th, 2009 09:25:33 AM
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