It’s nice to be able to enjoy the great outdoors with your pets. If only the insects weren’t enjoying them at the same time! There are many ways to avoid and neutralize the summertime insect threat for people, but not so many for our pets.
The best advice is probably to stay clear of the insect’s stomping grounds at the times they are most active – dawn and dusk. Just stay out of their way and the mosquitoes and flies will do the same for you and your pets. When the pets do go out later in the day or at night, though, here are some tips to keep them bug-free.
DEET is a bug-repellant effective for humans, and while some people do use it on their pets, it can be toxic to them, so best to keep it away from them. Advantix is a parasticide made for dogs that is effective against flies, mosquitoes, and ticks. Follow the application directions carefully and remember: it’s for dogs only and NOT for cats.
Frontline is a favorite tick and flea repellant among many pet owners – and it works on cats, too. Again, exercise care in its application and read the directions twice, just to be sure.
If your pets like to hang out close to the house – maybe lounging around on a porch or deck, then keep the air around them moving. Flies and mosquitoes can’t bite what they can’t reach, so keep a fan trained on the area your pets like to hang around. Not only will it help to keep the pets cool, but it’ll help keep those flying insects out of the way.
