Protect Your Dog from Mosquitoes

 It’s summertime. Sadly, one of the least liked parts of the warm season is that the mosquitoes flourish. The flying, biting pets not only make your life miserable but your dogs too. Luckily, there are stops that you can take to protect your dog from biting mosquitoes. 

The Danger of Mosquitoes

Mosquitos are not only annoying, but they also carry several deadly diseases that your dog can easily contract via bite. 

Heartworms

Heartworms can quickly kill your pet if left untreated. The worms are spread via biting mosquitoes. When the larvae of the worms enter the dog’s blood stream that quickly grow to adulthood within about six months. The adult worms reside in the heart and lungs of the animal. Males will reach six inches and females can grow to 12 inches long. After mating, the adult female lays her larvae in the dog’s bloodstream where mosquitoes pick the larvae and spread them to other animals. Heartworm is difficult, dangerous, and costly to treat. Luckily, there are  a variety of affordable preventative available from your veterinarian. 

West Nile Virus

West Nile virus can afflict not only humans but also dogs. Puppies and senior dogs are at special risk of the severe symptoms.

Symptoms include: 

• Weakness
• Fever
• Skin rash
• Muscle pain
• Swollen lymph nodes

In some situations, the dog can develop life threatening encephalitis.

Allergic Reaction to Mosquitoes

Yes, your dog can suffer from an allergic reaction to mosquito bites and in some situations the reason might become so severe that they require prompt medical care. 

Some dogs experience:

• Hives
• Swelling
• Difficulty breathing
• Itching 
• Hair loss 

Protecting Your Dog from Mosquito Bites

You’ll want to make sure your dog is taking a heartworm preventive to protect the animal from infection with the dangerous disease. You can use pills or topicals to prevent a heartworm infestation. 

Keep Your Dog Indoors

One of the best ways to protect your dog from mosquito bites is to keep the animal indoors, especially during the morning and evening hours when the mosquitos are the most active. If you want to walk your dog outdoors during the most active time of day, then consider putting on a doggy shirt to help protect your dog. 

Standing Water

Mosquitos like to breed in standing water. It is imperative that you remove all standing water from your property to protect your pet from the biting pests. Flush out drinking water daily to remove any mosquito larva that might have occurred in the water. 

Insect Repellant

Purchase insect repellant that is dog friendly. The best natural insect repellants are made from lemon, soybean oil, neem oil, clove oil, thyme, geranium oil, and clove oil. When purchasing an insect repellent, always make sure that it is safe for use on pets and non-toxic. 

Landscape with Insect Repellent Plants

If your dog spends time outdoors then consider landscaping with safe, insect repelling plants such as catnip, lavender, lemon balm, rosemary, basil, and peppermint.