How To Protect Dog Against Mosquitoes

Last Updated on February 11, 2023

It is Spring now, and we are heading to Summer in just a couple of weeks. Are you adequately prepared to enjoy the Sun? You should really find out ways on How To Keep Your Dog Cool Outside In The Summer. This will be important if you wish to keep your dog cool during the hotter times of the year. However, the heat is not the only problem that dogs will face during Summer. Indeed, during Summer, there is an increased risk of your dog being exposed to mosquitoes. Are you adequately protecting your dogs against the mosquitoes? Or, do you know how to protect the dog against mosquitoes? Let’s find out.

How To Protect Dog Against Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes do affect dogs the same way that they affect humans. These pesky little creatures inject a little of their substance into our bodies, causing various problems to us. It can cause skin irritation, on the mild side, to transmitting all sorts of viral diseases. While the dog’s immune system is different from humans, they are still susceptible to some variations of diseases. There are some mosquito-borne diseases that you might want to look out for, especially if you do love your family as well as your pets. Some of these include the deadly zika virus that caused so many problems over the past few years.

In the following section, you will find information regarding the different measures or ways that you can employ to help protect the dog against mosquitoes.

Proofing The Property Against Mosquitoes

This will indeed be the first step that you should take when you want to protect anyone, including your dog, from getting mosquito bites. Most of the time, it is due to human negligence that the mosquitoes could breed easily. It is always good to start proofing the property against mosquitoes while the weather is still cool. This has a two-pronged approach. The 1st reason is that we should act while the mosquitoes have yet to multiply in numbers. The 2nd reason is that it is always much easier to work when the weather is cooler!

Remove, Cover, Or Overturn Unused Objects — This shall be the first thing that you should do. Look around in your household, and remove any object that is a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes. How to identify the breeding grounds? Usually, any object that could hold still water will be a potential breeding point. This will include flower pots, old tires or even discarded shoes. In addition to that, do ensure that you clean your house gutters too. Many a time, mosquitoes are bred in the gutters that are frequently clogged. Usually, fallen leaves or foreign materials present in the gutter will clog up the entire drainage system. This will create stagnant water in the gutter, which in turns will be a good breeding ground for mosquitoes!

Check For Holes In The Ground As Well As Hollow Logs — This is again one of the best places that mosquitoes love to breed in. After a downpour, or even when the snow starts to melt, water might seep into the above-mentioned areas. Since these areas are good places for storing of stagnant water, it will be good for you to remove them. In addition, the hollow logs is well known to be a good habitat for mosquitoes to hibernate.

Check For Damages In The Home — Check for damages to the structural integrity for your house as well as the damages to the facade. Some of them might be potential breeding grounds for the mosquitoes. In addition to that, having a good structural integrity and a flawless window screen can help you to repel or keep the mosquitoes away. One good mesh window can be the Eco-Friendly Velcro Window Screen for Mosquito Insect & Bugs.

Keep Your Dog Indoors During Peak Mosquito Hours

Mosquitoes are most active during dawn and dusk, so it’s best to keep your dog indoors during these times. If you need to take your dog outside, try to do so during the day when the temperature is higher and there are fewer mosquitoes.

Keep Your Yard Clean

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, so it’s essential to keep your yard free of any standing water. Make sure to empty any containers that may be collecting water, such as bird baths, pots, and buckets. Also, make sure that any outdoor fountains or pools are properly cleaned and maintained to prevent mosquito breeding.

Install Mosquito Nets and Screens

If you want to enjoy the outdoors with your dog, consider installing mosquito nets and screens around your patio or deck. This will prevent mosquitoes from entering the area, and you and your dog can enjoy the fresh air without having to worry about getting bitten.

Use Mosquito Traps

Mosquito traps are a great way to reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard. These traps work by attracting mosquitoes with a light and then trapping them in a container. This can significantly reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard and help protect your dog from being bitten.

Do Not Use Human Insect Repellent On Your Dog

This is a big mistake. You should never ever use human insect repellent on your dog. This is due to the main ingredient in most human insect repellent. You can find DEET inside the most popular human insect repellent. This material is known to be dangerous for dogs. You should use a dog mosquito repellent that is specially designed for them. Our top recommendation will be the Insect Repellent for Dogs – Pure Natural, No Deet – Fleas, Ticks Gone. This particular insect repellent is extremely suitable for dogs. It is able to keep the dog safe from mosquitoes, and it is completely environment-friendly too.

Homemade Mosquito Repellent For Dogs

Of course, to the owner who really believes in homemade items, you can always make your own homemade mosquito repellent for dogs. There are various recipes that we found, and the following one is our top favorite.

Ingredients needed

When Does The Mosquito Season Start?

There is a wide range of mosquito species out there, and their breeding period do vary quite a bit. Typically, the mosquitoes do hibernate when it is cold, and hence this is the reason why there are lesser mosquitoes during Winter itself. When the weather gets warmer, the mosquitoes will emerge from their hibernation and will start to lay their eggs and start to breed or hatch. Hence you can see that the temperature is actually the most crucial factor regarding the breeding cycle of the mosquito. And since the weather starts to turn warmer when it is just about to enter Summer, it is safe to say that the mosquito season starts just before the onset of Summer.

When Does The Mosquito Season End?

As mentioned earlier, mosquito thrives during summer, or when the temperature is hotter. You will realize that the end of the mosquito season will also be the end of Summer. After Summer, the weather will start to cool down in preparation for Autumn and hence Winter. The mosquitoes, during this transition, will either die off or seek refuge to prepare for hibernation. While it is true that mosquitoes are still present during Autumn, you can expect the activity to drop tremendously once Winter comes.

Why Is The Mosquito Season So Important

This is important, as it will allow you to have ample preparation before the season arrives. If you follow the steps that have been described to you above, you and your furry pets will not experience any problems with the pesky little creatures at all. Indeed, with a whopping 170 odd known mosquito species in the United States, having good knowledge on how to protect the dog against mosquitoes is good too. There are some particular mosquito-borne diseases that are especially harmful to humans and animals alike. In, for example, you have the chikungunya or even the zika virus that wreak havoc across so many countries in the world.

As such, it will always be good to learn more about how to protect the dog against mosquitoes!

Conclusion

Protecting your dog from mosquitoes is crucial to keep them healthy and comfortable. By following these tips, you can ensure that your dog is protected from these tiny bloodsuckers!