Mosquito bites are not only unpleasant, but the insects can transmit a number of infections to your pet. For this reason, it is particularly important to protect your dog properly against mosquitoes. Let's take a look at the products and methods you can choose from.

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Let's take a look at the products and methods you can choose to control mosquitoes!

Stings are unpleasant and can make your pet seriously ill

Mosquitoes spread both skin and heartworm diseases

Most farmers know about both heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) and skin worm (Dirofilaria repens) diseases, and most know that the parasites that cause these diseases are spread by mosquito bites. Both can also infect humans, but it is the animals that can be the real victims of these parasites.

Cutaneous worms cause lesions all over the body, sometimes abscesses, and can also affect organs. In the case of heartworm disease, the symptoms are usually late, so that in many cases the disease, diagnosed too late, will cost the animal its life.

Let's look at how you can effectively protect your dog from mosquito bites and prevent potentially fatal parasite infections.

However, it should be stressed that it is essential to have a test to detect the disease before starting any protection against heartworm or skinworm. In the case of active infection, these preventives can also endanger the life of the animal, as dead parasites can cause blockages.

Spot-on, collar, spray and ultrasonic repellents are also available for dogs

If you look in pet shops or online, you will find a wide range of mosquito repellent products specifically for dogs. Many of these offer protection not only against mosquitoes but also against ticks and fleas, and sometimes other parasites.

Spot-on, or neck-drop, products have the advantage of being easy to apply. What you should always make sure of is that you choose the right size for your dog's weight, as they contain enough active ingredients to be safe for the animal and provide adequate protection.

There are several ways to protect your pet

In the case of anti-pest collars, there are some products that are not recommended to be worn when sleeping with the dog, and the active ingredients in them can be harmful to aquatic life, for example, they should not be worn while the dog is allowed to enter natural water. Another argument is that it is difficult to measure how long the protection is effective (although this is indicated in the product description), which is also affected by the thickness of the coat.

There are also various sprays available which are sprayed on the dog's coat. These include products made from all-natural ingredients.

The range of ultrasonic devices is also very large, with a variety of different durations available. These are usually attached to the dog's collar.

The safest thing to do is to ask your vet which products he or she recommends and whether he or she recommends supplementing the medication with natural products.

Never try human products!

Please note that you should never use human products on your dog, even if they are made from natural ingredients. The proportions of these products may differ from those recommended for animals, they may contain more essential oils or other active ingredients that may be harmful to the animal's health, causing irritation or, in worse cases, poisoning.

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It is also very important that you always use the product of your choice in the quantities and at the intervals indicated on the packaging. Both too high a dose and too little or too long an interval can be harmful: the former risks overdosing, while the latter may reduce the effectiveness of the protection.

Other ways to protect your dog from mosquitoes

There are other practices that can help keep mosquitoes away from your dog.

• One piece of advice is to make your environment as uncomfortable as possible for mosquitoes. For example, don't leave any water dishes outside for the insects to breed in. An uncovered rainwater catcher is a typical mosquito incubator.
• Plant plants whose scent is a deterrent to mosquitoes. These include lemongrass, basil, lavender or even catnip. You can keep these in the window if you don't have a garden.
• Put mosquito nets on the windows.
• Various incense, candles and vaporisers are available for both indoors and outdoors, but make sure they are not harmful to the health of your animals.
• If they go outside, use mosquito repellent on yourself to protect your dog indirectly.
• You can expect to see a lot more mosquitoes on waterfronts, especially in the early morning and after dusk, so it's best not to plan longer walks and outdoor activities here.