Help Your Clients Protect Their Pets From Mosquitoes

               You know the sound—the dreaded buzzing of a mosquito flying around in search of an unsuspecting victim. As much as spring and summertime represent the welcome end to a dreary winter, they also bring with them a seemingly endless variety of blood-sucking pests to feed on human and animal hosts. As unpleasant and irritating as insects are, they also pose a very real threat to pets and pet parents alike. Many fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes can carry and are known to transmit dangerous diseases to anything they bite—diseases like Lyme disease, dengue fever, malaria, and the fast-spreading Zika virus. 

               Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness that’s currently wreaking havoc on parts of the Caribbean, as well as South and Central America. While scientific research on Zika is currently ongoing, the disease has been linked to microcephaly—a congenital birth defect in which the infant's head is abnormally small, and its brain is not fully developed. The rapid spreading of Zika virus is causing alarm around the world, causing a greater emphasis to be placed on comprehensive mosquito protection for pets and pet parents alike—that's why we've put together this list of strategies you can use to help your clients protect their pets, and to protect any pets you might have at home, too!

 

 Invest in Insect-Repellent Products for Your Pets

              You wouldn't go outside in the summertime without applying some sunscreen or bug spray, and your pets shouldn't go outside unprotected, either! Topical treatments have long been trusted by pet parents to protect their four-legged friends from dangerous pests, as have shampoos and sprays, flea combs, flea collars, indoor foggers, and tablets. However, while many of these products have been proven to help, in most cases, your pet must still come into contact with an insect in order for the preventative to be effective. That, coupled with the fact that many of these products aren't as effective against mosquitoes, has many pet parents looking for an alternative form of insect protection.

               Insect Shield for Pets offers effective, odorless, built-in protection from harmful biting pests that can carry dangerous diseases, including Lyme disease, malaria, and Zika virus. Insect Shield technology tightly binds a proprietary permethin formula to fabric fibers, for built-in protection that’s EPA registered and approved for use by the entire family. To learn more about Insect Shield for Pets, click here.

Avoid Walking Dogs When Mosquito Activity is at Its Height                

              While there isn't a set time of day when the threat of exposure to fleas and ticks is higher, the same can't be said for mosquitoes—they tend to be out in force around dusk and dawn. To minimize the risk of contracting a mosquito-borne disease, it is best to avoid walking dogs at these times.

 Don't Leave Standing Water Out Around Your House or Yard

               Everyone knows that dogs need water to live, but so do mosquitoes. That's why mosquito activity is often more intense around swamps and wetlands—mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. While it's important to offer your pets a fresh and clean water supply, it's also important to be on the lookout for standing water. Make sure to regularly empty dehumidifiers, and don't leave water in watering cans or empty flower pots. It is also just as important to change your pets' water supply often, keeping it fresh and clean at all times.

Repair Any Broken Windows or Screens

               As crucial as it is to eliminate stagnant water in the home, it's just as important to make sure that mosquitoes on the outside don't have a convenient point of entry. Make sure you close all doors after entering or exiting your home, and if you notice a screen window is damaged or destroyed, repair or replace it immediately.

Don't Use Bug Spray Meant for You on Your Pets

               While potent and effective bug spray is a must-have for humans in the spring and summertime, you should think twice before applying that same spray to your pets—bug repellents meant for humans contain chemicals that could prove to be very dangerous to your pets. If you'd like to provide your pets with top-notch insect protection, consider a topical preventative, flea collar, or Insect Shield for Pets product instead.