How to keep flies off dogs is one of the most common questions all dog owners have during the summer. Let’s face it. These insects are annoying, and they are a huge problem.
They can annoy you, and they will annoy your dog. Although dogs have fur, so they are partially protected from flies, there are still some places where flies can bite your dog, such as the stomach, face, and ears. Now you will learn how to combat this common threat.
Why Flies Are Attracted to Dogs
Flies, being opportunistic insects, are attracted to various substances, and unfortunately, dogs can unwittingly provide many of these attractions. Here are the key reasons why your furry friend might be a magnet for flies:
- Food Residues: Dogs often have bits of food and saliva around their mouths, especially after meals. This can act as a magnet for flies. Regularly wiping your dog’s face after meals can help mitigate this issue.
- Bodily Secretions: Dogs, particularly those with long, thick coats, can retain certain smells and secretions that are appealing to flies. Regular grooming and bathing can help reduce these odors and make your dog less attractive to these pests.
- Open Wounds: Flies are drawn to open wounds as they provide an ideal breeding ground for their larvae. It is important to keep any wounds on your dog clean and covered to prevent attracting flies and other potential infections.
- Waste Products: Whether it’s your dog’s own feces or remnants of other animals, flies are highly attracted to waste products. It’s essential to promptly clean up after your dog and maintain a clean yard to discourage flies from gathering.
- Dog Ear Wax: Flies can also be attracted to the wax in your dog’s ears. Regularly cleaning your dog’s ears can help keep flies at bay.
- Neglected Environments: Dirty kennels, unkempt dog beds, and leftover food bowls can all attract flies. Keeping your dog’s environment clean is an essential step in controlling the fly problem.
A Few things You Must Avoid At All Cost
Before we give you a simple answer, let’s start with a few things all dog owners must avoid. Certain chemicals and even essential oils must not be used for this purpose.
They can be toxic for dogs and extremely dangerous if present in high dosages. Just because a solution or essential oil is safe for you, it doesn’t mean it is safe for your dog. This is the first thing to know is how to keep flies off dogs guide.
Before we give you a simple answer, let’s start with a few things all dog owners must avoid. Certain chemicals and even essential oils must not be used for this purpose.
They can be toxic for dogs and extremely dangerous if present in high dosages. Just because a solution or essential oil is safe for you, it doesn’t mean it is safe for your dog. This is the first thing to know is how to keep flies off dogs guide.
The best examples here are artificial chemicals and tea tree essential oil. Dogs will lick their fur, meaning that these chemicals will enter their bloodstream.
Tea tree essential oil can cause liver failure and allergic reactions! We must add that some other essential oils are dangerous for dogs as well. These include pennyroyal oil, pine oil, and oil of wintergreen.
How To Keep Flies OFF Dogs
Safe Topical Treatments
Special, topical treatments are the best option you can use and the one that has been recommended by all vets. These are still synthetic chemicals, but they were developed for dogs specifically. Keep in mind that these are not safe for cats.
The main advantage is the fact that these will protect your dog from flies, fleas, ticks, and other threats. Most of these chemicals contain permethrin, which is given to dogs according to their weight. Large dogs need a higher dosage, and there is no issue even if they lick their fur. However, cats cannot process this chemical.
The treatment is applied to the back of your dog on the head, neck, and spine. The ideal dosage will be given to you according to the size and weight of your dog, so you may need more than just one dosage.
The only problem is if your dog likes to swim. Water can dissolve the solution and even completely remove it. You will need to apply it. Another thing to know is that one dosage can last for a couple of months.
As you know by now, this isn’t an all-natural solution. However, it is specifically designed for dogs, and it is extremely safe. There is no risk of any kind, and you can use it as long as you like.
Here we can also add that dog owners can use permethrin spray to apply to the clothing of their dogs. This is an excellent fly repellent that will work great and keep your pet safe from flies. Some manufacturers have been developing clothing that is fused with this chemical so it will repel flies permanently.
Natural Remedies
If you are one of the dog owners who use only natural ingredients and products to protect their dogs, you do have options. You will need to look for products that are specifically designed for this purpose and that contain ingredients in dosages safe for dogs.
For example, you can find natural products with lemongrass oil. But these contain only 4% of this essential oil, which is 100% safe for dogs.
These also contain castor oil, sesame, and cinnamon ingredients that are all present in specific dosages and safe for all dogs. Some other products may contain eucalyptus and sunflower oils. Once again, all of these are safe when applied in safe dosages.
You can use both of these methods in combination, but usually there is no need for that. Each one will work perfectly, and it will keep your pet safe. Flies are annoying, as we have mentioned countless times (because they are really annoying) and they can even cause issues such as skin irritation, infection, and more.
Keep Your Dog Trimmed and Clean
Flies will be attracted more to dogs that are dirty and have bad odors. If you don’t trim your pet and bathing isn’t an option, he will suffer from flies far more. As such, you need to bathe your pet at least 2-3 times per month during the summer months. Trim him as often as he needs.
When bathing your pet, make sure the areas around his anus and the rear are, in general, 100% clean. Bad odours usually come from these areas, so they can attract flies like nothing else. You also need to focus attention on the teeth, ears, and paws. Better said, your dog needs to smell great and be 100% clean.
Here we can see one other thing that can help you. You should train your dog to go to the bathroom in just one area. Cleaning is much easier, and you can maintain that area and also treat it with various solutions that will keep flies away.
The goal here is to boost the hygiene of your pet and make sure he is as clean as possible. For this, you will need to train your dog, and for some breeds, this can take a long period of time. Just stay calm and patient. The benefits of this step are impressive.
The Final Word
These are all the main things and the best ones you can do if you want to know how to keep flies off dogs in the most successful way. Use a combination of all that we have said above, and you will see a huge level of success.
Always remember that your pet hates flies as much as you do, and they definitely do not deserve to harass your dog. Your mission should be to help him as much as you can and make summertime more appealing and happier.
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