Biting insects can be very troublesome and, in some cases, even dangerous. Mosquitoes, black flies, stealth insects and deer flies-they all exist in Maine, they can really leave a mark on your skin and your sanity.
There is nothing more pathetic than a puppy belly covered in black flies, or a dog biting the air trying to get rid of ruthless mosquitoes.
Although a dog’s fur can protect most of its body from the bite of most flies, in certain areas, such as the abdomen, chest, ears, and face, it is easier to bite with less hair. In addition, some flies, such as deer flies, can find their skin through a considerable amount of fur and pester dogs endlessly.
In order to fight against biting flies, people use artificial chemicals and natural materials to formulate a variety of insect repellents. But many of these insect repellents are not safe for dogs.
Dogs tend to lick themselves, which means they will eat anything on their fur. In addition, certain substances used in insect repellents—even certain essential oils—can poison dogs directly through the skin.
“At high doses, [certain oils] can cause serious toxicity, so you have to be very careful,” said Dr. Ai Takeuchi, a veterinarian at Dedham Lucerne Veterinary Hospital. “Tea tree oil is an oil that many people use in high doses. It can cause severe allergic reactions in dogs and even liver failure.”
Tea tree oil is often used as a natural insect repellent. People also use it to treat skin problems. So it is easy to see how people think it is harmless to dogs.
“What is natural or considered to be non-chemical is not always the same as safe,” said Dr. David Cloutier, a veterinarian at the Veazie Veterinary Clinic in Veazie. “I’m very cautious about anything I put on a dog’s skin.”
According to a pet poison helpline article written by Jo Marshall, a senior veterinary information expert, other essential oils that are toxic to dogs and cause most problems include peppermint oil, wintergreen oil, and pine oil. In addition, according to an article published by the American Kennel Club, cinnamon oil, citrus oil, peppermint oil, sweet birch oil, and ylang ylang may be toxic to dogs in sufficiently high doses.
Remember, this is far from a complete list. This is why it is important to consult your veterinarian before using a product designed for people with your dog.
“I have treated one or two patients, and the owner made his own mixture with essential oils and sprayed it on the dog, but it was too concentrated,” Takeuchi said. “Unfortunately, one of the dogs did pass away. You have to be very careful. I don’t recommend making things yourself because you don’t know what is safe.”
Veterinarians often recommend topical treatments that repel fleas, ticks, and biting flies as the first line of defense. These liquid treatments contain synthetic chemicals, such as permethrin, a safe dose for dogs within a specific weight range. Effective for several months at a time, these topical treatments are usually applied to the back of the head and upper back of the dog, where it cannot be licked off. These treatments are not safe for cats.
“I always read the instructions for [topical treatment] and make sure I have the right size because there are different weight categories,” said Clautier. “And there is a very clear difference between dog and cat products. Cats cannot remove permethrin.”
Takeuchi recommends a topical treatment called Vectra 3D. This treatment is called flea treatment, but it is also effective against mosquitoes, ticks, and biting flies. However, you can work with your veterinarian to obtain the brands they recommend.
“The only problem is external use. If your dog is swimming, it can dilute it before the end of the month,” Takeuchi said.
In addition to or as an alternative to topical treatments, there are some natural repellents specially formulated for dogs.
Takeuchi recommends using VetriScience mosquito repellent spray and wipes. They are made of essential oils and the quantity is safe for dogs, Takeuchi said. The top essential oil in these products is lemongrass oil, which accounts for only 3-4% of the insect repellent. Cinnamon, sesame and castor oil are also in the ingredient list.
In addition, the Skeeter Skidaddler Furry Friend insect repellent made in Maine is specially made for dogs. Ingredients include cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemongrass and sunflower oil.
Last but not least, you can use permethrin spray or DEET (two chemicals most commonly used to repel flies) to treat dog clothes (such as a bandana, dog vest or harness). Make sure to allow enough time for these chemicals to dry. The idea is not to let them touch your dog’s skin.
If you don’t feel uncomfortable handling your clothes, Dog Not Gone in Maine offers insect repellent dog vests and headbands made of No FlyZone material, which has been specially treated to combine permethrin with fabric fibers. In addition, Insect Shield also uses a special process to manufacture dog vests and headbands that are also pre-treated with permethrin.
This method of protection — treating clothes with chemicals — may be the only way to stop more aggressive flies, such as deer flies and horse flies, which appear later in the season in Maine.
Back fly bites are often mistaken for tick bites. This is because black fly bites usually cause circular bruises on dogs. This mark looks similar to the bull’s eye rash that some people have been bitten by a deer tick and infected with Lyme disease.
“In 99% of cases, it is a black fly bite,” Takeuchi said. “We receive a lot of emails and phone calls about this every day. There are some terrible things that can cause bruises like this on your animal, such as rat poison, so we always tell them to take a picture of us. .”
“The color of the bruise is more purple than red, and it may be as large as a dime,” Cloutier said. “It usually occurs on the less hairy parts of the body. Therefore, if your dog rolls over and rubs its belly, and you see them, it is usually bitten by a black fly.”
Cloutier said that although mosquitoes bite dogs, they leave no damage. Their bites do not seem to bother the dog or itchy as they do for people. In any case, I think we all agree that it is best not to let your dog be eaten alive outside. So let’s test some of these deworming techniques.
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Aislinn Sarnacki is an outdoor writer in Maine and the author of three Maine hiking guides, including “Family Friendly Hiking in Maine.” Find her on Twitter and Facebook @1minhikegirl. You can also…More from Aislinn Sarnacki
Post time: Aug-27-2021