What to use for mosquitos?

[tstone28]

Hi all,

I usually have my 9 month lab mix on Frontline Plus. The vet recommended that I use Advocate in addition (to protect against heartworm from mosquitos). After consulting you all, I decided to NOT use both Frontline plus and Advocate (redudant tick prevention), and I continued with Frontline plus.

This weekend, our lab will stay with a friend who lives in a more grassy/wooded area than we do. I am worried about mosquitos/heartworm (even though she says she hasn't really seen any mosquitos there yet).

Since I didn't want to use Advocate, the vet has recommended either Stronghold (I think it's Revolution in the US---the drug is selamectin) in addition to Frontline plus (he told me to administer them 3 days apart) OR he recommended I use Advantix as the only flea/tick/mosquito preventative.

HELP! I do have my vet's advice, but am not sure I trust it. I live outside of the US and Heartguard is not an option for me for THIS month. I will order it for future months, but for this weekend, what can I do to prevent ticks AND mosquitos?

By the way, our dog is due his monthly application of Frontline plus, so it IS possible to switch for this month to Advantix.... Please tell me what you would do?

THX!!

[special]

I recommend you use the revolution (stronghold) this month instead of the Frontline Plus, since the treatment is due, just switch. To protect against the mosquitoes.

If you, or the other household has cats, advantix should never be used, as it is highly toxic to cats.

So toxic that a cat can be affected just brushing up against a dog who it has been used on.

[MandyPug]

We've had great with dogs using citronella sprays as well as d'Limonene (the natural oil of orange peels) shampoos and essential oils for repelling fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. Neem Oil has also been proven through our clients to repel fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes in both animals and humans. Pepperment, Tea Tree, and i think Rosemary essential oils have also been seen to work well for repelling mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. One of our search and rescue clients who's always working in the mountains uses a mixture of those oils for repellents on her and her Shepherds, she told me she started doing it after she learned that if you put a drop of pure tea tree oil on a tick that's bit the dog/person, it'll come back out. I don't know if it actually works coz my dogs don't get fleas, ticks, or mosquito bites despite not being dosed with any repellents.

Citronella and d'Limonene cannot be used on cats because some oils are toxic to the cats if absorbed through the skin, but they are safe to use on all dogs even if they're around cats.

If you do a monthly flea and tick chemical treatment, I'd suggest Revolution because it protects against fleas, ticks, mange, and ear mites. I myself do not use these treatments but if someone asks for a recommendation, Revolution gets it because i'd rather people not dose their animals with medication after medication every month and revolution protects against most of the parasites.

[DrMarie]

There is a great product available in Canada called Bush Splash that is non-toxic and safe to use on Dogs for mosquitos.

I prescribe a lot of Revolution but it doesn't repel mosquitos at all.

Dr. Marie

[tiffers]

I prescribe a lot of Revolution but it doesn't repel mosquitos at all.

We don't recommend it to dogs at all, unless they have Scabies. It's not a very effective heartworm prevention for the hotter, more humid, areas. Such as the Southern US where mosquitoes are prevalent.

[Ltlpistol]

I use Avon Skin So Soft original bath oil on my dogs. With my short haired dog that stays outside I just rub some between my hands and then pet him all over. The scent is a deterrent to mosquitos, and there isn't enough on the dog that him licking it would cause a problem. You can't use it on cats, though, since anything they lick could hurt them. With my long haired dogs, I put a bit in the bath water when I'm all done bathing them, and just pour a few cupfuls on the water over them before I dry them off.

[joyce]

Believe it or not, my sister uses watered down skin so soft from avon. She uses it on her horse every day. just keep it away from the face.