Nobody wants pests in their homes. These pesky creatures have no business in our space, but unfortunately, everyone has to deal with them. However, when you have pets, you want to protect your home without endangering your furry friends along the way. Check out these valuable tips for pet-friendly pest prevention, and learn where to go if you need more help.
Safe Products To Protect Your Pets
Everyone is familiar with basic flea and tick prevention, such as collars and droplets. You can also look for bug sprays that contain dog-safe materials. However, before choosing a bug spray for a dog, talk to your vet to ensure that the ingredients you do use are safe.
Some of the best products include cedarwood spray, peppermint oil, eugenol (a clove derivative), geranium essential oils, and much more. While it may seem like you can put together your own bug spray, it’s the concentration that is most important. It’s inadvisable to do it yourself as you could use too much and create a dangerous spray.
Pet-Friendly Products To Protect Your Home
Pet-friendly products for your home and lawn are specifically designed to kill and ward off bugs. While they don’t present a danger when used properly, you should never spray them directly on a pet. They could be dangerous if utilized counter to their intended use.
For a pet-friendly bug spray, use food-grade and animal-feed items like edible fats or oils. Clove, cedar, and cinnamon oil are all great choices. The EPA maintains a list of minimum-risk products that should form the basis of your spray.
Here are 4 of our favorite pet-friendly bug sprays.
Again, the best practice is always to look for a spray marked as safe for pets before contacting your vet to confirm. When using these sprays, be sure to spray correctly and follow the directions on the bottle. Never assume that one product works the same as another. Generally speaking, you don’t want to apply these products where your pet can easily access them.
Why Some Bug Sprays Are Dangerous
Be very careful when applying bug sprays to dogs and cats. Many that you might think are safe, like essential oils, can be quite dangerous.
Below are additional materials you should watch out for:
- DEET
- Organosulfates
- Combinations of fertilizer and pesticide.
- Citrus oils,
- Citronella and garlic (which is toxic to animals)
Dangerous ingredients in sprays can cause severe symptoms such as respiratory problems, vomiting, and even cancer.
Protect your pets! Use your veterinarian and local pest control company as resources for determining the best pet-friendly products. For advice or more information, contact Dr. Death Pest Control today!