Pests are not only a problem for people. Insects in your yard and around your home can be a source of annoyance and health problems for your dog as well. As you and your furry friends prepare to spend more time in the backyard this summer, it helps to be aware of the risks they are exposed to with local pests.
Pest Risks for Your Pet
Between bugs and animals, there are a number of risks for your dog when it comes to pests. Many pests are most active in the summer when the weather is warm. This increases the chances of your dog coming into contact with a pest that carries:
- Bee or Wasp Stings – A sting usually results in swelling, pain, redness, and itchiness. In situations where your dog has vomiting, diarrhea, shaking, difficulty breathing, or collapses, you should seek immediate veterinary attention.
- Bites – All of the same insects and spiders that bite people are a risk for dogs. Mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, bed bugs, black widow spiders, brown recluse spiders, and even some ants can leave itchy bites on your dog.
- Heartworm – Dog heartworm is a parasitic worm spread through mosquito bites. After a mosquito bite transfers the worms to a dog, they slowly damage the heart and lungs. Treatment is intensive and costly.
- Lyme Disease – Ticks are the most common host for lyme disease and transmit it through bites. Infected dogs will experience swelling, fever, lethargy, reduced appetite, and pain throughout the body, leading to death if not treated.
These risks are not only for pets that spend most of their time outdoors. A few minutes outdoors can be enough for a curious dog to come into contact with a stinging insect. A rodent infestation can introduce fleas or ticks to your home as well.
How to Keep Your Dog Safe from Pests
Time spent outdoors with your dog means that bites and stings are always a remote possibility, but limiting the pests you deal with daily will significantly reduce the risk. You can minimize the number of pests around your home with habitat management:
- Clear standing water from your yard so mosquitoes cannot breed.
- Regularly trim lawns and bushes to reduce pest hiding places.
- Remove any trash or yard waste from around your home to avoid attracting pests.
- Bring your dog’s food bowls in at night so you are not feeding other animals.
- Speak with your vet about local threats and preventative medicines.
Another step for keeping pests away from your dog is ongoing pest control. A professional pest control company in Roseville like ADAPT Pest Management can apply treatment around the border of your home and yard to give you a protective barrier against pests. This keeps most insects away from your property so both your dogs and your family are less likely to come across any unpleasant pests in your yard this summer. Contact us to learn more about all of our pest control services.
