Spring has been wet and cool in most states this year and that means increased mosquito and black fly activity this summer.Those pesky bugs are a painful nuisance for you and for your dog…and mosquito bite prevention can be an important step in preventing heartworm in your dog.Luckily, there are effective ways to repel bugs without using harmful chemicals or DEET. There are many natural products available with different active ingredients so how do you know which ones work and which don’t?Here is a brief guide to help you protect your dog safely and effectively.The most effective natural mosquito repellent at the time of writing is Repel Lemon Eucalyptus.A 2002 study in the New England Journal of Medicine compared different synthetic chemical and herbal repellents:Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Repellent provided 120.1 minutes of mosquito protection, more than a repellent with a low concentration of the chemical DEET (Off Skintastic for Kids with 4.75% DEET provided 88.4 minutes of protection) and less than Off Deep Woods with 23.8% DEET
, which provided 301.5 minutes of protection.A study by the US Department of Agriculture compared four synthetic mosquito repellents and eight natural mosquito repellents and found that Repel Lemon Eucalyptus was the most effective repellent, more so than a 7% DEET repellent.Lemon eucalyptus oil repellents, in addition to the chemicals DEET and picaridin, have been registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (which means that the materials have been reviewed and approved for effectiveness and human safety) and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for mosquitoes that may carry the West Nile virus.A June 2006 Consumer Reports article stated that after conducting their own tests, Repel Lemon Eucalyptus was the best non-DEET mosquito repellent. However, volunteers criticized its odor.Repel can be found online or is available at REI, Target and Wal-Mart. They do not produce a product for dogs and the product has a strong odor, so use caution when applying.
A pet safe lemon eucalyptus product can be purchased from Daisy Paw. They also manufacture cool collars specially made to hold the essential oils, keeping your dog protected longer without having to spray the product directly on his skin.A repellent called Bite Blocker ranks second.The New England Journal of Medicine study found that Bite Blocker provided 94.6 minutes of protection against mosquitos. This is slightly more effective than Off Skintastic for Kids (containing 4.75% DEET), which provided 88.4 minutes of protection.The study by the United States Department of Agriculture ranked Bite Blocker number two in effectiveness after Repel. Bite Blocker was rated more effective than a synthetic 7% DEET mosquito repellent.Bite Blocker contains the oils of geranium, soybean and coconut and is available as a pet spray. Petfresh can be purchased online for about $10 per bottle.A well-known natural mosquito repellent. The oils from the plant are used to make lotions, sprays, and candles.
A University of Guelph study assessed the effectiveness of 3% citronella candles and 5% citronella incense in protecting subjects from bites.They found that subjects who were positioned near the citronella candles had 42.3% less bites and those near the citronella incense had 24.2% fewer bites.Based on these results, citronella candles shouldn’t be used as a stand-alone repellent, although they may help in combination with topical repellents.Although the above repellents are the most promising, there are other natural mosquito repellents that are being researched:Fennel – A small study by researchers at Seoul National University in Korea found that a spray mosquito repellent containing 5% fennel oil was 84% effective after 90 minutes and a repellent cream with 8% fennel oil was 70% effective after 90 minutes.Thyme – In one study, carvacrol and alpha-terpinene, two compounds derived from the essential oil of thyme, were found to have significantly greater repellency than a commercial DEET repellent.
The researchers suggest that a spray made with 2% alpha terpinene is a promising natural mosquito repellent. However, don’t try to make a thyme oil repellent at home- it is too irritating and strong-smelling to be used at effective concentrations above 25%.Clove oil – Two studies have found that undiluted topical clove oil is active against mosquitoes. However, like thyme oil, clove oil should not be applied undiluted to skin as a homemade repellent.Celery extract – A Thai study compared 15 mosquito repellents with a topical extract from celery. The researchers found that the extract did not irritate the skin or cause a burning sensation. It was found to be active against a wide range of mosquito species comparable to a 25% DEET formula.Neem oil – An extract from the tropical neem tree, neem oil has insecticidal compounds called azadirachtins.Vitamin B1 – Vitamin B1 is often taken to help repel mosquitos but one study suggests this remedy may be useless. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin study tested B1 with a larger sample of human subjects and found no effect of vitamin B.Garlic – Another popular theory is that ingesting garlic can provide protection against mosquitoes.
A University of Connecticut study examined this claim with a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study. The data didn’t provide evidence of significant mosquito repellence. However, subjects only consumed garlic once, and the researchers say that more prolonged ingestion may be needed.Angela Mulholland, Staff writer Getting covered head-to-toe in mosquito bites seems to be as much a part of Canadian summers as sunburns, black flies and scorched burgers. And Canadians have been known to try anything to fend off the tiny blood-suckers, from smoke coils, to candles, to garlic pills. For the longest time, the only really reliable weapon in Canadians’ skeeter-fighting arsenal was DEET. The insect repellent has been around for 50 years and remains one of the best weapons against mosquitoes, offering excellent bite protection that lasts for hours. But DEET – an oil formally called N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide -- isn’t perfect and many have had bad reactions while using it.
Still, the number of repellent choices has grown in recent years, with several new mosquito-fighting options entering the market. So which of these new products actually work and how do they stack up against what’s already out there? Let’s take a look at a few. Icaridin: This is a new repellent that entered the U.S. market in 2005 (as “picaridin”) and was approved by Health Canada in 2012. Studies have found Icaridin can work as well as DEET, offering several hours of bug protection. But unlike DEET, Icaridin is odourless and much less likely to cause skin irritation and sudden reactions, such as nausea. It also isn’t greasy and does not ruin plastics or synthetic fabrics the way DEET can. The repellent is so effective, the World Health Organization recommends Icaridin, alongside DEET and another repellent called IR3535, as one of the best choices for preventing mosquito bites that can lead to disease. In Canada, there are still only a few products that contain Icaridin, but look for it in bug-spray products that promise a “clean” or “dry” feel.
Oil of lemon eucalyptus: When the oil of this Australian plant is refined into a substance known as p-menthane-3, 8-diol, or PMD, it becomes an effective repellent that helps ward off mosquitoes. It’s currently found in the Off! Familycare Botanicals line, as well as under the Repel Natural and Cutter brands. While PMD is considered as effective as DEET with a much more pleasant scent, its protection wanes after about two hours -- less than the four to six hours of protection offered by products with 30 per cent DEET. And repellents with oil of lemon eucalyptus can also cause skin and eye irritation in some, so Health Canada and the CDC recommend that PMD not be used on children under three years of age. Clip-on repellents: These are fairly new on the market and contain a fan that blows a vapour of an insecticide called metofluthrin. Consumer Reports tested OFF! Clip-ons and found that while the products promised 11 hours of protection, they stopped preventing bug bites after about two hours.
There have also been concerns about the safety of metofluthrin-emanating devices. Health Canada reports that within the first year of clip-ons entering the market, its Pest Management Regulatory Agency received six reports of people feeling ill after using them. These incidents involved everything from dizziness and irregular heart rate, to muscular weakness and loss of consciousness. The agency says it’s continuing to monitor incidents involving the devices. Mosquito lamps and lanterns: These devices use butane heaters or candles to warm up pads containing the insecticide allethrin -- the same chemical used in most mosquito coils. The products claim to offer up to 15 feet of odourless bug protection, but their effectiveness drops when there’s a breeze. The product label warns against directly breathing in the vapours, and there have been a number of incidents reported in Canada and the U.S. involving breathing problems and skin irritations from people using the lanterns.
Permethrin is an insect repellant that is sprayed onto clothing, mosquito netting and tents rather than skin. It can repel mosquitoes for several hours and even through several washings. But it is not currently available in Canada as a repellent. Citronella candles or torches: Studies have shown that candles or torches containing citronella oil can somewhat help ward off mosquitoes because the smoke can confuse the bugs and prevent them from smelling you. But studies also shown that their range of effectiveness is small -- less than 2 metres, assuming there’s no breeze. As well, the candles produce large particles in their smoke and there have been concerns about how safe it is to regularly breathe in this smoke. Mosquito coils: Like citronella candles, mosquito coils produce a smoke that confuses mosquitoes. The coils contain the insecticide allethrin. But once again, their range is limited and they don’t work well when there is a strong breeze. More worrying, though, is a number of recent studies that show the smoke can be toxic to the lungs, especially when they are used indoors -- as they often are in South Asia.
One study found that burning one mosquito coil would release the same amount of large particulates as that released from 100 cigarettes, and as much formaldehyde as 51 cigarettes. Essential oils: Plant-based botanical oils, such as clove oil and citronella oil, can offer some protection against mosquito bites. But studies have found the protection lasts only a matter of minutes; the authors of one study say the oils should not be relied on to provide protection in areas where mosquito-borne diseases are a substantial threat Citrosa geraniums, also called mosquito plants: These plants are often sold as mosquito repellents, with some claiming that the leaves emit a smell that keeps the pesky bugs at bay. But several studies have shown they are useless in warding off mosquitoes, with one study finding they were about as effective as doing nothing at all. Bug zappers: Electric insect traps, or bug zappers, as most of us call them, are useless for two reasons. First, studies have shown they fail to attract mosquitoes.