When the warm weather comes around, so do mosquitoes! If mosquitoes are ruining your family time outside, then you should put down some mosquito repellent. The only issue is that most commercial mosquito repellents for your yard aren’t actually safe for pets and even children. In this guide, we’ll be breaking down 3 pet safe mosquito repellents for your yard, as well as some mosquito treatments to stay away from!
3 Pet Safe Mosquito Sprays For Your Yard
- Vet’s Best Mosquito Spray – Best Overall – Active ingredients include certified natural peppermint oil, and Eugenol from Clove plants formulated to kill mosquitoes.
- Wondercide Mosquito Spray – Active ingredients include cedarwood oil, sesame oil, sodium lauryl sulfate.
- Eco Defense Yard Mosquito Spray – Active ingredients include cinnamon, cedarwood, clove, and peppermint.
All of these 3 options are much safer for pets and children compared to traditional treatments that contain toxic and harsh chemicals. These treatments are also quite effective in getting rid of mosquitoes, which makes it a win-win.
Overall essential oils are generally considered safe or reduced risk for pets such as cats and dogs, you should still always ensure there aren’t any negative side effects with these treatments with your pets, and you should work to ensure they have limited exposure to the treatments until they dry.
Active Pesticide Ingredients To Avoid In Mosquito Treatments
Most professional mosquito treatment companies as well as DIY mosquito treatments use a variety of different active ingredients and chemicals, so it can be difficult to understand if it’s pet safe or not. Thankfully we’ve compiled a list of ingredients to be on the lookout out for that are dangerous to pets!
- Permethrin – Especially toxic for cats (1), it is considered safe for dogs if followed the treatment guidelines.
- Bifenthrin – Similar to Permethrin, but is slightly more toxic, but is more effective against pests which is why a lot of professionals use it.
- DEET – Toxic for most pets, don’t use around pets.
- Chlorpyrifos – Toxic for pets, more toxic for cats (2).
- Disulfoton – Toxic to most mammals (3) and commonly found in lawn care granules and fertilizers.
- Fenoxycarb – Toxic for pets (4)
- Malathion – Technically considered safe if guidelines are followed, but can be dangerous.
- Parathion – Never use around pets (5)
- Methomyl – 10-20 mg/kg can be lethal for dogs
- Terbufos
- Propozur
- Methoxyclor
- And More
Unfortunately, all the ingredients above are highly effective against mosquitoes and other insects, but they can be very dangerous to pets, wildlife and humans, which is why you need to be extremely careful in the use of these products. If you aren’t a professional, then I wouldn’t recommend using any of these products!
How To Get Rid of Mosquitoes While Keeping Your Pets Safe
As annoying as mosquitoes can be in your yard, safety for your pets and your children should be your utmost priority.
Here are some tips to follow to ensure your pets are safe when you’re treating for mosquitoes:
- Read Product Instructions: No matter if you’re using a professional-grade mosquito treatment or a DIY treatment you can get at a hardware store, you should read the product instructions very carefully. Every product treatment method was designed to minimize any negative effects for humans and pets, so you should read the instructions and follow them while treating your yard.
- Avoid Dangerous Active Ingredients: Read the list of dangerous active ingredients above in mosquito and other pest treatments and avoid them. These chemicals are especially dangerous to pets and can lead to injury or death.
- Minimize Your Pets Exposure To Mosquito Treatments: Most mosquito treatments are most dangerous when the treatment is still wet. This means you should keep your pets inside and away from the treatment until it’s fully dried. Even after it’s dried, there is still risk so you should avoid additional exposure as much as possible.
Final Thoughts On Pet Safe Mosquito Treatments For Your Yard
Everyone loves their pets, and unfortunately, a lot of mosquito treatments can be dangerous and potentially kill your pets. That’s why it’s extremely important to use pet-safe mosquito options for your yard and to understand which chemicals and active ingredients are dangerous.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide on pet safe mosquito repellents for your yard, and I hope it helps you to take back your outdoor space without having to put your pets in danger.
