what to use for mosquito/black fly/ humungous voracious whatever flies????

Izzy LOVES to be outside but her belly is a pink and red bloody mess!

I'm hours away from any store...any homemade recipe out there?

Dryer sheets. I have had success taking the bounce dryer sheets, rubbing it on my dogs and myself, and been left alone pretty well.

Lemongrass essential oil does a good job too.

I've heard baby oil is good, but I've never tried it myself, so I can't speak from experience. You can use bug spray on your dog to keep the flies away from her. I'd look around to see if you can find a dog-specific variety, but in a pinch, you can use the human variety on them. Just bathe them afterward to remove it because it's not intended to stay on for more than a day.

Ok this has been floating around and thought I would share...I have no idea if it works but it is said to keep mosquitoes away and maybe it will keep flying bugs in general away

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13327620_239636949748564_1570425489376693087_n.jpg?oh=c46b92ae048c56cfdff1ad097567cfb6&oe=57D67AF6

whitehusky3 wrote:

I've heard baby oil is good, but I've never tried it myself, so I can't speak from experience. You can use bug spray on your dog to keep the flies away from her. I'd look around to see if you can find a dog-specific variety, but in a pinch, you can use the human variety on them. Just bathe them afterward to remove it because it's not intended to stay on for more than a day.

I believe DEET is NOT safe for dogs

I didn't know so had to look.  Amy is apparently absolutely correct in that DEET is not safe for pets.  In fact, reading about products for humans that contain DEET, suggest that it be sprayed on the clothing not directly to the skin.

Googling "DEET and dogs" turns up a plethora of articles - and none of them, that I read, indicate that it's safe to use on a dog (and even worse on a cat!)  For a dog, symptoms of trans-dermal absorption from an NIH abstract are "tremors, seizures, behavioral changes, and abnormal movements" with the note though that symptoms are of "short duration and is characterized by vomiting, tremors, ataxia, and excitation"

I don't care how short the duration might be, it doesn't sound as if it's a product that I'd want to be putting on any of my dogs.

TwisterII wrote:

Dryer sheets. I have had success taking the bounce dryer sheets, rubbing it on my dogs and myself, and been left alone pretty well.

Lemongrass essential oil does a good job too.

I've heard of this! If you take drier sheets and put them in your pocket, insects will leave you alone. So for a dog, maybe attach it somehow to a collar he/she is already wearing? Or like Jenn said, rub it on the coat.

Sadly I tried the dryer sheets, and maybe because everything is bigger in Texas, including our mosquitoes, the dryer sheets did not work. The girls were not bothered, because of the Fiprogard, I presume, it's me that gets ate alive by bugs. I haven't tried my suggestion that I posted, I have heard others swear by it. If I decide to make me some I will give an update, and if any one else tries it, please give an update as well.

Oh and does anybody know who Paul Harvey is? Apparently it was recommended from his show?

I wonder if there is a difference between ingredients in brands of dryer sheets? I have the actual Bounce brand dryer sheets and they have always worked for me, though our northern mosquitoes might very well be less ravenous. My mom I think has the Snuggle dryer sheets. Curious if there is a difference in potency and may have to try. Just curious, not sure what kind of dryer sheets you have Renee, if it is a brand based ability it would be nice to know for certain. Will have to test on the trip. Gnats are usually my bane more than mosquitoes. Not sure why every flying thing wants to be around a person's ears.

MiyasMomma wrote:

Oh and does anybody know who Paul Harvey is? Apparently it was recommended from his show?

Don't know if Paul Harvey is still alive - he is (was?) a conservative radio talk show commentator. Who our plane mechanic used to listen to all the time. Which drove me absolutely wild...I like our mechanic, he's wonderful. But the politics made me want to vomit. Husband kept a close watch on me so I wouldn't "spill it"

I always get paul harvey and steve harvey mixed up when I first hear the names.

https://www.chewy.com/sentry-fly-repellent-cream-dogs-cats/dp/107296

This has pyrethrins and other stuff in it...I use Vetguard plus for ticks.  Did notice that mosquitos hovered but never landed.  THough that might have been because of all the fluff  The vetguard plus has permethrin which is a pyrethrin.  Also has d-Limonene which smells wonderful and anecdotally has good repellancy for a variety of insects.

Paul Harvey...wasn't he "and now, for the rest of the story?" Had a very distinctive voice.

I've heard about SWAT??? Not sure what it is made of but still looking...it's sild in agriculture coops apparently...

Izzy just cannot be outside between 6pm and dark wich is pretty late up here...she howls, cries and goes beserk trying to hide from black flies...litterally hundreds of them come out from her coat and gather in my windows when I let her in...I am desperate for a solution!

amymeme wrote:

<<snipped>>

Paul Harvey...wasn't he "and now, for the rest of the story?"  Had a very distinctive voice.

Yep, Paul Harvey used the "and now for the rest of the story" as his tag line. I used to listen to him when I was driving because, to me, his shows were always enjoyable.

Did a Google on Stever Harvey - and I don't see that either of them are political though I can see how Pauls voice might be a bit abrasive.

I'm lucky here in that the only pests I have are moths that come in when it gets dark out - if I forget to slide the front door all the way shut. No 'no see 'ems', no mosquitos, no fleas or ticks, too hot and too dry for most bugs --- but it's just 104f at 8:00 PM!

Drove 8 hours to get to the nearest pet store...got Sentry since it's the only thing they had...I'll let you know how it works out!

Ouch, and I thought *I* was remote! It only takes me 2 hours to get up to Ft Stockton - WalMart, etc.

Wow! That sounds horrible! Have you tried spraying your yard? I don't have that kind of problem, but after Zhukov pooped on the deck and it got between the slats and on to the ground underneath, I hung up fly strips to try to get rid of the ensuing flies. Good luck!