Loyal Pit Bull Love
A Warm Home For You & Your Pit Bull
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Happenings
  • Testimonials
  • Resources
  • Monthly Heroes

Pit Bull Worthy Times

A monthly digest of pit bull tender loving care. We also support fun facts and links locally and globally, sharing the most up-to-date information available! 
Those of us who are homeowners know all too well that most insurance companies DO discriminate if you own certain breeds of dogs. Luckily there are some that don't. While not all of these are created equal, here are some options for owners of pit bulls and other unfairly maligned breeds.  

Read More

Safeguard Your Family Against Mosquitoes And Ticks

11/1/2018

0 Comments

 
Once again we are pleased to welcome as guest blogger, Lucy Tate of doggonow.com, a site dedicated to loving and appreciating our pets as well as advocating rescue, fostering and adoption.

Today, Lucy shares with us an article on the very important topic of keeping our families safe from mosquitoes and ticks. Even though summer is over, it is important to follow the protocols for prevention of diseases spread by these predators all throughout the year. This article written exclusively for us tells you how.
Picture
Whether it’s hot and dry outside or cool and wet, mosquitoes and ticks are one of the major forms of irritation you’ll experience when you’re spending the day outside. In many regions, they also have the habit of finding their way indoors, where they can disturb your sleep and keep you itching all night long. Not only are their bites aggravating, but they can also cause you to feel unwell and can even spread dangerous diseases. This is why it’s best to prevent their bites by protecting yourself in advance. Here are ways you can get mosquitoes and ticks out of your home while guarding against their bites, as well as tips for what to do when you’ve been bitten.
 
How to Get Mosquitoes and Ticks Out of Your House
 
The first thing you should know is that the most commonly attempted method of removing mosquitoes from your home -- that is, swatting at each one individually -- is by far the least effective. Even mosquito traps aren’t necessarily effective, as different varieties of mosquito react differently to different trapping attempts, making many types of trap completely useless in your area. It’s much easier to prevent them from getting inside your house in the first place.
 
To start, make sure that your house is properly sealed up. Close your windows, make sure there are no gaps in your door frame, and seal cracks in your foundation and roof. Outside, you can also make sure that your property isn’t a breeding ground for mosquitoes. They require standing water for a large part of their life cycle, so by reducing the amount of water around your home, you will take away their ability to fully develop. Keep track of areas where rainwater might pool, fix any leaky faucets, regularly clean and drain your gutters, and poke holes in things like flower pots and buckets that may collect water without having a drainage system.
 
The same is true of ticks; they prefer wet environments as well, so keeping your backyard dry is one of the best ways to prevent them from taking up residence. Of course, if you have tried all of this and you still have a large pest problem in and around your home, it may be time to call in a professional. Look into hiring a pest control service to take care of the problem -- the average national cost of hiring pest control services ranges from between $134 to $198.
 
Protect Yourself from Mosquitoes and Ticks When You’re Outdoors
 
Even if you properly seal your home and dry out your backyard, you will still have to contend with mosquitoes and ticks when you are outside. Mosquitoes require access to exposed skin to be able to bite you, so by wearing long sleeves and pants when you go outside, you will make it less likely that they will be able to successfully bite you. Ticks prefer to live in brushy areas, so try to stay in more sunny regions. If you live in or are going for a hike in the woods, stick to the path to avoid getting too close to where ticks lurk. You can help your dog stay free of pests by keeping their flea and tick medication up to date.
 
Remedies for Mosquito Bites
 
In the event you do suffer from a mosquito or tick bite, it’s good to be prepared. The swelling caused by mosquito bites will generally last a day. Antihistamine creams can help to control the itchiness, but certain natural remedies such as ice packs and baking soda can help just as well.  However, if you start to experience a fever, headache, or general fatigue after getting bitten, you may have picked up a more serious illness and should go to the doctor as soon as possible.
 
Mosquitoes and ticks are irritating, but you don’t have to let their presence affect your enjoyment of the outdoors. By taking the proper precautions in and around your home, you can help safeguard your family and spend your evenings outdoors and itch-free.
 
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

Lucy, we thank you again for this interesting and informative article. And be sure to take preventative measures for yourself and your pets as well as checking for ticks and signs of illness after outdoor activities.

​Please be sure to visit Lucy's website doggonow.com and read Lucy's own story and more! 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    View Sue Torres's profile on LinkedIn
    Picture
    Picture

    About the Author

    Sue Torres is an animal advocate, rescue volunteer and proud owner of a previously abused pit bull who was slated to be destroyed for being tense and fearful in the shelter environment.

    Inspired by their resilience, devotion and ability to forgive, she now devotes herself to restoring the image of these once-esteemed and cherished family pets. She works tirelessly to promote the adoption of pit bulls in our nation's shelters and change perceptions about this extremely misunderstood and unjustly maligned breed.

    She lives in Connecticut with her rescued pit bull, Mickey. Her first book, Loyalty Unleashed was published in May, 2014 and is avsailable in paperback and e-book formats. Loyalty Unleashed II (her second book) is now available, also in paperback and e-book formats.

    Archives

    August 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    September 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Loyal Pit Bull Love Copyrights 2014