How to Protect Your Pets from Summer Pests

This page is an general DIY guide on how to protect your pets from summer pests like mosquitos, fleas, ticks, ants, and snakes through our recommended products and tips. Follow this DIY guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee you will successfully protect your pets from these common summer pests.

Pests such as snakes can be considered fatal if you or your animal have been bitten. It is always recommended to immediately contact the nearest hospital or animal health clinic for snake bites. It is suggested for homeowners facing venomous or non-venomous snakes to reach out to their nearest animal control specialist to assist with the snake removal.

Summer provides the optimal weather for you and your pets to spend time outdoors. Once outside, pets tend to explore hidden and hard to reach or grassy areas which is unfortunately where pests such as mosquitos, fleas, ticks, ants, and snakes are likely to be encountered.

These pests are most active during the summer months and can harm your animals health through the smallest interaction or bite. Not only are these pests serious to you and your pets health, but they can be a real nuisance to control.

Most pet owners assume that applying an medication through their pets skin or within their food is enough to protect them from summer pests. While this does provide some protection against insects it does not reduce the chance of your pet encountering other types of biting summer pests.

In this DIY guide, we will show you what to do to ensure you and your pets safety, and what professional quality products to use to keep summer pests away in an affordable and low-cost manner.

How to Remove Summer Pests that Threaten Your Pets

Summertime pest prevention is more than giving your dog or cat medicine from their local veterinarian. It is also controlling the environment within your home and yard in a way that makes it less ideal for mosquitos, fleas, ticks, ants, and snakes.

To implement this program and ensure the safety of you and your furry companions health then follow the recommended products and steps for complete control over the species of pest listed in this article. Remember, when handling or mixing any type of pesticide product you will need to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Step 1: Apply Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules

Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules is an recommendable granular insecticide that will control numerous species of lawn insects. These granules will reside within your turf for up to 3 months and will work to quickly lessen the presence of these summer pests.

As a granular product it will need to be applied as either a hand or broadcast spreader.

However, you will still need to determine how much Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules to apply by calculating the square footage of your property or treatment area. To do this, measure the length and width of the treatment area in feet and then multiply them together (length X width = square footage).

The standard rate of application is 2.3 lbs. of Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules per 1,000 sq. ft.

Load the appropriate amount of Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules into your selected spreader and then broadcast it uniformly over your treatment area while walking at a steady pace.

Once applied to your turf, water the granules with an inch of water to activate the product.

Step 2: Spray Supreme IT Inside and Outside Home

Supreme IT is a broad-spectrum insecticide labeled to eliminate over 70 different species of insects. Besides its wide range of targeted pests, it will also work to protect your yard from invasive and hard to kill pests for up to 90 days after application.

To apply Supreme IT, you will need to use either a hose-end, backpack, or pump sprayer. For yard treatments, take your property square footage and divide it by 1,000 sq. ft. to know the amount of Supreme IT to use.

For example, if you have 3,000 sq. ft. of turf to treat, then you will need to mix 3 fl. oz. of product in 3 gallons of water (3,000 / 1,000 = 3). Apply a perimeter treatment around your property to create a barrier, which will keep pests away from you and your pets. Spray 2 to 3 feet up around windows, doors, the homes foundation, and other possible points of entry.

For treatments inside your home, you will need to use either a backpack or pump sprayer. We recommended spraying Supreme IT as a spot treatment as according to the product label. For easier control during application, use a pump sprayer. The standard rate of application for spot treatments is 1 fl. oz. of Supreme IT per 1 gallon of water per 1,000 sq. ft.

Make sure to remove all objects and food from the area inside your home prior to application. Do not replace objects or food into these treated areas until 48 hours have passed.

Step 3: Apply Martins Preferred and Petcor if Approved by Veterinarian

Martins Preferred and Petcor are ready to use products that eliminates the presence of ticks and fleas. These products work best when used together for Petcor will work to eliminate flea egg and flea larvae on cats and dogs while Martins Prefurred will specifically eliminate adult fleas and ticks.

Both of these products will be rubbed into the dog or cats fur until it reaches the skin of the animal. It is recommended for Petcor to apply at a rate of 1 to 2 squeezes of the trigger per pound of the animals weight. For Martins Prefurred, you will use 1 entire tube of product per pound of the animals weight.

Remember, Martins Prefurred is specifically designed for cats or dogs so make sure to select the right product. This product cannot be used on pets beneath the age of twelve weeks.

Depending on your animals body weight, age, current health condition, and species can affect the results of these products. Always refer to the label prior to application and speak with your veterinarian prior to application.

Step 4: Clean Your Yard and Home

In order to prevent future pests infestations, you will have to make cultural changes in and around your home. These changes include cleaning yard debris such as overgrown foliage or leaves, toys, left out equipment, buckets, pet food bags, and trash. This may seem tedious, but by removing these objects you reduce the hiding places and available water sources for summer pests.

If there are food sources available such as pet food or open trash containers, pests will gather and quickly make themselves at home near these locations. Secure the lid on your outdoor and indoor trash can and do not leave pet food out for long periods of time. Any food not finished by your pet should be disposed off.

Vacuum the carpet, rugs, curtains, pet beds, between your floors foundation and cracks, underneath furniture and appliances, and other areas where your pet frequently inhibits. Take a cloth soaked in soap and water and wash the inside of your shelves, cabinets, pantries, and food handling surfaces. No crumbs or food debris should remain. Once your cleaning is complete, throw away or wash the rag and empty out the contents of your vacuum bag in the outside garbage can.

Remember, you may wash or throw away your pets bedding, but you cannot directly apply any pesticide products onto it.

Step 5: Treat Your Yard with Snake Out

Like most creatures, snakes depend on moisture and hard to reach places or crawl spaces for survival which can be found near your home, outdoor pet homes, and underneath porches. Our recommended product to repel snakes away from your property is Snake Out.

Snake Out will not eliminate snakes, but will deter them from your property through the use of natural ingredients such as cinnamon oil 0.6%, clove oil 0.3%, and cedar oil 3.1%. These ingredients will irritate the snakes sense of smell and affect its ability to hunt, thus pushing the snake to leave the treated area.

This ready to apply product should be shaken from the Snake Out container or applied through a hand spreader directly above the treatment area. Apply this product in bands 6 to 8 inches wide around your home. Once snakes have left the area or enough time has passed to where you do not see their activity apply a perimeter treatment.

Key Takeaways

What Summer Pests can Harm Your Pet?

• Pests such as mosquitos, fleas, ticks, ants, and snakes are the most rampant during the summer season.

What Products Can Be Used to Remove Pests that Threaten Your Pet?

• An outdoor treatment with Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules, Supreme IT, and Snake Out are recommendable to reduce insect and snake populations within your yard. Sanitize the inside of your home with proper cleaning practices and treat your pet with Martins Prefurred and Petcor for current flea or tick infestation. You will also apply a spot treatment of Supreme IT inside your home as recommended per the product label.

What Causes Summer Pests to Invade Your Property?

• Available food sources such as pet food, water, and open trash cans creates rodents infestations which in return attracts snakes. These food sources also attracts ants to the inside and outside of your home. Other environmental factors such as rainfall or standing water causes mosquito populations to increase. Overgrown foliage and shaded areas creates perfect living conditions for mosquitos, fleas, ticks, ants, and some species of snakes.