Flies and Extreme Heat (HELP!) - Page 1

 Its 100 degrees and the flies are taking over my dogs ear tips even if theyre outside for just 30 minutes.I have a couple that just prefer being outdoors in any weather.At this temperature Flys off,Swat,and every horse spray on the market just melts off or evaporates.The fly traps are catching them like crazy but theres just too many.And having horses doesnt help.Does anyone here have similar climate conditions and fly problems?If so I would love to hear your remedies.Thanks in advance!! 

First of all, do your dogs have dried blood on the tips of their ears where the flys have bitten them? If so, you must shampoo these areas and thoroughly remove the blood before applying a fly repellant. You must treat the dogs daily.

We have extreme tempertures--but no horses. Using the above precautions, I have pretty good success with a product called Bronco (Equine Fly Spray Plus Citronella Scent)--cheaper than either Flys Off or Swat.

After removing all animals, you may need to apply Bronco with a sprayer as a surface sprayer (kills and repels) to pens, stables, outbuildings, etc. Moisten all areas where flys congregate. You might also want to burn some citronella candles.

One of my dogs hardly ever suffers from fly strike because he spends his time chasing and catching them!!

I have always used Ultra shield on my dog's. It is a horse spray that can be used on dog's as well. My neighbors have horses and none of my dog's have ever had any fly bites on them since I've been using it. It is also water proof, so I use it every 3 day's, and never had any issues with fly bites.

It is weird, I hear alot about flies bothering dogs ears and I have never had the problem here in the "fly capitol of the world"! My horses, o yeah, gotta spray them almost daily. We use to have a guy that lived up the creek that held an annual Fly Festival! Black flies. gnats, house, deer, horse, bot flies, you name 'em we got them. Never on the dogs though, wonder why? I would maybe suggest some liquid garlic. Its suppose to be a good repellent and even if it melts the smell won't....

I live in a very heavy fly infested area. I have used every product on the market. Farnam makes many such products. The water based Bronco is Farnam's most inexpensive product, and they go up from there.

 The thing is, none of the water based sprays will last for any amount of time in a heavy infested area.  The oil based WIPE works the best of any pre made products. An even better method and so inexpensive is to mix your own permethrin with baby oil.

 I use 4oz permethrin to 20 oz baby oil. This works better than anything. I know its safe, as I use it as a lotion on myself when Im out with the animals all day. You can find it at most any feed & Tack and Livestock Stores.

http://bugsource.com/permethrin_10_.html

I guess I should have made it clear to only use the Permethrin 10%.

already said but I'll say it again - you have to clean the ears off, get the crusty stuff off, wash/dry it then apply SWAT (works the best IMO) daily in heavily infested areas.  Horses or not.  I have horses and have not had problems with fly-bites on my dogs' ears this year - I have applied SWAT as a preventative but only every week or two.  But if there were a problem I'd do it every day, or every other day for sure.  Even just plain vaseline will help heal the scabs and keep flies from biting, for a day or so.

molly

Another weird thing, we have flies really bad too 3 out of 4 of our dogs need spray daily. My Baden gets eaten alive and his sister in the next attached kennel, has never been bothered. Is it the color of the dog or her make up/smell?

I don't know why but I have dogs of every color - light and black sables, bicolor, black/red, and solid black - and the only dog affected by any fly bites this year is my solid black.  Kennels are rotated as well, though most of the time he is in the kennel next to the horse-pasture.  So that could be why.  SWAT took care of it and his ears are fine.  The other dogs have not had any fly bite problems this year at all.

molly

Colour does play a role. Dark colours attract more bugs than light colours. Navy blue is especially bad. Here in the north, black flies are the worst pests. I had some clothes drying on the line in peak blackfly season, and my navy blue sweatshirt and blue jeans were just crawling with them while other colours were not.