The dog days of summer are here, and you know what that means. Flies!
While most of us probably wish the dog days of summer meant spending more time around our dogs, it’s that time of year when temperatures are high and bugs are out in full force. These pesky days include flies, ticks, and all kinds of pests.
Flies and ticks aren’t just problems for those of us who spend a lot of time outdoors. They can be problems for horses, dogs, and other animals, too.
Flies can pose a number of issues for horses that might not be apparent at first glance. Horses may swat flies away with their tails, but swatting can only do so much.
Why is fly management so important? How can certain herbs for horses and other tools help ease your fly problem? Here’s everything you need to know about protecting horses and dogs from flies, ticks, and other pests.
Flies Are Irritating—and Stressful
Flies come with the territory. If you have horses or other animals, you’re going to have flies.
A small number of flies aren’t usually a big deal. You “shoo” them away and go about your business. Horses do the same.
But if the fly population gets out of hand—as it often does during the dog days of summer—they can go from mildly irritating to downright stressful.
Flies can cause horses to swat, twitch, stomp, and exhibit temperament issues. If you live in a region of the country where flies bite, flies can lead to many of the same problems multiplied.
Biting insects can become overwhelming for animals. Whether pests are biting the horse’s hide or getting into their eyes, fly bites can be painful, stressful, and can even lead to infection.
Insects Can Carry Disease
Infection during the dog days of summer can be cause for concern. Flies, ticks, mosquitoes, and a host of other pests can be a source of disease.
Some pests can cause eye infections if they bite around the eyes. Some can cause illness by feeding on the blood of the animal.
Right along with ticks, horseflies are a common source of disease.
While ticks aren’t always a problem in barns, stables, and tended pastures, they can be on trails. They can be an issue for horses, dogs, and the rest of us walking through the brush.
Worms and parasites can be a problem, too. They can be picked up when horses feed on grass, in pastures, at shows, and right at home.
Keeping horse dewormers on hand can help mitigate internal parasites and keep pests under control.
What You Can Do
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to ease your animals’ bug burdens. For horses, adding natural horse dewormers to their feed can be helpful.
At the same time, keep bug repellent on hand. Bug repellents made with natural ingredients like witch hazel, lemongrass, and peppermint, for instance, can help mitigate flies around horses, dogs, and you.
And don’t hesitate to get mesh eye coverings for your horse! While certain herbs for horses can be helpful, managing the state of their environment is equally important.
This can include managing manure, like adding it to compost or keeping it maintained away from where horses spend most of their time. That’s another reason it’s beneficial to keep horses and dogs well-groomed.
The occasional bath, along with brushing, can help keep horses’ coats clean and minimize insect attraction. For horses, it doesn’t hurt to keep loose dirt in their paddock or pasture where they might roll around.
About Us
The health and wellness of your animals is always your top priority. We know just how important this is, and we’re setting the standard for a healthy life.
That’s why we’ve created a full lineup of wellness products for your horse, dog, and even you and your family. We’re your trusted source for equine supplements developed to address a wide range of concerns like respiratory care, temperament, and more.
We even offer horse dewormers and weight gain supplements for horses. What sets Silver us apart from the rest?
We only use real, natural ingredients. In other words, we keep nutrition simple and make our products with ingredients that deliver results you can count on. Discover a new path to wellness with Silver Lining Herbs.
Manage pests around your horses with natural solutions from www.silverliningherbs.com.
