Citronella for Dogs: Safe, Effective, or Hazardous?

Many mosquito repellents for dogs contain citronella, but unfortunately, that doesn't mean they are safe for dogs. While citronella spray for dogs is effective against mosquitoes, it can cause a rash or worse. The spray permeates the fur and gets to the skin, where it is an irritant. Even lighting a citronella candle can be toxic when dogs breathe in the citronella.

Instead of planting citronella to repel mosquitoes, try dog-friendly mosquito repellent plants that won't harm dogs, like basil, lemon balm, rosemary, and catnip. To keep dogs from digging up or otherwise disturbing certain plants, cover the ground around them with chunks of mulch or pebbles, as dogs don't like walking on rough or uneven surfaces like these. Make a border of prickly plants, like berries, which are not appealing to dogs. Citrus trees and bushes also keep dogs away because they don't like the smell. Even a miniature orange tree packs a powerful scent.

Make your own safe bug repellent

The problem with applying mosquito and other bug repellents on dogs is that if it is strong enough to kill bugs, it may affect your dog adversely too. You can make your own treatments using safe ingredients. Mosquitoes hate citrus, so just rubbing a cut orange or lemon on his fur will help keep mosquitoes away for as long as the scent lasts. Be careful not to put citrus on any open sores, however, as this could be painful.

Try making a citrus spray by combining the juice of six lemons in 1 quart of water. Bring it to a boil and then remove it from the heat and let it steep for one hour. When it's cool enough to touch the water, fill a spray bottle with the mixture, shake it up, and spray your dog's fur thoroughly.

You can also make effective sprays using safe essential oils, like lemon eucalyptus oil, lemon balm, basil, peppermint, lavender, or verbena. Essential oils must be combined with a carrier oil to use them properly. Use just one drop of the essential oil per 1 milliliter of a carrier oil, like grapeseed oil. If you want to use several varieties of essential oils at once, just be sure to add an additional 1 milliliter of the carrier oil for each drop of safe essential oil you add.