If you have a dog, you must keep your dog food away from cockroaches to avoid that you can avoid poisoning your pet. It is recommended that you focus on finding natural alternatives to eradicate these types of pests. Remember that these types of pests have a wide repertoire of parasitic diseases.
Several aromas and substances are of great help to repel these annoying insects for a long time. However, if you want to know more about keeping cockroaches away from your pet, you need to continue reading the following information.
Let’s start now!
Does dog food attract roaches?
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The next time you leave your pet’s food exposed, keep in mind that it is the perfect food source for roaches for the following reasons.
Dog food is an excellent source of fatty protein that tends to attract roaches in droves. Its components are very attractive to various types of insects and can even become infected with worms. It is important that you keep food away from these insects to avoid parasitic diseases that can cause your pet.
These types of insects are classified as omnivores and can process both meat and sweets or polysaccharides. This fact implies that dog biscuits are on the list of foods to guard to avoid an infestation.
Keep in mind that any greasy food can be very attractive to the pest. The chances of contaminating your pet’s food increase when your bowl is made of recyclable plastic.
Why Does Your Dog Food Have Roaches?
If you are wondering why your dog’s food is infested, you pay attention to the following points:
One of the leading causes is leaving food exposed in humidity or heat places. Remember that these types of insects can only survive under hot weather conditions or humid areas.
Therefore, if you intend to eradicate the infestation, you can put your dog’s food in a safe place.
Another of the most common causes is leaving your pet’s food exposed overnight. And cockroaches tend to be active at night or especially in the dark. So it can result in a massive infestation that could spread throughout your property.
Your pet’s food is capable of attracting roaches only when it is under several conditions. The chances of infestation increase when food is left in a place where there is excess humidity.
Among the factors that influence cockroach infestation is the state of decomposition of some foods. This especially applies to dog food displayed throughout the day.
In these cases, the important thing is to prevent your pet from ingesting these types of insects. Then, you will be able to avoid the consequences of some diseases caused by the ingestion of cockroaches.
To guarantee your results, remember to apply each of the preventive measures against infestation.
Also Read: Do Cockroaches Carry Diseases?
How to Keep Roaches Out of Your Dog Food
The best way to keep your dog’s food away from any pests is to put into practice the combination of cleanliness and natural alternatives.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is an essential factor when it comes to keeping roaches away from your pet. You must maintain good cleanliness in the main entrances, areas where these insects usually enter.
You can use a mint or lavender disinfectant to drive them away. Spraying alcohol on the doors and windows can help you control the entry of this pest much better.
The smell of these foods is usually very attractive for this type of pests to attract other insects. The best solution to avoid an infestation is to provide your dog with food at a specific time. In these cases, it is essential to check that your pet has finished eating.
Store Dog Food Safely
It is recommended to store them safely or invest in airtight containers for pets if you leave residues. Also, make sure to change your dog’s food continuously to avoid odors that could attract the attention of unwanted insects.
Mint Or Lavender Leaves
Natural remedies are the best option to exterminate these types of pests without using repellants that have high toxicity levels. These types of alternatives are ideal for repelling cockroaches and protecting your dog from any toxic agent. In this case, it is recommended to crush either mint or lavender leaves to make a spray diluted with water.
Fresh Bay Leaves
You can also make fresh bay leaves and spray near where your pet eats. If you plan to use sprays instead, make sure you invest in an organic insecticide.
What Should You Do With Dog Food Infested With Roaches?
If you notice that your dog’s food is infested, you should proceed to dispose of it for the various reasons listed below:
Discard the Infested Dog Food
Cockroaches are characterized by the wide repertoire of parasitic diseases that they can contribute. In these cases, it is recommended that you discard the food to avoid any poisoning. These insects can contaminate food just by touching it. In addition, they usually leave their feces and saliva so that the food remains completely infected, causing food poisoning.
Using Essentials Oils Before Checking
If you are looking for a method to exterminate these types of pests, you can use your pet’s infested food as a resource. For this procedure, you must keep your dog away from food and avoid its consumption at all costs. In these cases, you need to spray a powerful organic insecticide to kill these insects completely. You can also choose to incorporate a few drops of essential oils and alcohol as an alternative method.
Disinfecting the Infested Areas
You must focus on disinfecting the area with scents that are detestable to these insects. Once you exterminate the pest, you have to dispose of the residues and start a disinfection process. For example, it would help if you used a disinfectant with the scent of lavender or fresh mint to prevent another infestation.
Using Bay Leaves
The final step is to place bay leaves or a few drops of essential oils in your entrance or critical areas. Among the most hated odors by roaches are fresh plants and rubbing alcohol.
To ensure complete cleaning and pest control, you must repeat this process consistently. This way, you can maximize your budget to avoid the expenses involved in hiring a professional exterminator.
The importance of removing or disposing of infested food lies in protecting your dog. Remember that these types of insects can cause serious stomach problems or diseases that require medical attention. In addition, if you have children in the house, it is necessary to eliminate these types of pollutants as a safety measure. This way, you can prevent roaches from making a nest and increasing the infestation.
What if Your Dog Eats a Cockroach?
If your dog ingests a cockroach, it is likely to suffer one of the following consequences.
The ingestion of cockroaches in dogs can lead to serious parasitic problems. Symptoms begin with fatigue that later leads to vomiting and diarrhea and other problems associated with indigestion. These types of insects are capable of compromising the health of your pet in just a few hours.
Sometimes they can be supplied with hydrogen peroxide so that they can expel the pollutant. It is recommended that you invest in a dewormer to prevent certain complications.
In these cases, you should turn to a veterinarian to carry out the corresponding studies. In this way, you can rule out or attack any parasitic poisoning in time.
If you had previously used an insecticide or poison, your dog is likely poisoned. This type of intoxication is recognized by excessive salivation, and in some cases, it can present foam in their mouth. They can also cause nervous system problems, including involuntary movements or seizures.
Eating a normal cockroach is highly unlikely that your dog will experience an allergic reaction. Just make sure you seek professional help to obtain accurate results and know what is happening in your body.
Then, an expert veterinarian can take care of applying the correct treatment or deworming if necessary.
To avoid recidivism, it is necessary to discard the infested food and start a process of extermination, preferably organic. This fact implies the use of natural remedies related to essential oils or fresh-scented plants.
You can also use some combinations like boric acid with sugar to completely eradicate them. Another successful variant of this formula is the famous baking soda with sugar.
