Mosquito repellents?

[phesina]

I am pet-sitting a cat for a few days who likes to go out in his yard in his harness and leash. He has a long tie-out lead out there, so I hook him up and he enjoys himself in the yard for about 10 minutes, while I sit on the edge of the porch keeping an eye on him and reading. Well, turns out there are lots of mosquitos around, making a most pleasant outing ...much less pleasant.

So, may I ask for suggestions on good mosquito repellents. What can I put on myself that will keep them away?

And if they do succeed in nipping me, what is a good anti-itch ointment or cream or whatever?

Thanks VERY much!

Pat

[pomtzu]

The mosquitoes are terrible here this year - especially those little but very nasty tiger mosquitoes. They bite from morning til night - not just early a.m. or later in the afternoon. One got me a few days ago, and their intense itch lasts for days. About the only thing that relieves it is the Cortizone 10 creme, but only for a few hours at a time, then you have to reapply. Benadryl doesn't work well since it's not a steroid. I keep a bottle of witch hazel in the fridge too, and that is cooling on bites and works in a pinch if you don't have anything else.

[Jessika]

*Supposedly* you can heat up a spoon (using hot water, not hot enough to burn you) and place it on the welt from the bite and it's supposed to stop the itching and shrink the welt considerably. I have personally not used this to attest to it... my sister heard about it from my mom and was very skeptical until she tried it and it worked. Nothing to lose by doing it, eh?

As far as repellants go, I'm not as versed in it. I usually get eaten up whether I use repellants or not.

[Karen]

Another thing that I have heard is a paste of baking soda and water applied will help ease the itching - my body overreacts to mosquito bites (huge half-inch welt for each bite) so I will try that the next time I am unfortunate enough to get bitten. That's one of the good parts about living in the city - relatively few mosquitos!

[cassiesmom]

Another thing that I have heard is a paste of baking soda and water applied will help ease the itching - my body overreacts to mosquito bites (huge half-inch welt for each bite) so I will try that the next time I am unfortunate enough to get bitten. That's one of the good parts about living in the city - relatively few mosquitos!

When I was little my grandmother used to make a paste of baking soda and vinegar for insect bites and stings. She would mix it in a big bowl because it would fizz when she poured the vinegar over the baking soda. THe chemical reaction was a good distraction, too. Karen, I get welts when I get insect bites. I've found that clobetasol ointment (available by Rx) works really well to stop the burning/itching/swelling reaction.

[Louie and me]

I have a really bad reaction to mosquito bites and so use an aerosol repellant with 30 DEET that lasts for 8 hours. I wear long sleeved tops and long pants and only spray my clothes, not my skin, if I have to spend time in the garden. If I get careless and do get bitten occasionally, I use Benadryl cream and it does work but I have to apply every couple of hours.

[cassiesmom]

And if they do succeed in nipping me, what is a good anti-itch ointment or cream or whatever?

Thanks VERY much!

Pat

Avon makes a cracked heel relief cream that works great on insect bites because it has a topical anesthetic (lidocaine). I have a tube on hand year round- in winter I use it on itchy dry skin and in summer/fall on bites.

Could you please give the kitty some petting for me when you're with him again.

Beeniesmom is an Avon rep www.youravon.com/ckohler

[phesina]

Thanks, Elyse.

And I will definitely give him some petting for you, when I go over to visit him again in about an hour!

Pat