Why Are Dogs More Favored by Mosquitoes?

On a summer night, when we enjoy the coolness outdoors with our dogs, we often find that dogs seem to be more favored by mosquitoes. Their bodies are always covered with marks from mosquito bites. This inevitably makes people wonder why dogs are more attractive to mosquitoes than humans. Next, let’s explore this issue from multiple perspectives.

I. Unique Odor

The odor emanating from dogs is an important factor in attracting mosquitoes. Firstly, the skin of dogs secretes oils, which have a unique smell. For mosquitoes, this smell is highly attractive. Compared with humans, dogs’ skin secretes oil more vigorously. Especially for some dog breeds with long and thick fur, the skin oil is enclosed by the fur, making the smell easier to retain and spread over a wider range. In addition, dogs have a large amount of daily physical activity and sweat a lot. Components such as lactic acid in their sweat will interact with the bacteria on the skin surface, producing a special odor. Mosquitoes have an extremely keen sense of smell and can capture these subtle odor cues, tracking down the dogs and locking them as targets. For example, after running and playing in the park, the odor on a dog’s body becomes more intense, and at this time, mosquitoes will swarm around.

II. Higher Body Temperature

Mosquitoes are extremely sensitive to temperature and are usually attracted to higher body temperatures. The normal body temperature of dogs ranges from 38°C to 39°C, which is significantly higher than that of humans, which is between 36°C and 37°C. This makes dogs, in the eyes of mosquitoes, like a “heat source” emitting warm signals, standing out particularly. In hot summer, a dog’s body temperature will rise further than human, and its attractiveness to mosquitoes also increases accordingly. When a dog and a human are in the same space at the same time, mosquitoes will preferentially fly towards the dog with a higher body temperature.

III. Unique Exhaled Gas

The gas exhaled by dogs during the breathing process also plays an important role in attracting mosquitoes. Dogs exhale a relatively large amount of carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide is one of the important clues for mosquitoes to find their prey. Mosquitoes have receptors sensitive to carbon dioxide on their antennae, which can detect extremely subtle changes of carbon dioxide in the air. When dogs breathe, they are more likely to be noticed by mosquitoes.Moreover, in addition to carbon dioxide, the gas exhaled by dogs may also contain other volatile substances, such as some organic compounds. These substances mixed together have a strong tempting effect on mosquitoes. In comparison, the amount of carbon dioxide and other volatile substances exhaled by humans is relatively small, so the attractiveness to mosquitoes is also weaker.

IV. Long and Dense Fur

The characteristics of a dog’s fur provide convenient conditions for mosquitoes. On the one hand, a dog’s fur is long and thick, providing a relatively hidden, warm and windproof habitat for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can easily hide among the dog’s fur, avoiding external interference and calmly looking for a suitable place to bite. When a mosquito lands on a dog, due to the obstruction of the fur, it is difficult to accurately hit the target because of the obstruction of the fur. For example, for some long-haired dog breeds, mosquitoes can freely shuttle deep in their fur and bite at will, while it is very difficult for the dogs to drive them away.

The fact that dogs are more attractive to mosquitoes than humans is the result of the combined action of multiple factors. After understanding these reasons, in summer, we can take corresponding measures, such as using pet-specific mosquito repellent products for dogs and keeping the dog’s living environment clean and hygienic, to help dogs reduce mosquito disturbances and enable them to spend the hot summer more comfortably.