Can Pets Spread Bed Bugs?

The good news is that bed bugs aren't interested in pet food or pet waste. They only want blood, and they strongly prefer to bite humans because it's difficult for them to extract fluid through fur. The bad news is that ANY warm blooded animal living in your home can act as a magnet to lure bedbugs out of hiding and disperse them to areas they normally wouldn't go.

The steps you take to protect your bedroom against infestation will almost certainly drive bed bugs to other areas of your home in search of food. Factors such as body heat and pheromones will guide bed bugs to areas where pets congregate and relax. That's bad news for you and good news for your local pest control operator. The difference between treating one room and treating multiple rooms can equal thousands of dollars.

Bed bugs can and will feed upon animals if human counterparts are unreachable due to factors such as pesticides and bed protection measures. Pets who display scabs or bald spots from flea and mite irritations are all the more susceptible to bedbug bites. The most vulnerable place on a dog's body is the belly because it's not as furry as other body parts, and it often comes in contact with the ground. A bed bug can hitch a ride from the yard to your home using your dog's exposed skin as a vehicle, but this is a relatively small concern because bed bugs only stay on their hosts long enough to feed. It's far more likely for pets to transport bedbugs within the home.

Your Pets and Bed Bugs

The resurgence of bed bugs over the last decade has left many people worrying about every little itch that they get. However one victim of bed bugs that often get overlooked may be suffering more than you think. The victim we are talking about are your pets.

Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs don't only feed on humans. In fact they feed on anything that has blood. Although they may prefer human blood, if no other food source is available, they won't hesitate to feed on your beloved pets.

Some situations where bed bugs may end up feasting on your pets would be if you're never home. With no readily available food source, bed bugs may turn to your pets to get their weekly meals. Although your cat or dog's fur may slow bed bugs down, they will still be able to feed eventually. Fortunately bed bug bites do not cause any major harm to dogs; however it can make them uncomfortable.

A dogs fur can also act as a carrier for bed bugs, similar to your clothing. If you have an active dog, it can potentially spread bed bugs to your neighbors or other strangers.

If you have any concerns of bed bugs, don't hesitate to get a canine inspection. Dogs are excellent at finding bed bugs with their noses and are the most accurate form of bed bug detection.