Can Bed Bugs Bite My Dog?
If you’re having bed bug problems and you see marks on your dog, they could very well be bed bug bites. Humans may be a bed bug’s main target, but that doesn’t mean your pets are in the clear.
How To Identify Bed Bug Bites
There are a few signs that can tip you off to whether or not you have a bed bug problem. Small feces and blood spots on your sheets and bed are a good indicator that you might have bed bugs. Another indicator is the bite itself. They appear as small red spots on your or your dog’s skin. When a bed bug bites, the marks are typically close together in a zig-zag pattern. You might not feel any symptoms from the bites until a while after you get bitten, but some of the side effects you can expect are itchiness, a slight burning sensation, and inflammation of the skin. There are, however, more potential risks from being bitten.
Why a Bed Bug Bites
Everyone needs to eat, even bed bugs. Just like mosquitos, bed bugs hang onto us and feed on our blood. The body heat we give off and the CO2 we exhale attracts them. A bed bug will most commonly feed on you and your pets while you’re asleep. That gives them plenty of time to safely feed on you and crawl away. Even though bed bugs prefer a human meal, your dogs are still on the menu. However, there are ways to protect your dogs and keep your house free of bed bugs.
Cleaning Up
Cleaning your house is the first step to finding the bed bugs. Everything from your sheets, pillow cases, blankets, curtains, and of course your dog’s bed needs to be washed and dried using the highest heat setting. This will not only kill any bed bugs but also the eggs they leave behind. Use a coarse brush to scrub your mattress seams after you remove the sheets to get rid of any eggs that may be there. Follow up by thoroughly vacuuming your bed, the carpet, and between and under the cushions on your furniture. After vacuuming be sure to empty the contents of the vacuum into a sealable bag and dispose of it in your outside garbage bins. You don’t need to worry about washing your dog or using medicine on it, because the difference between fleas versus bed bugs is that bed bugs don’t live on their host. It’s also a good idea to clean up any clutter laying around. The less places bed bugs have to hide the better.
Killing the Bed Bugs
We already went over how washing and drying your bedding and linens with high temperatures is an effective way to kill bed bugs. That’s not the only method though. Using a steamer on your mattress, carpet, and fabric furniture is also a good way of killing bed bugs and their eggs. Another solution is to use bed bug proof covers on both your mattress and your box spring. This prevents any bed bugs hiding on your bed to bite you and it also stops any new bed bugs from nesting there. The final and most effective solution is to hire a pest control service. Using chemicals to kill bed bugs without professional help can be dangerous to you and your dog.
Need Assistance Getting Rid of Bed Bugs?
Bed Bug BBQ is the number one bed bug exterminator and removal company in Cleveland Ohio. If you’re interested in acquiring our services feel free to visit our website or call us at (216) 400-5330 to set up an appointment.
