BUGS BITE DOGS:
Bed bugs usually feed on humans but they also bite animal’s like cats and dogs. Because of the fur of the animals it’s a great hiding spot for the bugs. They feed on animals like they do on humans.In addition to biting and feeding on people, bed bugs are known to feed on cats and dogs in infested homes.
There are several clues or signs that can help identify infestations. In rare reports, people have observed bed bugs crawling on themselves, or their pets. However, as mentioned above, this is unusual. More likely, are the telltale signs of small insect bites anywhere on the body; these may resemble those of other biting insects mosquitoes or fleas, so it is important to look for other signs. Like other insects, bed bugs must shed their exoskeletons in order to grow, so finding these “molts” can help identify an infestation, as well as finding actual bed bugs in the folds of the mattress or trapped in the sheets.
In addition, bed bug faeces may leave rusty spots on bedding or nearby furniture and bugs are said to give a sweet, musty odour to areas in which they are present. Additionally, a number of commercial bed bug traps and monitors are now available, and bed bug detection dogs can sniff out infestations.
WHAT DOES A BEDBUG BITE LOOK LIKE ?
If your dog is bitten by bed bugs, you may find tiny red bumps, likely on their belly and limbs. Bed bug bites typically occur in a straight line, in groups of two or three. Depending on the length of your dog’s hair, these can be difficult to spot. If your dog scratches a lot, their skin can get irritated and a bed bug rash can appear.
WHAT BED BUG SIGNS SHOULD YOU LOOK OUT FOR?
Bed bug bites itch. Watch for scratching, biting, licking and general irritability. Aside from the actual bed bug bites, check for spotting around your pet’s bedding. These marks can either be your dog’s dried blood from the bite, or a darker spot, indicating bed bug faeces. Shed exoskeletons around your pet’s bedding is another secondary sign of bed bugs to watch out for.
Shed skins look exactly like bed bugs, only translucent and empty. Bed bug eggs are very small and hard to find, but offer a good indicator that a bed bug infestation has begun. You might also be able to identify bed bugs crawling around your pet’s bedding. Adults are small, flat and shaped like apple seeds. They are reddish-brown in colour before taking a blood meal, and bright, blood red afterward.
PROTECTION OF PETS FROM BED BUGS
Bed bugs do not live on animals the way fleas do. They are hidden in the environment and come out only at night to feed. Thus, it is unusual for pets to carry bugs on them. Protecting pets from bed bugs is achieved by default as you protect yourself and your home from bed bugs through hygiene. If you already have an infestation at home, eradicating that infestation will keep your entire family including your pets protected from the nuisance of bed bugs.
When travelling with or without your pet, check areas around the bed headboard and box spring, especially for bed bugs or signs of bed bug infestation. Remember that these bugs are visible to the naked eye, although they are small. Keep luggage, pet crates and pet bedding away from the bed, if possible consider storing them in the bathroom or a space away from sleeping areas and couches.
When leaving your hotel, inspect all luggage, pet crates and pet bedding carefully to try to ensure no hidden bugs will be travelling home with you.
Consider having your pet bathed and groomed before bringing them home this may remove any bugs from the animal if they happen to be present, and visually inspect your pet for bed bugs. Luggage, pet carriers, and bedding can be left in the car for about 1-2 weeks after you return home. In areas of the country with extreme weather hot and cold this can further reduce the number of live bed bugs by heat-killing or freezing them.
When you do bring these belongings into your home, launder everything immediately, clothing, pet bedding, etc. being sure to use hot water or the dryer on medium-high heat; washing alone will not kill bed bugs, but high-heat drying will. There is no fail-safe way to ensure that you, your belongings or your pet will not bring unwanted guests home, but these measures can help reduce the risk.