About Bedbugs in Dogs

While bed bugs may prefer humans as their hosts, they're also attracted to other warm-blooded animals, namely man's best friend: dogs. As with humans, the main pain bed bugs inflict on a dog include minor itching and irritation from bites. Perhaps more severe is the mental anguish an owner feels over seeing a pet bothered by bed bugs, and the fact that there's an infestation in his home. Thankfully, once a pet owner learns the facts about bed bugs and dogs, and takes action to correct any bed bug issues, her mind can rest at ease.

  1. Transmission to Dogs

    • As with humans, the presence of bed bugs around a dog is not attributed to unsanitary conditions. Bed bugs most commonly enter a home through human activity, whether in luggage or laundry. They cannot fly or jump and don't crawl more than 10 to 20 feet, so it's highly unlikely that a dog would bring bed bugs in from outside, or that it caught bed bugs from another animal. As of early 2011, there has yet to be any scientific evidence to indicate that bed bugs transmit any type of disease.

    Examining the Area

    • Bed bugs are typically nocturnal, hiding in mattresses and behind and under furniture during the day, and emerging at night to feed. It's best to look for them in the daytime, as they'll be easier to spot with the human eye. Examine areas of the house where your dog sleeps, taking care to look between the seams of any pet bed and piece of furniture that your dog may sleep or lay on. Look for actual bed bugs, small clusters of bed bug eggs, or fecal marks they may have left behind.

    Inspecting Your Home

    • After you've searched around where your dog sleeps, do a broad inspection of your home to identify other bed bug hiding places. After all, they can crawl from 10 to 20 feet, so nowhere in your house is really off-limits. As can be deduced by the name, beds are a common place to find bed bugs, but they can also hide in dresser drawers, closets, couches, behind appliances, along baseboards and behind anything hung on a wall. Remember: You can never be too thorough when searching out bed bugs.

    Eliminating Bed Bugs

    • If bed bugs are located, treatment by a pest control professional is the safest way to proceed for both your health and your pets. Also, it will ensure that your home is cleared of bed bugs, even if it takes multiple visits from pest control. As with any pet issue, it's advised that you consult your veterinarian. Not only are veterinarians armed with information on all matters relating to your pet, chances are they've likely dealt with other dog owners who have bed bugs. They should be able to give you the name of pest control professionals in your area.