Can Your Dog Get Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs were a common problem in the ‘60s but seemed to dwindle down for a while. Recent reports of bed bug infestations have shown that these pesky parasitic creatures that feed on human hosts are back and are becoming a serious issue. Bed bugs have popped up everywhere from five star hotels to senior centers and family homes. With increased bed bug cases reported, a number of questions have risen about these infestations. Dog owners are beginning to wonder whether or not bed bugs can affect their four legged companions.

Can a dog get bed bugs?

“Technically it can happen but the short answer is no,” says Water Penny of Colorado Bed Bug K9, LLC. Bed bugs prefer to feed on human blood and unlike fleas and ticks; they are not bioengineered to move through fur and hair. Penny explains that while bed bugs do not seek out canine hosts that everything is dependent on the level of infestation and if the problem gets extreme enough, it’s possible that bed bugs may infiltrate a dog’s bed as a secondary source of food. “It becomes an overcrowding issue. If there is no other place for them to go then they will go to alternative food sources and that would be cats, birds, dogs and other mammalian pets. What I tell my clients though is they will walk over 50 cats and dogs to get to us. We’re the primary food source so when you find them in a dog’s bed, that’s the least of your problems, and it’s miserable for the poor dog but you’ve got more serious issues going on. You’ve got a massive infestation!”
If you do find bed bugs in your dog’s bed here is what to do:
“Generally, the dryer is your best friend. Depending on the size of the dog bed or if it’s got a zip off cover, just throw it in the dryer for 20 to 30 minutes. You can wash it but it’s the heat that really takes care of it and gets both the adults and the eggs,” says Penny.

Bed Bug sniffing dogs

The increased case of bed bug spotting has led to the use of canine bed bug detection services such as Penny’s Colorado Bed Bug K9 LLC. A dog’s sense of smell is so acute that it can locate a single bed bug with its nose!
Penny has been working as a bed bug inspector since 2008. In his daily detection work, he employs the use of his canine partner, Macaroni to sniff out bed bugs. “I got Macaroni when he was about 10 months old. He’s a rescue shelter dog – a whippet/lab/beagle mix,” explains Penny who jokes that he often refers to Macaroni as a “whable.” When Penny gets a call about a possible bed bug infestation, he grabs Macaroni and heads in to check things out. Penny places Macaroni on a lead and the duo enters a building. Next, Macaroni sniffs out the environment and searches for signs of bed bugs. “When he smells something, he’ll stop and he will stand there and sit down. Then he’ll point with his nose and he’ll freeze. I give him a treat and we play and I tell him how wonderful he is and then we get back to work,” explains Penny

Read more: http://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/dog-health/Can-Your-Dog-Get-Bed-Bugs#ixzz3TWmTUVM3

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