Bed bug numbers are on the rise around the world. These blood-sucking pests are making an unwanted revival and more and more people are finding them inside their home. Unfortunately, a lack of knowledge regarding bed bugs is helping to spread their numbers.
We all know that these pests feed on human blood. But bed bugs, in the right conditions, can live up to a year without a human host. What do they survive on? In our absence, and in their desperation, will they feed on our furrier friends? Are your pets at risk? In this post, we’re going to look at whether or not bed bugs will bite your pets, and how Truly Nolen can help.
Do Bed Bugs Target Our Pets?
We’ll keep it simple: bed bugs aren’t too interested in your pets. Good news for them, right? Bad news for us, unfortunately. When push comes to shove, bed bugs will very reluctantly feed on your pets but they would have to be very, very hungry to do that. For a start, these insects aren’t very good at making their way through the thick fur on cats and dogs. It’s much easier for them to crawl across human skin without obstacles. Cats and dogs are also much more active during the night, so they’re not quite as easy to feed on as we are.
So What Role Do Your Pets Play?
Even though bed bugs won’t dine out on our pets too often, if we’re not careful they can still play an important role in helping to spread the tiny insects. Bed bugs are master hitchhikers and will take any opportunity to spread throughout your home. They’ll crawl into your luggage, your clothing and even into the thick fur of your pets. When they do, they’ll be able to travel to a new location and hide away during the day, building their new colony.
Does your pet sleep in the same bed as you? If so, a bed bug will be able to crawl on to their skin. Even if your pet sleeps on the floor next to your bed, they’re still at risk. Once your beloved four-legged friend wakes up and works their way around your home, they’ll be helping to spread the pests to just about every room possible. Does your cat or dog spend time on the sofa too? This is another popular hiding spot for bed bugs, even though it isn’t necessarily in their name.
It’s important that you check your pet’s fur regularly. If bed bugs are there, you’ll be able to see small red marks on their stomachs, usually in straight lines. You’ll also be able to see them itching. Popular treatments for fleas and lice like rubber collars will not be effective when it comes to bed bugs. That being said, it’s still extremely rare that the blood-sucking pests will actually bite your pet. They won’t spend too long deep in their fur either, as they’d rather find a new place to hide in the furniture around your home.
Truly Nolen Can Help
Whether or not bed bugs are biting your pet, they’re still a huge problem in your home. If you spot the pests in the fur of your pets or in the lining of your mattress, you need to deal with it quickly. And the quickest way to deal with these insects is by calling Truly Nolen.
We know how to locate bed bugs quickly, no matter where they try to hide in your home. Our technicians will remove them safely and effectively so that both you and your pet can return to getting a good night’s sleep.