Will bed bugs bite dogs?

If you have a pet at home, it’s important that you take care of them as well as yourself. So, when it comes to dogs, can bed bugs bite them? The short is – yes!  Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects that use a host for a blood meal, when their host is sleeping or at rest for both humans and animals. Bed bugs prefer to use humans for a blood meal, but what about dogs? It is in fact possible for dogs to be a target for bed bugs to bite, but it is less common for them to use a dog than a human for a meal. 

It’s not just dogs though, bed bugs can feed on a range of animals or pets, such as cats, rodents, and birds. But don’t worry, bed bugs don’t transmit diseases to humans or animals, so if your dog has some bed bug bites it most likely isn’t dangerous. But to be safe, you can take your dog to the vet if you want to get your dog some medical attention or advice. 

Signs of bed bug bites on dogs

You may be unsure if your dog has been bitten by bed bugs, as bite marks on dogs could have come from any other insect such as a flea or mosquito.

So first thing you can do, is to check your dog’s bedding for bed bugs. Assure that the folds and seams are thoroughly checked, as well as the surrounding area. Check other rooms in your home for infestation. If you are aware of your house being infected with bed bugs, then your dog would have been bitten if:

• Your dog has small red bumps or spots on their body, such as belly or limbs
• Your dog has a rash and is itchy 
• Your dog is irritated and is licking, scratching, biting more
• Your dog’s bedding has dark spots – either from crushes bed bugs, bed bugs dried excrement or your dogs dried blood
• Your dog’s bedding has shed skins that are translucent and small. So hard to spot
• White or pear-white eggshells on dog bedding