Do Bed Bugs Affect Dogs and Cats?
WouterIf you’ve ever woken up to find bedbug bites on your dog, you may be wondering if your cat is also at risk of contracting the disease. This is a question that has no easy answer, but there are some things that you can do to help protect your pet. Bedbug bites are itchy and can lead to open scratch wounds that can get infected with bacteria. If you suspect that your cat has bitten a bedbug, you should contact a veterinarian to confirm the problem.
Bedbugs can be hard to detect at first, but they leave red welts that can cause a lot of itching. These bites are usually found on your pet’s abdomen or limbs. Your pet may scratch and itch excessively, and you may even notice a small amount of feces or shed exoskeletons. In severe cases, your pet may also have patchy hair loss or even a severe allergic reaction.
You can get rid of bedbugs by washing pet bedding regularly in hot water and drying it on high heat. Also, avoid transporting bedding from room to room. You should also wash and dry all bedding, rugs, and carpets thoroughly in hot water. If you don’t want to spend the time to wash your pet’s bedding, use a steam cleaner.
While dogs are more likely to acquire bedbug bites than cats, they are unlikely to kill your pet. The bites, however, will not help your pet if they are anemic. This is why it’s important to treat your pet as soon as you notice signs of infestation.
