At Northwest K9 Bed Bug Detectives, we get this question all the time. Our answer is “No” for a number of reasons that are best shared by an article on Dog Care expert Cesar Millan’s website, written by Nicole Pajer:
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!”