Pets and Pest Control – Part 3

Unfortunately, just as pest infestations affect us, they can affect our beloved pets as well, and in most cases where pests and pets interact, there are notable health risks to your furry friends. Luckily, with a bit of vigilance, you can either quickly treat, or avoid these concerns altogether.

In this blog, we discuss infestations of BLOODSUCKING PESTS, the various health risks they pose to your furry friends, and ways you can help avoid these pet-pest problems.

Bed Bugs

While these bedtime biters are notorious for occupying our beds and biting us, we aren’t the only ones they target. When very hungry for a meal, bed bugs are more than happy to make a feast of your furry friends as they can feed on any warm-blooded animals. Thankfully, this does not typically happen to our beloved pets for a few reasons including the fact that bed bugs do not like to navigate the difficult ‘terrain’ of fur and the blood of our pets does not match up to the nutritional requirements that are present in human blood. As such, bites on you and your family members are far more likely to occur than bites on your pets. However, this is not to say that you won’t still find bed bugs on or near your pets. In fact, pets can occasionally be a point of transportation for these parasitic pests. Whether they are bringing the bugs into your home from elsewhere, or just transporting them from room to room within your own home, fido or fluffy could be the unsuspecting spreaders of these tricky pests.

Due to their propensity to use pets as a means of transportation, bed bugs can also often be found lurking in and around your pet’s ‘zones.’ So, if you suspect or know you have bed bugs in your home, it is important to check your pet’s bedding, cat trees, etc. Luckily, no diseases have been known to be spread to pets by bed bugs so, while it may be a nuisance to both you and your furry family members, they’re luckily not dangerous.

Mosquitos

As with bed bugs, mosquitos are somewhat indiscriminate biters and are more than happy to bite fluffy, fido, or any other mammals they can access. These blood-drinkers are notorious for transmitting disastrous diseases including Zika virus, Yellow Fever, West Nile virus, and Malaria. Just as they can pass these diseases between humans, mosquitos can infect pets with equally dangerous diseases.

One of the most common ones passed by mosquitos is heartworm. If left untreated, heartworm can be extremely detrimental and even fatal to the health of your beloved pet, so it is important to be aware of the warning signs so that you can seek proper treatment. The parasite typically causes:

• Lethargy
• Coughing or respiratory distress
• Vomiting
• Disorientation
• Loss of consciousness
• Exercise intolerance

Luckily, prevention is rather easy with heartworm medication, making mosquito bites far less threatening to your dog or cat. They may still display frustration, however, because those little biters are still super annoying and itchy for all of us.

Prevention

When it comes to preventing pests in your home, the effects of pesticides on your pets are always a top concern. Pesticides can be extremely detrimental and dangerous for our furry friends. At Green Pest Services, we are more than just aware of this, it is a top concern of ours. Discussing your concerns with our technicians can help you select the best treatments for you and your family. For example, with regards to treating bed bugs, there are two types of treatments: chemical and heat. We prefer heat treatments as these are not only effective, but safe for humans and pets, and environmentally friendly. Call us today for more information on how you can keep your furry friends safe from both pesticides and bloodsucking pests.

Citations

11 Bugs to Watch Out For If You Have Pets (2017) American Pest. Available at: https://www.americanpest.net/blog/post/11-bugs-to-watch-out-for-if-you-have-pets (Accessed: September 2020).

Collins, M. (2012) Bed Bugs and Pets: Answers to Your Questions – PetHelpful – By fellow animal lovers and experts, PetHelpful. Available at: https://pethelpful.com/pet-ownership/Bedbugs-and-Cats (Accessed: March 2, 2021).

Mosquito Bites and Your Dog (no date) Hartz. The Hartz Mountain Corporation. Available at: https://www.hartz.com/mosquito-bites-and-your-dog/ (Accessed: September 2020).