Can Bed Bugs Live on Pets or Transfer Between Animals?
Worried your dog or cat might be carrying bed bugs around the house? You are not alone. As qualified pest specialists, we hear this often from caring owners who are seeing bites and finding small dark spots near pet beds. The good news: bed bugs do not live on pets the way fleas and ticks do. The bad news: they will feed on pets if available and hide nearby in seams, cracks and fabrics, including pet bedding and carriers.
ThermoPest are heat-treatment specialists. We use controlled, professional whole-room heat to eradicate bed bugs in homes and commercial settings. Below we explain what really happens with pets, what you can do safely, and why heat is the most effective route to complete elimination.
What people believe vs reality
- Belief: Bed bugs live in fur and move between animals.
Reality: Bed bugs are nest-based, not host-based. They prefer to hide in furniture, skirting boards and fabrics near where hosts rest. Fur is a poor environment: they lack claws to cling like fleas. - Belief: If my pet has bites, the bugs must be on them.
Reality: Bed bugs feed for minutes, then retreat to crevices. Pets can be bitten, especially on hairless or thinly haired areas (belly, groin, muzzle), but the bugs hide off the animal. - Belief: Pets spread bed bugs to other animals directly.
Reality: Direct animal-to-animal transfer is rare. Hitchhiking happens on items: blankets, carriers, leads, rucksacks and people’s clothing.
Science-backed facts
- Bed bugs are attracted to warmth and CO₂. They feed on mammals, including humans and pets, but spend almost all of their time hidden in nearby harbourages.
- Eggs are glued to rough surfaces; they are not laid on hosts. This is why you find clusters on wood, fabric seams and screw holes, not on pets.
- They can survive months between feeds, so a vacant room or an unused pet bed is still a risk if bugs or eggs are present.
- Lethal temperatures are well understood; see what temperature kills bed bugs to understand why sustained heat, not just brief warmth, is crucial.
Common mistakes that prolong infestations
- Using pet flea/tick products against bed bugs. These are not formulated for bed bugs and will not resolve an infestation.
- Spraying pet bedding with household insecticides. Many are unsafe for animals and can push bed bugs deeper into wall voids, creating difficult-to-reach refuges.
- Over-washing without high-heat drying. Warm washes alone rarely kill eggs; consistent high heat is essential.
- Moving pets (and their bedding) from room to room. This scatters harbourages and creates more sites to treat.
- Relying on spot treatments that create cold spots where eggs and nymphs survive.
Practical, safe steps you can do now
- Isolate and launder: Place pet blankets, soft toys and removable bed covers directly into dissolvable laundry bags or sealed sacks. Wash at 60°C and tumble dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes where fabric allows.
- Vacuum slowly: Focus on pet-bed seams, zips, skirting boards and the edges under furniture. Empty the vacuum outside immediately in a sealed bag.
- Inspect the travel items: Check carriers, car boot liners, pushchairs and rucksacks used around pets. Pay attention to screw heads, stitching and Velcro.
- Contain movement: Keep your pet’s sleeping area consistent until professional treatment. Reducing dispersal simplifies eradication.
- Plan ahead: Read guidance on preparing your home for treatment so nothing shelters eggs or nymphs.
Why heat treatment is the superior solution
Whole-room heat eliminates bed bugs where sprays and DIY often fail. Heat penetrates mattresses, furniture frames, pet beds and hidden voids to kill bugs and eggs in one integrated treatment. Chemical resistance is widespread and eggs are especially resilient to residual sprays. With heat, we target a sustained lethal temperature across the entire space so there are no cold spots for survival.
- Sustained lethal temperature: Our systems raise air and core item temperatures and hold them long enough to destroy all life stages. Learn more about what temperature kills bed bugs.
- Sensors and monitoring: Multiple probes track temperatures in the hardest-to-heat areas (e.g., mattress seams, furniture cores, skirting voids) to confirm even coverage.
- All life stages killed: Adults, nymphs and eggs are eliminated when temperature and exposure time are correct, which is why our our bed bug heat treatment process is designed to leave no refuge.
If you need a definitive, chemical-free approach, see our bed bug heat treatment page for an overview, including timelines and expectations. After treatment, you can monitor your property after treatment using traps and inspections to verify success and guard against re-introduction.
ThermoPest expertise
ThermoPest specialise exclusively in heat-led eradication. We use calibrated heaters, high-flow air movement, and multi-point sensors to achieve even, verifiable kill temperatures without damaging belongings when prepared correctly. Our team advise on pets’ safety on the day, what to remove, and how to reintroduce items afterwards without risk. For landlords, hotels and other businesses, we provide discreet commercial heat treatment for hotels and landlords that minimises downtime and protects reputation.
FAQ’S
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