If you share your home with pets, it’s important to know what bugs are particularly concerning to your furry friends. Certain pests can bite or latch onto pets, and others can cause your dog or cat to become ill if they are consumed. Watch out for several common bugs in your living space to protect your animal companions.
Ticks
Ticks are always a cause for concern, as they can impact both humans and animals, and their bite can spread various diseases, including Lyme disease. If you spend any time outdoors, particularly in wooded areas, inspect yourself, your family, and your pets for ticks before coming back inside.
If a tick goes unnoticed on your pet, they may experience tick paralysis, which can cause vomiting, paralysis, change in the bark pitch (in dogs), and difficulty breathing. If you do spot a tick on your pet’s body, remove it immediately with tweezers. You can also use a flea and tick medication prescribed by your veterinarian as a prevention method.
Cockroaches
Image via Flickr by patrickkavanagh
No one wants to spot a cockroach in their home, but the presence of these bugs can be especially concerning if you have a pet that sees them as a tasty snack. Cockroaches are known to carry parasites and diseases, so a dog or cat that eats an infected cockroach could get stomach worms or experience other concerning health problems. A cockroach infestation can also threaten the safety of the living space for the human inhabitants, so it’s important to get rid of these gross bugs as quickly as possible.
Basement Bugs
Certain types of bugs thrive in the atmosphere of a basement, which is often characterized by darkness and dampness. In a dark, damp basement, you can find a wide range of bugs, such as centipedes, earwigs, silverfish, termites, and brown recluse spiders. Centipedes can be aggressive toward humans and pets if they feel threatened, as they release venom in their bites. Brown recluse spiders are also very harmful, and their bite can cause fever, lesions, and nausea. If you spot an infestation of basement bugs, make sure to address the problem to avoid additional health and safety concerns.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are worrisome for humans, but they can also impact your pets. If you have an infestation of bed bugs, you may experience red, itchy welts on your skin. Some pet owners mistake bed bug bites for flea bites on their pets, but bed bugs don’t respond to flea treatment.
These bugs are hard to spot, as they tend to stay hidden in the crevices of mattresses and beneath the floorboards of the home. In order to eliminate the bugs, you’ll typically need professional pest treatment in your home, as well as a full cleaning of all your bedding in hot water.
Protect your family members, both furry and human, by watching out for bugs in your living space and dealing with them appropriately to prevent further concerns. Certain bugs are more worrisome than others, but many species can bite, sting, or otherwise bother your pets.
