Bed Bugs Can Hitchhike On Pets

Matt Unrein • April 16, 2025

Bed bugs Can hide on pets to get into homes

Bed bugs are hitchhiking insects that feed on blood and can hide in multiple tight spots to find a new feeding ground. Bed bugs will find a tight and dark hiding spot and can then hitch a ride to a new location. Once they arrive they will find a place to hide and hoists they can feed on. They can hide in furniture, clothes, and even pets.

Bed bugs can hide in the coats and hair of pets as a method of travel to get access to a new building like a home filled with plenty of new warm bodies it can feed on. All it takes is a single bed bug to create an infestation. A single female bed bug can lay five eggs per day and those eggs will hatch and start to feed within two weeks. 

But there Is some good news

Bed bugs do not cause any illnesses to people or animals, they just cause itchiness from their bites and they are difficult to remove. So if you think bed bugs are biting your cat or dog, the vet should be able to prescribe something to help make your pets more comfortable. If you start to notice red spots on your pets then you can use this as an opportunity to stop the bed bug infestation before it gets worse.


These are the signs of bed bugs

Bed bug bites look similar to mosquito or flea bites but they appear in a pattern. Bed bug bites occur singly in clumps or in a line. Bed bugs are nocturnal feeders that hide in the cracks in furniture, beds, and walls. They hide during the day and crawl out to feed on blood during the night.

Bed bugs feed, then shed their skin (molting). Molted skin will be similar in size to the bed bugs and they can located in the following locations:

  • Along mattress seams
  • Behind headboards
  • In the ceiling and wall junctions
  • Along baseboards 
  • Your personal belongings

This document by Virginia Tech has more information about the signs of bed bugs.

SOS can save or home with no harm to your pets

Thermal technology is the only safe and sure way to remove bed bugs without damage to your furniture or home. This treatment poses no toxic threat to pets or humans. Heat treatment gets into every wall and cracks in your home or apartment. This method will maximize the results of removing bed bugs from a property. 


Adult bed bugs can be killed at 119 degrees Fahrenheit, but their heat-resistant eggs require temperatures upwards of 125 degrees. SOS Pest Control will seal a room and then cook the pests at these temperatures to kill them. This method of treatment will not damage property or the home.


If you see any of these signs for bed bugs then please give us a call immediately. SOS Pest Control does free inspections

Call us at 816-237-5342 and we can schedule a inspections for those in our service area.

Hotels Face Growing Bed Bug Risks Amid Peak Travel Season

By Carley Norton • July 18, 2025
Even the cleanest hotels are vulnerable to bed bugs—especially during the summer rush of travelers crisscrossing the country. With suitcases coming and going, and guests checking in and out in rapid cycles, these pests are finding new homes in hotels both budget and luxury. According to a recent USA Today article titled “Any hotel can have bed bugs. How travelers can avoid bringing them home,” experts emphasize that bed bugs aren’t tied to cleanliness but to human activity. “Bed bugs aren’t a reflection of cleanliness—they’re a reality of travel,” the article states. Bed bugs travel by hitching rides on luggage, clothing, or personal items. Once inside a hotel room, they can hide in mattress seams, behind headboards, or in upholstered furniture—waiting for their next host. This makes high-traffic hotels especially susceptible. The surge in summer travel has brought renewed attention to the risk of infestations. With the influx of summer travelers in full swing, bed bugs are hitching rides on luggage, clothing, and personal items, moving from guest to guest and room to room. For hotel operators, this means proactive action is more important than ever. Hotels should implement early detection protocols, such as routine inspections and discreet monitoring tools. Rapid-response treatment options that don’t disrupt guests are critical. SOS Pest Control's approach includes same-day heat treatments that are non-toxic and discreet, conducted with unmarked vehicles to avoid alarming guests. Because your guests should leave with memories, not bed bugs. According to the USA Today report, travelers can protect themselves by: Placing suitcases on luggage racks instead of beds or carpets Inspecting the bed, headboard, and surrounding furniture for small reddish-brown bugs or black dots (droppings) Washing and drying clothes on high heat after travel Even if hotels take all the right steps, prevention is a shared responsibility between guests and management. “Wherever there are people, there’s potential for bed bugs,” said Dr. Brittany Campbell, entomologist with the National Pest Management Association, in the USA Today article. SOS Pest Control warns that bed bugs can follow guests home and remain hidden for long periods. We recommend travelers inspect luggage before reentering their homes and seek professional help at the first sign of an infestation. If you’re a hotel manager in the Kansas City area, you can contact SOS Pest Control at www.soskc.com or call 816-237-5342. Article link: USA TODAY
image of Las Vegas at night with lights on

Bed Bugs Back In Las Vegas

By Matt Unrein • June 25, 2025
New lawsuits against two Las Vegas Hotels and Casino about guests getting bitten by bed bugs have been made known to the public.
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