Are dogs a likely source for bed bugs?

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

Wondering if Parker is a likely culprit to bring in bed bugs to the house?(Other than him being a giant bed bug himself) Anyone know about this stuff?

UPDATE: Bug guy came for a second time today...we have been sleeping on the sofa bed for over a week because I knew he had to come back which to me meant they weren't all dead! I was working when he came today so my landlord/cousin came to meet the guy instead and according to her, he said he didn't see any signs of anymore bugs, and sprayed a LITTLE more...I asked for them to spray near my wooden desk since they like wood and it isn't far from the bedroom (I don't think he did spray by the desk which makes me kind of mad!) and then my cousin says that the guy said we might see a couple stragglers as they die and come out of hiding...

I come home thinking we were going to sleep in the real bed tonight, so I washed the new sheets and got everything on the bed and as I am doing this, I see 2 bugs crawling up the wall! I kill them and look around and find 3 more! SHOOT ME! I changed my mind about the bed...still out on the sofa bed...I read that bedbugs cause mental problems and insomnia...I can UNDERSTAND why...I feel like I have those mental problems myself now because of them! I want to move!

As you can see...Parker has no issues with the sofa bed...my back on the other hand feels otherwise!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Gonna' buy that before the next trip.  So glad there is a repellent product.

[Libby D.]

The bad news is they have just as big of a problem with bed bugs in high end hotels as they do in low end! There is a Bed Bug Registry website where you can find out if a hotel has been reported as having a problem...http://bedbugregistry.com/

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

Yah I heard the Waldorf Astoria or something fancy had bed bugs...cuz it isn't really about being "clean" because they are immune most basic cleaners and stuff...professional pesticides and high heat are what kill them. And they can live like a year without food until they find a host...gives me shivers just thinking about it! Seeing those things and knowing they had been crawling on me while I was sleeping! They aren't SMALL either!

[F, Calla & Luca]

They freeze them too.

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

btw...bed bug registry=scary! There's places right down the street from us that have been reported to have the..one of which our neighbor goes to EVERY DAY!

[GBK]

We have a bed bug expert here in our college that goes around and speaks at difference conferences.  Don't even bring the luggage in the house.  The way to keep your luggage free from bed bugs is to wrap it in garbage bags and leave it in your hot car for a few days.  If there are bugs they will die this way.  Also was told to keep your luggage in the bathrooms of the hotel or up off of the floor.  They not only live in your beds, but in the walls of the house.  Look for black dirt like specks near your plug outlets and light switches, the bugs are very flat and can fit anywhere.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Even just black plastic bags in the sun will do but some of us live where the winter is usually not so warm.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Also, some offices in the city have had bedbugs. Right now I've discovered a few stink bugs --ugh. Sounds like they'll be hard to get rid of too.

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

I would take a stink bug right now over these horrors! I want one of those sterilization rooms that hospitals have! Hopefully the bug guy tomorrow can "fix" the issue...but I believe my whole building needs to be sprayed because if we have them, we are probably not the only ones and there is a whole basement full of storage units with god knows what in them, right below us!

[Libby D.]

From my own experience (making me itch just remembering it).... If you suspect you have bed bugs, call a pest control company! Don't try to treat it on your own.

We had bed bugs & I was terribly allergic, so we were able to catch them early on. We did have to have our house treated & retreated a few times before they were gone.

The bites (if you are allergic) usually show up in lines (you can google bed bug bites to see examples). Some people are not allergic at all (like my DH), so even though they have bites, they won't know. A good indicator is to look for blood spots on your sheets.

Now I really am itchy!

[Libby D.]

Never mind! Just saw your other comment that said you have a pest company coming! They'll tell you exactly what to do & what not to do.

Even though it makes you feel icky (& itchy!), it will be okay! Just follow their instructions ;-)

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

Yah...they couldn't come till 2 tomorrow and that just isn't soon enough for me! Did the people you had come use pesticides? They told me to buy one of those bed bug mattress covers (i also got one for the box spring as well) and said once they treat everything, put the cover on and then if there's anything else in the mattress they will die because they can't get out from the cover. We haven't really had bites that were visible (i guess we aren't allergic cuz like you said, they show up when you're allergic to them...but we did see the blood spots on our sheets (which are now in the garbage across the parking lot from us! Too skeeved to ever use those sheets again!