9/14/2011 Bedbugs Invade Cleveland Nursing Home: ManorCare Nursing & Rehab In Euclid Beach Fighting Off Critters

Experts called bed bugs an epidemic in Northeast Ohio, and one place that was affected was a local assisted living facility on Cleveland’s east side.

“They told me they were looking for bed bugs,” said tenant Edward Jones.

Jones lives in the ManorCare Nursing and Rehab, Euclid Beach facility along with 140 other people. Staff members changing sheets first noticed the tiny blood suckers a few weeks ago and called in a dog trained to sniff them out.

“He looked around in my room and took off,” said Jones.

Five rooms had the bugs and were treated, but that didn’t get rid of them.

“It’s a really hard thing to get out of the way,” said Alonzo Winston, whose wife lives inside. “You’ve got people coming in here all of the time. If you had one group of people that stayed here for the year, you probably wouldn’t have bed bugs.”

Exterminators didn’t find any bugs in his wife’s room. But on their second sweep through the building two weeks ago, they found bugs in three additional rooms and had to treat them too.

On a third visit from the exterminator last week, the building was clean.

“There’s only so much you can do,” said Winston. “That’s all I can say. I think they’re doing the best they can.”

In a statement, ManorCare executives said they “followed the company’s infection control plan that includes precautionary measures with follow up inspections and ongoing employee education.”

ManorCare workers told NewsChannel5 no one was bitten but they plan to evaluate a routine bed bug check in the future.

8/14/2011 Bedbugs Make Pet Sick At Arizona Hotel: Holiday Inn Fountain Hills Guest Claims Cat Was Bitten

A Glendale woman is warning travelers to be extra cautious when bringing pets to a hotel after her cat got a costly infection she believes was caused by bedbugs.

The woman, who asked to be identified only as Elena, says she checked into a Holiday Inn in Fountain Hills back in July. Her air conditioner at home was broken, she said, and she brought her two cats with her.

After staying in the hotel room, Elena says she started itching. She showed ABC15 pictures of her neck covered in red bumps. She also showed us a photo of a tiny bug on a pillow.

After checking out, Elena says she got a checkup. According to medical documents she provided us, a doctor at North Valley Family Medicine examined her three days later and determined she had bedbug bites.

Elena says her cat was in worse condition.

“I noticed she was starting to pull her hair and itching,” Elena said. “I said let’s see in a couple of weeks if it gets any better. Within that time, it had gotten much worse. There were bald spots throughout the cat’s body and (pus).”

Elena took her cat to Apollo North Animal Hospital in Glendale. Dr. Patricia Bennett treated the cat. Bennett tells me the cat had “damage due to scratching an itch.” Bennett said there were “scabs, bumps, and lesions” from “head to toe.”

Bennett says she cannot prove this was caused by a bedbug but it is possible. Bennett also said she had examined the cat before and it did not have a pre-existing skin condition.

Should owners be concerned? Dr. Raegan Wells, with Emergency Animal Clinic in Gilbert, who was not involved in this case, says it is unlikely a bedbug caused the cat’s reaction.

“I’m not willing to say that it is impossible for a dog or cat to be bitten by a bedbug but it’s a very unlikely problem that a dog or cat would be bitten by a bedbug,” Wells said. “It’s a problem in the environment and bedbugs prefer humans as the host.”

Wells said she has seen clients who thought their pet had been bitten by bed bugs but, in each case, it turned out to be something else. According to Wells, she has not seen an actual case of a bedbug biting a house pet.

We contacted Holiday Inn for comment. Michael Lvov, a manager, told me over the phone, that the hotel did not have bedbugs. Lvov said they hired an external company to inspect several hotel rooms after Elena’s complaint. He provided documents showing that there was no evidence of bedbugs.

According to Johnny Diloné, Media and Community Relations Manager with the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department, MCES also did an inspection August 2. The inspector found no evidence to support the allegations made in the complaint, Diloné said.

MCES says there are no records of any insect, pest, or rodent violations at the hotel based on a record search from 2005 to present day.

After hundreds of dollars in vet bills and weeks of treatment, Elena has her own opinion. She advises other pet owners not to travel with their dogs or cats.

“Just put them in a kennel or take them to the vet,” she said.

If you do travel with pets, here’s some advice:

• Treat them for fleas and ticks ahead of time. Wells says this is a more common threat to pets.
•  Research the hotel. Wells says bedbugs are an environmental problem.
• Also, give your pets extra attention. Travel may cause anxiety in animals.

 Continue Reading More/Watch Video: Bedbugs Make Pet Sick At Arizona Hotel

6/29/2011 Pets & Bedbugs: What To Watch Out For

No one enjoys a good cat (or dog) nap more than your precious pet, but these days, it’s harder than ever to dream of chasing rabbits without worries. With record numbers of people reporting serious cases of bed bugs throughout the country (If they made it into the Plaza, then they could be anywhere), pets are often forced to suffer in silence.

Furthermore, bed bugs are most common during the months of July, August and September, making education and preparation of premium importance. Given that they never take off their furry coats, and spend their days and nights lounging around on beds, couches and piles of laundry, they are most susceptible to getting bed bug bites. And unlike us, those tell-tale bed-bug-bumps aren’t always easy to spot under Spot’s coat.

But our pets are not sitting idle in the war against bedbugs. In fact, the beagle breed has stepped up to show the pesky parasites that they may run, but they can’t hide! A beagle’s sense of smell is king among the canine world’s olfactory arsenal as beagles are often able to sniff out a bed bug colony long before it leaves any visible evidence. Now, many hotels are! The beagles are crucial in the process because they are able to sniff out the eggs before the problem enlisting beagles to do sweeps of their rooms so as to catch any potential infestation before it spreads to an unmanageable degree. Thus these usually playful pooches are saying thanks for the puppy love by saving homeowners and businesses the expense of a full-scale invasion by cutting the bed bugs off at the source.

With all this talk of bugs in beds, we know that the clean freaks in the kennel are probably ready to jump off the pet parent bandwagon, but never fear, because pets cannot carry bed bugs. What they can do, however, is experience the same irritation of bed bug bites as their human counterparts. So, be sensitive to your pets unique needs, and make sure to use pet- friendly pesticides in your home if you need a visit from the exterminator.

To catch these critters before they can wreak havoc on your home consider investing in a Night Watch Bed Bug Monitoring System. It sits in your bed with you and replicates the temperature and conditions of human skin luring potential parasites into its traps and away from your sensitive skin! It’s patented technology is precise enough to catch a colony before it turns into a full blown infestation, saving you the costly and uncomfortable hassle of performing a full extermination.

And if the mere mentions of creepy crawlies make your stomach turn, there are other precautions that you can take to guard yourself and your loved ones against such hungry little pests. One company, Smartsilk, is looking out for all pets (and parents) that just want to nap in peace. Smartsilk is an all-natural bedding company, and is the only brand to be certified asthma and allergy friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The company has a new line of bed linens for both pets and owners that make it impossible for bed bugs and other allergens to penetrate. The sheets also absorb the humidity and heat that bed bugs need to survive, and are resistant to mold and mildew growth, as well.

Of course, bed bugs are not only a menace in the home. Whether sending your young man or woman off to college or taking a family vacation the Bed Bug College Kit has all the basics covered for bed bug prevention. Featuring sheets, pillowcases, and insect interceptors this package is the perfect quick fix to nix your bed bug fear.

And if your sheets are already crawling with these meddlesome menaces try Stop Bugging Me Bed Bug Spray This safe and simple treatment kills bed bugs on contact and can save you a ton of time and trouble if you catch the pests early enough.

If you’re looking to take a more aggressive route, look no further than Packtite. Just place your clothes, luggage, plush toys, bedding, or even your shoes inside the Packtite, insert the thermometer, plug it in, set the timer, sit back and relax as the little suckers burn! The large chamber and varied settings make this product perfect you’re your extermination needs.

If you’re looking to avoid bed bugs it may be helpful to remember the real estate mantra, “location, location, location!” If you’re looking to live in one of the five boroughs of New York, you may be surprised to learn that Staten Island is almost completely bed-bug-free while Brooklyn bashfully boasts the highest number and percentage of bed bug infestations. Manhattan and The Bronx tie in terms of number, but those 74,000 reported cases of bedbugs makes up 8.1 percent of The Bronx’s population as compared to 5.8 perent of Manhattan’s. Reports of bed bugs are up a whopping 80 percent since 2000 making vigilance paramount on this issue.

So bring your beagle, make your bed, and keep the bugs at bay the Wendy and Lucky diamond way! Check www.bedbugcentral.com for the most up to date info on how to find, eliminate, and repel all unwanted buggies from your bed.

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4/16/2011 Beware Of Bedbug Exterminator Scams: Warnings From Around The Country Of Consumers Getting Duped

Bed bugs are a national obsession, and with good reason. Their population has jumped by 500 percent in the United States in just the last few years, and many of us would try just about anything to get rid of them.

“Early Show” Consumer Correspondent Susan Koeppen has learned firsthand just how annoying bed bugs can be. She got them.

Koeppen said, “One thing I’ve learned – getting rid of bed bugs can cost you big bucks. Bed bugs are becoming big business. But now, even some in the pest control industry are warning you may get ripped off trying to get rid of bed bugs.”

Just six months ago, Koeppen attended a bed bug summit in Chicago where she asked this important question: “I’m in hotels every week. What are the chances I’m bringing them home?”

Phil Cooper, of Bed Bug Central, a website devoted to bed bug information, replied, “You will be bringing them home.”

Sure enough, after a recent ski trip in Utah, bed bugs hitched a ride home in her ski bag.

After suffering bites and hiring a bed bug-sniffing dog to find the little suckers, Koeppen had to pack up her closets, launder and dry-clean everything, so the exterminators could go to work.

Because she’s done so many stories about bed bugs, Koeppen knew how to find a reputable company to do the job. But warnings about bed bug scams are popping up across the country, and it’s no wonder. Revenues from bed bug extermination are exploding, from $98 million in 2006 to $319 million in 2010.

When Shantel Woon-Sue got bed bugs, she says she got scammed.

She paid an exterminator $1,500, but despite taking her money, he never got rid of the bedbugs.

Woon-Sue said, “I do feel cheated. The company came out, and I thought it was taken care of, but in actuality, it wasn’t.”

And she’s not the only one feeling scammed. In a hidden camera investigation, the CBS News station in Los Angeles found one man trying to charge $350 to get rid of bed bugs. Another also wanted money after finding the pests. But there was just one problem: the house had already been inspected and found to be bed bug-free.

So what should you look for if you want your house inspected for bed bugs?

John Russell is a bed bug specialist. His company has done more than 50,000 bed bug inspections.

He says bed bug sniffing dogs are up to 98 percent accurate.

He says a visual inspection alone is not nearly as effective.

Russell said, “A proper visual inspection can take … an hour. You know really looking into every dresser drawer, flipping the dressers, looking into everything it can take a long time.”

The National Pest Management Association says consumers need to be careful when hiring a company to handle bed bugs.

Missy Henriksen, of the National Pest Management Association, said, “During the bed bug scare, consumers need to understand that there is good news. There are trained professionals throughout the country who know how to deal with bed bugs properly.”

As for Woon-Sue, she finally got rid of her bedbugs after hiring a bed bug sniffing dog and spending hundreds of dollars more than she expected.

Woon-Sue said, “I was extremely disappointed because it really does interfere with your entire life.”

Koeppen added, “It’s a lot of work to get rid of bed bugs, so it’s very important to hire someone that knows how to handle them.”

She advised consumers look for someone who is licensed. And if you are hiring a bed bug sniffing dog, find out if he is certified and how long he has been working with his handler.

Koeppen said her bed bugs are now gone by all indications. but added the bugs do a number on your mind.

“So far, so good. No more bites,” she said. “But it does a number on your brain. Every little piece of fuzz I see on the bed, ‘Oh, it’s a bed bug.’ Every little itch. ‘Oh, my God it’s a bed bug!’ But so far so good.”

Koeppen added, “We were in a beautiful place (when we picked up the bugs). A place I would go back to because it was so nice. And I stay in hotels every single week. I’m in a hotel today. I could bring home bed bugs tonight. You never know.”

To protect yourself at home, Koeppen recommended these products:

Protect-A-Bed: $50 to $90, depending on the size of your bed.

These wrap around your mattress, your box spring, to keep the bugs either in or keep them out from nesting in your mattress.

Continue Reading More/Watch Video: Beware Of Bedbug Exterminator Scams

3/9/2011 Bedbug Victim At Bedbug Convention Confronts Bedbug Infestation: Evaluates Latest Bedbug Fighting Products

In 2008, my Brooklyn apartment got bedbugs. After two failed extermination attempts, I went insane and moved out after throwing away everything I owned except for a laptop, an iPod and two garbage bags of clothes that had been washed in antiseptic. I wrote about it for ShelterPop, and it was clear from the story that the bedbugs had left me on edge and generally not “OK”. More recently, ShelterPop asked if I would cover the National Bed Bug Prevention Media Showcase — yes, this is a real event — and I agreed. That was a poor choice.

I walked into a storefront in Soho and found five tables set up in a wide open room, every inch of which was painted bright white. Reps from various pesticide companies were on hand to present the latest in bedbug prevention technology.

I first met Steve Bessette, President of EcoSMART Technologies, the company sponsoring the bedbug showcase, and entomologist Dr. Gretchen Paluch. They proudly presented EcoSMART’s bedbug spray as a natural solution made almost entirely from essential oils extracted from plants like rosemary and thyme. In fact, they have a pesticide exemption from the EPA as there is nothing toxic to humans in any of their products. To stress the point, they had the plants displayed on their table.

Dr. Paluch explained that the oils attack the bedbugs’ central nervous system and are powerful enough to kill the bugs on contact. While being completely harmless to humans, applying the spray to a mattress can repel bedbugs for up to eight hours at a time. That seemed all well and good, but as someone who’s had bedbugs before and had great difficulty killing them, I would have much preferred if their table looked like this:

When I had bedbugs, I wanted them dead at any cost. Safety for myself and those around me became a very distant second priority; I wanted something that could kill me, but diluted down to a bedbug-killing level. So while the botanical spray from EcoSMART seemed like an effective way to keep bedbugs away from me when I stayed in a hotel, it wasn’t a weaponized solution for an infestation in your home. As I left the table, Dr. Paluch offered me a dead bedbug entombed in plastic. It now resides in my freezer.

At another table was a product made by a company called BugZip. They make plastic bags that you can put your luggage in while on vacation so that bugs from a hotel infestation can’t hitch a ride on your suitcase and follow you home. Smart.

Then I met Genma Holmes, or “The Bug Lady,” a former model and now head of a pest control company in Atlanta. Terrible nickname, awesome lady. She had set up a number of diagrams showing some of the most common bed bug hiding places: Behind bed boards, under the seam of a mattress, in your FREAKING ALARM CLOCK. Also, the alarm clocks pictured in the diagrams were all cleverly displaying times such as 1:00 and the infamous 2:25 A.M. moments at which one is likely to wake up scratching themselves. The Bug Lady and I had a good laugh about that, and we’re now Facebook friends.

At the last table were two brothers, Daniel and Scott White. Like the others at the show case, they had bedbug prevention products like a ClimbUp Insect Interceptor and a bed bug proof mattress cover. But, unlike the others, these guys had actual experience in extermination, and Scott had even been through an infestation himself.

Excited to finally be talking to people with an actual bedbug eradication background, I launched into questions about other rumored bedbug exterminating tactics. They had answers.

“What’s the deal with bedbug sniffing dogs?” Apparently, the dogs can be effective in locating bedbugs, but they’re only as good as their trainer.

“How about the freezing option?” Freezing bedbugs can also work, he said, but it only kills on contact; if you miss a spot where bedbugs are hiding, they will remain there. “And heat?” Heat can be a good option too, but it’s expensive. A treatment where they heat your whole apartment in order to kill the bedbugs can cost up to 50 percent more than a regular extermination. “And is it appropriate to freak out when you get bedbugs, throw away all your belongings and stay crazy for the next three years?” Maybe not so much.

I left the showcase with mixed feelings. It’s encouraging to see that there are people working to fix the ever-expanding bedbug population. But here’s the scary truth: If I ever got bedbugs again, there is not one singular and surefire way to get rid of them. The consensus of all the experts at the showcase seemed to be that bedbugs aren’t going anywhere any time soon, and until there is a better solution, containment is about the best we can hope for. In other words: Take a deep breath. Bedbugs just might kill us all.

Continue Reading More & To Watch Video: Bedbug Victim At Bedbug Convention Confronts Bedbug Infestation

2/14/2011 Seven Bedbug Mistakes: Common Reactions That Make An Awful Problem Worse

What’s the first thing people do when they think they have bed bugs? They panic. A natural reaction, considering they’ve been the nighttime dish on a blood-sucking buffet. “The moment you discover bed bugs in your home, it is normal to feel violated, disgusted, and a sense of urgency to get rid of everything you own and get out of your house,” says Jeff Klein, owner of A3 Superior Pest Control in Milford, who’s seen his bed bug clients in the Philadelphia area nearly double in the last six months. “Unfortunately, these steps only worsen the infestation and prolong the length of the bed bug treatment process.”

Here, the common mistakes people make when they discover their home has been infiltrated by the bedtime beasts—and why it only makes the shudder-inducing problem worse.

Mistake No. 1: They stop sleeping in the bug-infested bed. “As difficult as it is, it’s imperative that you continue sleeping in your bed once you discover bed bugs,” says Klein. “Many victims decide to begin sleeping on the couch, and this is not a solution. Bed bugs are fast movers, and can travel up to 30 feet in six minutes. Bed bugs are also attracted to the carbon dioxide that we emit when we exhale—and will come to you wherever you are sleeping.” Which means sleeping on your couch will do nothing but spread the infestation to your couch.  “Confined bed bug infestations are the easiest to treat—do not worsen the problem,” stresses Klein.

Mistake No. 2: They don’t buy mattress covers. “If you are infested with bed bugs, most likely the infestation is based in your mattress and box spring,” says Klein, noting that it may take up to three days for a pest control professional to come to your home. In the meantime, purchase bed bug covers for both your mattress and box spring. “This will not end your infestation,” says Klein. “However, this will prevent live bed bugs from coming out, prevent other bed bugs from getting in and significantly reduce the amount of bed bugs that are free to feed on you during the night.”

While Klein regularly recommends Protect-a-Bed mattress covers to clients, there are lower-priced options available at stores like Target. “The most important thing to remember when using other brands is that it’s imperative to make sure the zippers are sealed,” says Klein. “Cover the zipper with masking tape to make sure bugs cannot get in or out. A bed bug can get through any opening where that a single sheet of paper can fit.”

Mistake No. 3: They sleep at a friend’s or relative’s house. “You do not want to be the one to give bed bugs to someone you care about,” says Klein. “Take comfort in knowing that bed bugs do not spread disease, and that thousands of others have successfully eradicated the same problem.”

Mistake No. 4: They hide it from their landlord. “It is crucial that you notify your landlord immediately once you discover bed bugs,” says Klein. “Because it is difficult to track the source of bed bugs, they may have come into your apartment from a neighbor. In this case, surrounding units—or the entire building—may need to be treated. “ Also, depending on your lease agreement, your landlord may handle the cost of bed bug treatment.

Mistake No. 5: They try to treat the problem themselves. While professional treatments aren’t cheap—A3 charges $1-$3 per square foot—it’s the best way eradict the problem. Do-it-yourself treatments tend to spreads bed bugs within the home and, if you live in an apartment building, among neighbors. “Chemicals like sprays and bombs that can be purchased in hardware stores are not strong enough to kill bed bugs, but bed bugs are averse to the chemicals and will scatter into other areas of your home or through the walls to your neighbors,”  warns Klein. When choosing an exterminator, make sure to ask for references from customers and that the company will guarantee its work. “Typically, a guarantee is for 30 or 60 days following treatment,” says Klein. “If they do not offer a guarantee, go elsewhere.”

Mistake No. 6: They don’t insist on an inspection. “When the pest control operator arrives, he or she should ask questions about what you have seen and the symptoms you’ve experienced,” says Klein. “They should also do an inspection of your home, especially in the bedroom. If they do not inspect the bedroom before they begin discussing treatment options, go elsewhere. Honest professionals will want to make sure you truly have bed bugs before they begin treatment.”

Mistake No. 7: They don’t ask for a K9. “Due to their exceptional sense of smell, dogs are 95-percent more accurate in detecting bed bugs than trained technicians,” says Klein, who currently uses two K9s that have been certified with the National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association (NESDCA). “It’s important to make sure bed bug dogs are NESDCA-certified,” says Klein. “These dogs follow a code of ethics, are re-certified annually, and are trained only to find live insects and their eggs.”

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11/22/10 NYC To Purchase BedBug Sniffing Dogs: City Is Looking For 2 Male Trained Dogs To Sniff Out Bedbugs And Their Eggs

Now hiring: two city inspectors capable of smelling bedbugs. Must walk on four legs.

New York City is moving forward with a plan to purchase bedbug-sniffing dogs for the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. According to a request for information issued Monday, the city is looking for two male dogs trained to sniff out live bedbugs and their eggs.

Most of the funding for the dogs will come from the departments existing enforcement budget, according to an HPD spokesman. The dogs will be deployed citywide and “used to compliment and enhance our existing code enforcement activities,” the spokesman explained.

The city is looking to train up to six dog handlers as part of the initiative. The dogs will be certified by either the National Entomology Scent Detection Association or a similar group.

As The Journal reported in August, there are two major companies that dominate the market for bedbug-sniffing dogs in the U.S., and each one is affiliated with a different certification organization. A trained bedbug-sniffing dog costs about $10,000. Most of the dogs come from rescue shelters.

Pepe Peruyero, the owner of J&K Canine Academy in High Springs, Fla., has about 65 dogs working in the New York metropolitan area. His dog-training company is now affiliated with New York outfit called Bed Bug Super Dogs. Bill Whitstine owns Florida Canine Academy in Safety Harbor, Peruyero’s major rival. Each company is tied to a different certification regime.

Training and certification of bedbug-sniffing dogs has become a hot-button issue within the industry. The National Pest Management Association hopes to release official training protocols for bedbug-sniffing dogs next year.

Jim Skinner, president of NESDCA, said that he has not been contacted by the city. He emphasized that proper training and a strong relationship between handler and dog are essential for successful bedbug detection. If the city is only looking for trained dogs without qualified handlers, Skinner warned that government officials are “going down the wrong road.”

“It’s not about purchasing a canine, it’s about the training that you continue to do on a regular basis. It’s not just, ‘Hey, I got a dog that sniffs out bedbugs’ and you just give them to anybody,” Skinner said. “It’s how that person works with the canine and the relationship they have as a team.”

Continue Reading More: NYC To Purchase BedBug Sniffing Dogs

10/15/10 The 20th Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade

Bed bugs were crawling around Tompkins Square Dog Run today for the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade presented by PeoplePets.com and Unleashed Spa.  The bed bugs were FiFi GiGi and Meteor sitting in a Daniel Moyer Design custom bed fit for a doggy king or queen.  Hundreds of dogs brought their owners to the Tompkins dog run to try to win one of dozens of prizes.

Lady Gaga won a prize.  So did Breakfast at Tiffany’s.  Roberto Negrin’s Hec-Lin’s Designs for Dogs custom outfits were popular, including Cubby and Ginger in his winter and spring park outfits.  The dynamic terrier duo won cheekd dating cards.  A cute pup channeling Scarlett O’Hara and “Woof in the Wind” took top prize.

Anything goes at the biggest New York City doggy Halloween parade.  And with perfect autumn weather on a Saturday afternoon, the park was packed.  Bandit the Chihuahua donned a cool futuristic Transformers suit. Tuffy the Mohawk Dog was a jailbird.  We saw show girls, sundaes, sharks, and everything in between.  It was a true feast for the eyes!

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Spurred by his trainer’s whispered command to “Seek, seek,” Buggsy snuffled his way along three suitcases searching for the culprit.

When his nose found what it was looking for, the 2.5-year-old Beagle mix sat down and looked expectantly at trainer and owner Eric Taylor.

“Show me,” Taylor said. Buggsy sniffed some more and pawed the pocket where a vial containing the triggering scent was contained.

What did Buggsy smell? Bedbugs — the ancient pest that is coming back with a vengeance and giving people worldwide a collective case of the willies.

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