Articles

Dog Lice

Do you know if your dog has lice? 

Sometimes clean, well-groomed dogs can be a host to many different types of unwanted guests.  One of them is called dog lice.  Dog lice infestation is not common thing with dogs in this country, especially those that live in a clean environment and get proper care and attention. 

However, one should still be aware of symptoms and know how to deal with the problem should this occur.  Dog lice causes severe irritation and illness to your dog.  In addition, dog lice carries disease and complications such as anemia.

What dog lice looks like they are flat, gray, wingless parasites that are about a twelfth of an inch long.  Dog lice are very slow movers.  In fact, they hardly move at all.  Dog lice only affect the dogs in your home and are not capable of surviving off of cats and humans. 

There are 2 types of dog lice that exist:  The 1 type of dog lice concentrates on biting the skin and feeding on skin flakes; the type 2 of dog lice feed on your dog’s blood.  Blood sucking lice causes severe irritation because they penetrate the skin of your dog in order to feed.

What are the signs that your dog is infected with dog lice are heavy, intense scratching, and irritation that often results in bald patches.  Dog lice are usually found on the area around the ears, neck, shoulders, and anus.  Although dog lice are relatively large, you are more likely to spot their eggs in your dog’s hair.  Lice eggs (nits) are easier to see because they are attached to the dog’s hair and look like white tiny flakes of dust.

Treating dog lice is very simple process and easy due to the fact that they have not built up a resistance to insecticides.  Your vet will recommend an insecticide spray or bath to kill them.  It may require you to cut off matted hair and wash your dog about once every week with the insecticide. 

This procedure is then repeated until the itching is gone and there are no more visible lice eggs.  If you have a puppy that is infected with lice, consult your vet first before starting on any kind of pesticide treatment or other type of medication.

To prevent further lice infestation and make sure that all the lice eggs have been completely eliminated, it is a wise idea to throw away all bedding that your dog has lain on during lice infestation and to disinfect the area where he sleeps.