Dog Lice: Identification and Treatment
What is dog lice? How do you identify it? Is it the same type of lice that affect humans? What is the most effective way of getting rid of it?
Dog lice infestation is not common among dogs in United States, especially those that live in a clean environment and get proper care and attention.
However, you should still be aware of their symptoms and know how to deal with the problem should it occur. A well-groomed and clean dog could even invite unwanted visitors such as lice.
Dog lice causes severe irritation and illness to your dog. In addition, dog lice carries disease and complications such as anemia.
Dog lice are flat, gray, wingless parasites that are about a twelfth of an inch long. They are very slow movers. In fact, they hardly move at all. They only affect the dogs in your home and are not capable of surviving off of cats and humans.
There are two types of dog lice that exist:
- Those which concentrates on biting the skin and feeding on skin flakes.
- Those which feed on your dog's blood. Blood sucking lice causes severe irritation because they penetrate the skin of your dog to feed.
Infected dogs do a lot of heavy and intense scratching. The irritation often results in bald patches. Dog lice are usually found on the area around the ears, neck, shoulders, and anus.
Although they 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 lice in dogs is relatively simple and easy due to the fact that they have not built up a resistance to insecticides. Your vet will more likely recommend an insecticide spray or bath to kill them. He 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.
It is important that 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, 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 infestation and to disinfect the area where he sleeps.
Also see the dog health section for more articles on dog health problems, disease, and diagnostic information.