29/11/2023
There has been some lice action around town, dont forget when you are snuggling and brushing your pet daily, that you are also looking at their skin. Brushing down to the skin daily!!?
Some information I've found off the AKC and Merck Veterinary Manual website about Dog Lice:
What Are Dog Lice?
Dog lice are small, flat, wingless, six-legged insects that live in the hair and feathers of mammals and birds. Strong hook-like claws at the end of each leg allow them to hang onto the animal’s hair shafts. The claws are tailored to the specific size of the host’s hair shaft or feathers, which is why lice are species-specific. They survive on skin debris, sebaceous secretions, feathers, or the blood of the host animal.
There are two types of lice:
• Chewing lice survive by eating skin debris.
• Sucking lice need blood to survive.
A louse infestation can cause itching, pain, inflammation, and hair loss. It can also lead to more serious health issues, so it’s important to learn how to recognize and quickly eradicate lice if your pet is unlucky enough to pick them up.
What Are the Signs of Dog Lice?
You can see the parasite itself by parting the dog’s hair and examining the hair shaft. Adult lice are large enough to be visible to the naked eye, roughly the size of a sesame seed — about 2-to-4 millimeters — and are yellow to tan or medium brown in color. They are distinguishable from fleas, which are very dark, almost black looking.
Chewing lice will move around more than the sucking lice, which, like ticks, embed their piercing mouthparts into the skin. If you suspect an infestation of dog lice, you might want to go over the area with a flea comb and examine the hair.
Lice, especially the eggs or nits, are sometimes mistaken for dandruff, and one way to distinguish lice from dandruff is by shaking hair removed from the dog. If the small flakes fall off, it’s dandruff. If they cling stubbornly to the hair, it’s probably lice. Other signs of lice infestations on your dog include:
• Scratching and intense itchiness.
• Rough, dry, or matted coat.
• Hair loss, specifically around ears, neck, shoulders, groin, and re**al regions.
• Small wounds or bacterial infections from bites by sucking lice.
• Restless behavior.
• Anemia in extreme cases, or in small dogs and puppies.
• Tapeworms and other bacteria or parasites that are spread by lice.
How Do Dogs Get Dog Lice?
Lice have limited mobility; they can crawl, but are unable to jump, hop, or fly. Also, adult lice die in a few days if they fall off the host. Transmission is usually through direct contact with another infested animal. Lice may be a threat wherever dogs congregate, such as dog daycare centers, dog shows, boarding kennels, and parks or just walking down the street.
There are three stages to the louse life cycle:
• egg
• nymph
• adult
The cycle starts when the female lays tiny yellow or white eggs at the base of the hair shaft. These eggs are glued to the hair and won’t fall off when the dog is shampooed.
It takes about one week for the eggs to hatch, releasing the immature lice, known as nymphs, which are no larger than the head of a pin. After about one week, they enter the adult phase, starting the cycle all over again. The Merck Veterinary Manual says it takes about 3-to-4 weeks for most lice to go from nit to reproductively capable adult.
How to get rid of lice? Call your vet. 😁
