How to protect the dog from lice
Your dog's body can be home to various types of parasites. Fleas, ticks and mites are not the only parasites dogs can have as they can also have lice! Lice infestation can happen even to clean and healthy dogs thus a dog owner that takes great pains to ensure the cleanliness and the health of the pet must not be surprised if the pet harbors lice on its body.
Lice infestation that occurs in humans can also happen to dogs. The dog cannot be blamed for the lice infestation of the human family and a child infested with lice cannot transmit the parasite to the dog as the kind of lice that infest humans and dogs are of different species and both would not thrive in their natural environment.
The lice that infest dogs are about 12th of an inch in size, wingless and can be gray, beige or tan in color. Unlike fleas that can jump and move very fast, lice are slow moving and even stationary parasites. The lice that infests the dog can be a biting kind or the kind that feeds on the dog's blood. One kind of lice would bite the dog's skin to feed on skin flakes while the other would attach the mouth parts into the skin to feed on the dog's blood. Both kinds would affect the dog as an infestation of biting lice will cause immense itching while a severe infestation of sucking lice would cause the dog to suffer from anemia.
Direct contact with an infested dog is the most common form of lice transmission as unlike fleas, lice cannot jump into the dog. Using the brushes and combs of a lice infested dog to another dog can also spread the infestation. Lice population can grow rapidly as a female lice can lay up to 100 eggs thus if prompt administration of eradication measures are not administered, the dog would be greatly affected by its freeloaders.
Excessive scratching is one of the signs of lice infestation. Lice can be seen attached to the skin of the dog especially on the neck and shoulders, on the anus and on the ears. The eggs called nits will be glued on hair follicles and would appear like particles of dusts.
Lice infestation is easy to resolve with insecticides. An insecticide shampoo or spray can easily kill adult lice. The treatment must be repeated several times as the insecticides would have no effect on the eggs. For total eradication of the lice infestation, the beddings and the toys of the dog must be washed in hot water.
Lice infestation that occurs in humans can also happen to dogs. The dog cannot be blamed for the lice infestation of the human family and a child infested with lice cannot transmit the parasite to the dog as the kind of lice that infest humans and dogs are of different species and both would not thrive in their natural environment.
The lice that infest dogs are about 12th of an inch in size, wingless and can be gray, beige or tan in color. Unlike fleas that can jump and move very fast, lice are slow moving and even stationary parasites. The lice that infests the dog can be a biting kind or the kind that feeds on the dog's blood. One kind of lice would bite the dog's skin to feed on skin flakes while the other would attach the mouth parts into the skin to feed on the dog's blood. Both kinds would affect the dog as an infestation of biting lice will cause immense itching while a severe infestation of sucking lice would cause the dog to suffer from anemia.
Direct contact with an infested dog is the most common form of lice transmission as unlike fleas, lice cannot jump into the dog. Using the brushes and combs of a lice infested dog to another dog can also spread the infestation. Lice population can grow rapidly as a female lice can lay up to 100 eggs thus if prompt administration of eradication measures are not administered, the dog would be greatly affected by its freeloaders.
Excessive scratching is one of the signs of lice infestation. Lice can be seen attached to the skin of the dog especially on the neck and shoulders, on the anus and on the ears. The eggs called nits will be glued on hair follicles and would appear like particles of dusts.
Lice infestation is easy to resolve with insecticides. An insecticide shampoo or spray can easily kill adult lice. The treatment must be repeated several times as the insecticides would have no effect on the eggs. For total eradication of the lice infestation, the beddings and the toys of the dog must be washed in hot water.
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