Does my dog have lice?
All dogs can get lice, but puppies are particularly susceptible. Lice can get onto a dog through direct contact with other dogs or through indirect contact, such as via a brush or cushions. Lice are host-specific and are less common than fleas, so you do not need to worry about catching lice from your dog. The louse most commonly found on dogs is Trichodectes canis, a biting louse that feeds on the dog’s skin flakes. The eggs (nits) are white and attached to the hairs. It takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks for a nit to develop into an adult louse.
There are also blood-sucking lice, but these are very rare in the Netherlands. Like fleas, Trichodectes lice can act as an intermediate host for the flea tapeworm Dipylidium canium.
Symptoms of lice in dogs
When a dog has lice, it becomes very itchy and develops skin damage, causing it to scratch and smell bad. The coat often becomes matted and starts to smell. You can see the lice with the naked eye among the dog’s fur. They look like pale, light-shy insects measuring 1 to 2 millimetres in length. Lice are blue-grey and brown in colour. The eggs are white and look like small flakes of skin, but they stick to the hairs. You can identify them even more easily with a nit comb.
Treatment of lice in dogs
You can remove lice using the same products used to eliminate adult fleas, such as Frontline spray and spot-on treatments. These products kill lice more quickly, but treat the dog again approximately one month later to prevent any remaining nits from developing. Then cut away all matted fur and try to remove all the nits. Also clean the dog’s sleeping area and belongings thoroughly. In addition, it is important to treat all other pets in your household to prevent the infestation from spreading.
