Does my dog suffer from lice?

All dogs can suffer from lice, but puppies are especially sensitive to them. Lice can come on a dog if he has direct contact with others or through indirect contact such as with a brush or pillows. Lice are host specific and are less common than fleas, therefore you do not have to worry that you will also get the lice from your dog. The louse most common in a dog is Trichodectes  canis, this is a hair louse that bites. He feeds on the dog's skin peelers. The eggs (nities) are white in color and are attached to the hairs. It takes about 2 to 3 weeks for a neet to develop into an adult louse.

Furthermore, there are also bloodsucking lice, which are almost non-occurring in the Netherlands. Like fleas, Trichodecteslice canserve as intermediate host for the flea tapeworm  Dipylidium  canium.

Symptoms of lice in dogs

If a dog suffers from lice, he gets a lot of itching and skin damage that causes him to scratch and smell. Tangles often get stuck in the coat and it starts to smell. You can see the lice with the naked eye between the coat of the dog. They look like light-shy pale creature 1 to 2 millimeters long. Even better, you can recognize them with a nenkam.

Treatment of lice in dogs

You can remove the lice with the same means you use when removing an adult flea such as, Frontline spray and spot-on. Lice die faster as a result, but treat the dog again about a month later to prevent the development of any nits. Then cut away all the felted fur and try to remove all ninges. Also clean the berth and things of the dog well. In addition, it is important to treat all other pets in your home in order to prevent the infection.