When you think of itchy and annoying pests on your dog, fleas and ticks are usually the ones that come to mind. But do you know that lice are also an enemy of dogs?
Dog lice are small, wingless parasites that live on the fur and coat of dogs. They feed on skin debris and blood. Unlike fleas, lice don’t jump. They crawl on the surface, moving slowly from one area to another.
They can generally be seen with the naked eye. These parasites look like small and pale insects clinging to the fur and skin of dogs. They can also lay tiny eggs called nits. These nits can resemble dandruff but are firmly attached to the body.
Dog lice are also species-specific, meaning that dog lice can only affect dogs. In this post, we’ll discuss more about what dog lice are, and we’ll end by telling you how to prevent them.
What Is the Life Cycle of Dog Lice?
The lice in dogs go through a three-stage life cycle. They start as eggs, grow into nymphs, and develop into full adults. It all starts with the female lice, as they lay tiny, white eggs that stick firmly into a dog’s hair shafts.
The eggs, or nits, hatch in about 1 to 2 weeks. Once they hatch, they are now called nymphs, or young lice. Here, they begin feeding on the dog’s skin or blood and will mature into adults after 2 to 3 weeks. Adults can live for up to 30 days, continuing the cycle if left untreated.
This life cycle matters since the eggs are generally more resistant to treatment compared to adult lice. So, even if the adult dog lice have been eliminated by the medicated shampoo or topical treatments, the nits can survive and hatch later.
What Are the Types of Dog Lice?
Dog lice are generally categorized into two types: chewing and sucking lice.
Chewing Lice
Chewing lice, or Trichodectes canis, are lice that feed on the skin debris of dogs. This type of lice is usually the more common of the two. These lice cause irritation and inflammation by hooking themselves into the surface of your dog’s skin and feeding on dead skin cells, skin oils, and debris.
Chewing lice are also known to be carriers of tapeworms. If your dog accidentally swallows infected lice while grooming or scratching, then the tapeworm can infest the intestines.
Sucking Lice
Sucking lice, on the other hand, are lice that feed on blood. While they’re less common, they’re more serious than chewing lice. Linognathus setosus are lice that pierce the skin of your dog to feed on its blood using their needle-like mouthparts.
They can cause serious issues in dogs, such as anemia. Puppies are usually the ones affected by this type of dog lice.
How Can Dogs Catch Lice?
Dog lice infestations usually come from three things: direct contact, contaminated items, and close environments.
Dogs can catch lice through direct contact with an infected dog or through shared items with infected dogs, like bedding, grooming tools, or collars. Lice cannot fly or jump, so they spread primarily through close contact.
Dogs in environments like dog shelters, boarding facilities, daycares, pet stores, and dog parks are at risk of a lice infestation. The risk is high because dogs frequently interact within these close spaces. This is also common in households with multiple dogs.
Lice are generally more common in dogs with poor hygiene and compromised immune systems. Dogs with long hair are also prone. Even though lice can only survive for a short time without a host, they may temporarily cling to objects that come in contact with an infected dog.
Do Dog Lice Spread to Humans?
No, the lice in dogs cannot spread to humans because these parasites are species-specific, meaning they can only affect dogs. These lice are adapted to only live on the dog’s fur and feed on its blood. This is the same case for human lice, as these cannot affect other animals.
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