Symptoms of Dog Lice


A clean and healthy dog has almost no chance of contracting lice in the United States. However, if it does happen, there are several visible symptoms you can easily recognize. Although lice are easy to see once you know your dog is infected, the initial recognition can be difficult for a typical pet owner. Luckily your dog will be well aware of the infestation, and will begin displaying symptoms.

As with any medical condition, it is important to keep watch over any changes in your dog's normal behavior, as this could possibly be indicative of a medical problem.

Excess Itching and Scratching

Excess itching and scratching may be one sign of a lice infection. However, this symptom may also be indicative of other medical conditions (such as skin disorders). The best way to ascertain the cause of your dog's itching is to perform a visual inspection. If you notice your dog scratching more than usual, take a moment to inspect their fur. Most skin disorders manifest primarily as flaking, red, bumpy or abnormal skin. However, even if you are not able to spot a potential problem, excessive itching is enough reason to bring your dog in for a veterinary checkup.

Visible Lice

When you inspect your dogs fur, be on the lookout for a lice infection. Lice are small, flat light brown spots on or close to your dogs skin. They are very slow moving, and cannot jump or fly due to their lack of wings. Sometimes owners mistake them for dirt, so be thorough in your examination. If possible, take a blow dryer and go over your dog with it on high-power. This separates the fur and reveals the skin, making it much easier to identify the lice.

Visible Eggs

During your inspection of your dog, you may come across small white dots held on to your dogs fur by a sticky glue-like substance. These are lice eggs, and their presence may indicate to you that your dog has been infected for some time. These are often the hardest to remove from your pet, so if you see lice eggs, be sure to be very thorough when performing treatment.

One female lice can lay up to one hundred eggs on a single dog. The average lice organism lives for a short 21 days. However, with their active reproductive rates, your dog can contract thousands of lice in almost no time at all.

Next article: Treatment For Lice On Dogs