Question:
We recently got a new Cocker Spaniel. Turns out she's got a case of
lice from somewhere. The vet said using Advantage would get rid of
them, however she's still itching like crazy. I can't find anything
moving under her fur, but still, the itching... Has anyone had
experience where Advantage cured the lice problem? The vet also said
the lice live 100% on the dog, and their was no need to treat the
enviroment. Is this true?
Our other dog, a Shih Tzu, was itching, but since the first Advantage
treatment has slowed considerably.. still once in a while though.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. She seems unhappy when its
itchy (she was full of energy for the first week after the Advantage
treatment, wasn't itching hardly at all)
Answer:
It is not like human head lice, thank goodness for that! We bring dogs into
my classroom to read all the time and I was worried to think that they could
get lice from the kids so I asked more than one vet and they all said the
same thing. I didn't have to worry about getting lice from the dog.
As far as first hand experience, I have none, but here's a quip about it
quoted from
http://www.planet-pets.com/dogparasites.htm :
"The lice that are found on dogs are not the same lice found on humans.
There is no threat from dog lice, as it is not interested in human blood.
There are many varieties of lice; mostly all are specific to humans. The
specific dog lice are Linognathus setosus and L. piliferus. Linognathus
refers to the structure of the mouth; setosus refers to bristles and
piliferus to hair. "
Here's another posting about it from
http://www.petservice.com/ask_the_vet/qa_archive/dogs/2_4-5.html
"Question: Lice and dogs? Can humans get these from their pets? What is the
best treatment for lice? She is 10 weeks old and the vet told me she had
lice and gave us some medicine to take care of it but wanted you to explain
to me about dogs and lice. I have children in the house and don't want them
to get these lice. She has scabby-like places in many places on her body and
little bugs on them that look almost like a flea but you know they are not
and they move you can see them. I would appreciate any thing you have to
tell me and as soon as possible. Thank you, B.M. Greenup, Kentucky.
ANSWER: Dogs can get lice-usually from other dogs. Lice tend to be
species-specific (meaning if they are "dog" lice they will stay on "dogs".
But, should you notice any unusual scratching, rashes, etc. on your children
they should be seen by your pediatrician (including you and anyone else in
contact with the dog) and the doctor should be made aware that the dog has
been diagnosed.
There are two types of lice-sucking lice and biting lice and the sucking
lice can actually feed on red blood cells and can cause anemia in animals.
Both lice can cause red, scabby areas that are tender or may cause severe
itching. Your veterinarian can examine lice under the microscope to
determine type--and institute proper treatment. If severe enough, the vet
may decide to place the dog on antibiotic therapy for the open sores. Most
animals respond really well to sprays, dips, powders, etc., but you must be
aware that the eggs can persist in the environment (unhatched) and that the
environment needs to be treated simultaneously when treating the dog to
prevent re-infestation.
