Standing in line in elementary school waiting to be examined by the nurse for head lice was no joking matter. For families with dogs, however, it can be a serious concern if the little ones come home with a letter from the nurse. Although different types of lice can affect dogs, human head lice will not have an effect on your family pet.
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Head Lice in Dogs
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School systems most often see head lice infestations at the beginning of the school year. Human head lice prefer what their name implies--humans. To survive, head lice need a host, and because they only feed on the blood of humans, they do not survive in the hair of dogs. According to Harvard University, your pet plays no role in the spread of head lice. Therefore, under no circumstances, should they be treated for head lice.
Identifying Head Lice
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Head lice are gray and measure about 3 mm long. Symptoms of head lice include itching and flakes that are found resting on the hair near the scalp. Parts of the scalp also can become sore. If your dog exhibits these symptoms on their skin, it's likely another cause, not head lice.
How Head Lice Are Spread
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Despite the assumption that head lice jump and fly through the air, they actually are quite content to stay on their host. When humans contract head lice, it usually occurs from coming in close contact with another person who has lice. Transfer can come through sharing a hair brush or hat, for example. According to Orkin, dogs do not play a role in the transfer of lice.
What Could Be Biting Your Dog
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If your dog is exhibiting the symptoms of head lice, it may be experiencing another health problem, such as fleas. According to Orkin, fleas can cause similar symptoms, including itching and restlessness. Fleas also can affect humans by biting them. If it is suspected that fleas are infesting your home, contact a pest control agency or a veterinarian to get your dog treated.
Precautions
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Although lice do not affect dogs, there are some precautions to take if humans in the household are found to have head lice and there is a pet living inside. According to Harvard University, eggs and lice themselves will die when separated from a human. Although there is a tendency to want to wash and vacuum everything in the house or car, it's unlikely to make much of a difference. But some items in the household may benefit from a cleaning--items that may contain a few lice eggs hidden in the crevices of the material that may live a day or two longer after being separated from the human, for example. These items include a child's car seat, human and pet bedding, and your children's and pet's stuffed animals.
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