Dog lice cases on the rise, Calgary veterinarian says
Pet owners need not worry — the pesky parasites prefer dogs
Groomer Sarah McKinnon didn't notice anything unusual when she first started to clip her shaggy client Timber.
But after the cut was done and the golden doodle hopped into the bath, it became clear that his muzzle, ears and groin were infested with lice.
"I looked and there's little tiny pieces of dirt. You take one off and you take a look and you actually can see little legs," McKinnon, groomer at A Royal Touch.
After the initial "ick" factor, and the subsequent sterilization, she says she wasn't that surprised to discover it in her studio.
"I'm on a lot of online forums, talk with a lot of groomers, it has been really awful this year."
Dr. Wendy McClelland, owner of Vets to Go, says she has been getting more calls than usual from pet owners asking about lice.
"I'm getting about a phone call a week with clients either concerned because they've heard that their [neighbour's dog] has it, or that the doggy daycare they go to has it, or that their own dog has it."
McClelland can't explain the spike in calls.
She says dogs pick up the highly contagious parasite by being in close contact with other infected dogs.
They can also get it through indirect contact with things like grooming tools that haven't been properly cleaned.
As for whether its weather-related, McClelland says no.
"It has been a warmer spring but lice aren't really affected by weather because their 21-day life cycle is all on the pet."
McClelland says the symptoms are easy to spot and include:
- Extreme itchiness (head, neck, shoulders, hind end).
- Bald patches.
- Adult lice look like specs of dirt.
- Eggs (nits) are white and flaky, attached to the hair shaft.
McClelland says pet owners shouldn't be afraid to take a close look if they suspect lice because it's host-specific. Dog lice stays on dogs — they won't infect humans or other animals, like cats.
The bug is also relatively easy to get rid of.
"There are various options from pills, to shampoos, to pour-on liquid to the back of the neck. Basically you repeat it every two weeks for two or three treatments."
Owners should also wash down or toss out bedding and grooming tools.