It seems as though your pet’s favorite trick is trying to scratch herself in three places at once. Same with mine. Before I knew that lice are particularly a human problem until I found it with my dog. When you part her hair to take a look, what you see are tiny white egg casings attached to the hair shafts.
This means your pet has lice, six-legged insects that feed on blood. And set off an intensely itchy reaction.
While this issue with pets was unknown to me, that made me visit a vet taking my pooch. Here’s what he recommended treating lice in your dogs. I found the steps to be simple, as anyone could follow. So, I thought to share it with you.
01. Simply wash them away:
Pet stores stock a variety of shampoos containing pyrethrins, chemicals that kill lice, and fleas. Look tör a product containing a 0.05 percent solution. For more serious infestations, however, the 0.15 percent solution might be better. It is really easy to get rid of lice.
Wash your pet with the medicated shampoo once a week for three weeks. To make the treatment most etiéctive, leave the shampoo on the coat for three to minutes before rinsing.
02. Protect their eyes while applying shampoo or chemicals:
Any medicated shampoo can sting, so try not to get lather in your pet’s eyes when bathing her.
Some vets recommend smearing petroleum jelly on the eyelids to keep shampoo out. But this probably isn’t necessary and may actually cause harm. Therefore, it is better to be careful while application and flushing the eyes with running water if shampoo runs into the eyes.
03. Treat other pets(if any) besides the infected:
Lice are transferable. Since it can travel from pet to pet, it doesn’t help to treat only one member of your household’s four-footed hubby. If you have any other pets in the family, even if they don’t have lice, be sure to treat them as well.
However, you don’t need to treat the dog—and vice versa. Lice are host-specific, meaning those that feed on cats won’t move on to dogs. They don’t move to humans, either, so if your head is itchy, relax, it’s just your imagination!
04. In addition to shampoo, lice spray is necessary:
In addition to shampooing your pet, spray him twice a week with over-the-counter lice or flea spray.
Sprays will kill any new lice that happen to hatch between shampoos,
05. Powders to add a benefit:
Don’t forget the powders. While lice powders usually aren’t as effective as sprays, they can still assist in the eradication effort.
Apply the powder generously from head to toe (and tail). When applying it to your pet’s Face, however, rub it in gently with your fingers to avoid getting it in her eyes or nose.
06. Disinfect the bedding:
Even after your pet is lice-free, she can still be reinfested by lice lying in wait on floors, carpet, or bedding.
To prevent this, it’s a good idea to wash all your pet’s bedding. Besides, grooming tools, kennels, or pet carriers should also be scrubbed clean, either with a mild bleach solution or with soap and water.
07. Lice Medication(Vet recommended):
The same stuff you take for hay fever, an antihistamine like diphenhydramine (Benadryl), for example—can provide itch control for your pet.
Vets recommend giving one to three milligrams for every pound of pet. Check with your vet for precise dosing instructions.
08. Soothe her with supplements:
To heal your pet’s lice-infested hide faster, many vets recommend giving supplements containing fatty acids, either alone or in combination with vitamin E and beta-carotene. It increases certain beneficial fatty acids at the skin level and produces healthier skin.
You can buy a combination supplement (like ScruffyPet Pure Softgels ) in pet stores. Cats, puppies, and dogs under ten pounds should be given half a tablet daily. Larger pets can take a whole tablet.
09. When severe, lice can be life-threatening:
If you find lice in a young dog, it is probably she has fleas and ticks as well. Under severe conditions, a pet can lose one-quarter of her blood volume within several weeks, causing severe anemia or even shock.
Symptoms of anemia include weakness and drowsiness. Besides, the inside of the pet’s mouth will turn stark white. It’s critical to get to a vet as soon as you notice symptoms. while the anemia will usually disappear once the parasite problem is resolved. Some pets may need a blood transfusion to resolve,
Conclusion:
Hence, it is clear that lice can be harmless initially. But it can be life-threatening if the problem persists for several weeks because lice survive on blood. And obviously, they will be drawing it from your pet. Simultaneously, their number will increase.
Be it any disease, beforehand you must take precautions and some treatment methods like washing, applying shampoo, or disinfection of bedding or medications, as we discussed above in detail.
I hope, you got your solution.