Can Pets Get Head Lice?

Many parents worry about their children getting lice. After all, treating lice can be a bit inconvenient and time consuming. Additionally, many people simply don’t know a lot about lice. This leads to several questions. One question is whether you can get lice from pets. Let’s look.

Before determining if you can get lice from your pets, it first makes sense to find out if pets can get lice. The answer to this question is yes. Most pets can get lice. In fact, a variety of pets including dogs, cats, hamsters, some birds, and more can get lice.

Whether or not your specific pet can contract lice largely depends on its species and whether there is a type of louse that affects that animal. If you are unsure, you can always search for the answer. However, most things with fur – and some with feathers – can get lice.

Lice in pets can be a bit of a problem too. This is because lice are very small. This means it can be difficult to determine if your pet has lice. You may notice your pet scratching more than usual. Otherwise, you will likely have to look closely throughout their fur to see if you find the little creatures.

No pet owner wants to have to deal with lice. However, sometimes your animal can become infected. This will often happen after a play date with another animal or a trip to doggie daycare. Any contact with an infected animal of the same species can result in a possible outbreak.

Can You Get Lice from Pets?

Pet owners may worry about whether they can get lice from their beloved animals. Can you get lice from pets? The good news is that it is not possible. If your pet has lice, you will not be able to contract it from them. Lice are species specific.

Human lice feed on human blood. Dog lice feed on dog blood. Cat lice feed on cat blood. Thus, lice that live on your dog cannot live on you. If you have both dogs and cats, you don’t have to worry about lice from your dog jumping to your cat because it cannot survive on them.

How Do I Treat Lice in My Pet?

If you find that your pet has lice, you don’t have to worry about it spreading to you. However, you do have to worry about helping your pet get back to normal. Fortunately, lice in pets are often very easy to treat.

The majority of insecticides including many types of flea shampoos are effective in killing lice. The first step – particularly for dogs – is often to give your pet a bath. Paying attention to your pet’s behavior and closely inspecting their skin and fur can help you confirm whether your efforts were successful.

Should you have difficulty treating your pets for lice or have any questions about treatment, the good news is that a quick call or visit to your local vet can provide you with answers and solutions. This can help you to get your pet feeling better soon.

When it comes to your pets, they can typically get lice. Most pets with fur can contract lice. However, the good news is that lice is highly specific to a particular host and cannot spread from one species to another. Humans cannot contract lice from their pets.  However if you found you have found yourself with a lice problem from sharing a hat or close contact with someone who also had lice, you can contact your local clinic. Your local lice experts at Evansville Lice Clinic can rid you of lice and leave you with a peace of mind.