Lice

What are the two types of lice?

Sucking lice

Biting lice

What type of lice only infest dogs?

Sucking lice

What type of lice do cats get?

Biting lice

What is the scientific name of the canine sucking lice?

Linognathus setosus

What is Lingognathus setosus?

Sucking lice of dogs

What is the scientific name of the canine biting lice?

Trichodectes canis

What is the scientific name of the feline biting lice?

Felicola subrostratus

What is Trichodectes canis?

Dog biting louse

What is Felicola subrostratus?

Cat biting louse

What is the order for sucking lice?

Anoplura

What is the order of biting lice?

Mallophaga

What are the Anoplura lice?

Sucking lice (Linognathus setosus)

What are the Mallophaga lice?

Biting lice (Trichodectes canis, Felicola subrostratus)

What are the morphological characteristics of Anoplura (sucking lice)?

Well developed claws

Head is longer than it is wide

What are the morphological characteristics of Mallophaga?

Rudimentary claws

Head as broad or broader as it is long

What are the characteristics of lice?

No wings, flattened dorsoventrally

Incomplete metamorphosis

Most are blind

Very host-specific

Can you get lice from your pet?

No, they are very host-specific

What are lice eggs called?

Nits

Where are nits found?

Cemented to hair/feathers

Where do lice spend their entire life?

On the host

How long does it take to go from egg to adult?

1-2 months

How are lice transmitted?

Direct contact (worse in winter)

How long can lice survive off the host?

No more than 2-3 days

What are the predisposing factors to being infested with lice?

Neglect (nutrition, grooming, overcrowding)

Filth, cold, and debilitation

What do mallophaga lice feed on?

Skin scales, debris, hair, and feathers

What do mallophaga often result in?

Debilitation

What can Trichodectes canis be an intermediate host for?

Dipylidium caninum

What do Anoplura lice feed on?

Blood and tissue fluids

What can Anoplura lice result in?

Anemia, hypoproteinemia, and occasionally death

What are the clinical signs of lice and what causes them?

Pruritus, restlessness, malnutrition

Primarily due to irritation

How are lice diagnosed?

Physical exam - finding lice or eggs

What are the EPA approved treatments for lice?

Dinotefuran/Pyriproxyfen/Permethrin

Fipronil

What are non-approved treatments for lice that are typically used for fleas?

Imidacloprid

Selamectin

Isoxazolines

Are lice zoonotic?

No, very host-specific