Can Dogs Get Lice? How To Keep Your Buddy Scratch-Free

It’s always a bit…hair-raising when your buddy comes home scratching themselves to death. But if you’ve ever wondered – can dogs get lice? – then, sadly, yes, it can be the case that your dog can run into these infectious critters. (Who’ve now made themselves home in their fur!)

Turns out, a whole range of outdoor spots can land your buddy with a louse infestation – from contaminated surfaces to spending time around other dogs. Some types of dogs might also be extra-vulnerable to these kinds of infections as well.

So we’re going to cover how to pick up on your dog’s favorite hangout spots – including where they come home extra-itchy from – and what steps you can take to prevent (and manage) an infection. Let’s get started.

Can dogs get lice? What are some signs of lice on dogs?

Yup, just like humans, dogs can get lice as well. These tiny parasites attach to their skin and feed on their blood. (Gross, we know!)

Usually, this’ll turn up as your dog:

• Scratching themselves more than usual,
• Losing some hair from the excessive scratching,
• Rubbing their face on the floor
• Red, dry, scabby skin
• Matted fur
• Sores or lesions from biting and scratching
• Showing visible lice in their fur
• Seeming more restless than usual

⚠️ Don’t see lice in your dog’s fur? Something else in your environment might be triggering any scratching or itching.

Read more: Why Is My Dog So Itchy? (And How To Bring Them Some Relief)

Can dogs get lice from humans? Or pass it on to us?

Now the good news is, lice on dogs doesn’t pass on to humans. Nor can you get lice from your dog (or vice versa.)¹

How come? Well, for starters, dog lice tend to be species-specific. Primarily, these louse species tend to be found on dogs most:

•  Trichodectes canis (which can also help spread tapeworms to your dog)
• Heterodoxus spiniger,
• and Linognathus setosus²

😮‍💨 None of which pass on to humans or other animals.

Rather, these pests live on the skin and fur of dogs, feeding on their blood or skin debris. So if your child comes back from school with a head full of nits, these aren’t likely to pass on to your dog.

🤔 Which raises the question – where IS your dog picking up these lice from?

Makes keeping tabs on your dog’s whereabouts throughout the day a good idea, if you ask us. (Especially if they’re in the habit of spending time outdoors by themselves.)

Which dog parents around the world – just like you – are doing with the help of GPS trackers.

💡So with just a glance at your phone, you can check if your dog’s been heading off to any “itch”-prone zones in your neighborhood.

Including the dog park, your neighbors’ backyards, or elsewhere around town they might pick up something infectious or harmful.

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Can lice live on dogs? And how?

Much like fleas, lice are small insects that grow in numbers by laying eggs (called nits.)

Once the nits are attached to your dog’s fur, they might resemble dandruff or white flakes from a distance.³

• Nits are usually small, oval, and may be yellow or white in color. They may hatch in 1-2 weeks.
• Once the nits hatch, they become nymphs – smaller versions of adult lice. By 2-3 weeks, they’ve usually grown up from feeding on your dog’s blood.
• Once the nymphs are adult lice, they usually live on dogs’ fur for around 30 days – during which time, they continue to lay eggs.

Fleas vs lice: What’s the difference?

Both these infectious critters have a taste for latching onto animals’ skin and sucking on their blood – but they do have a few important differences.⁴ (Skip ahead if you’re creeped out by bugs!)

Lice…	Fleas….
✅ Don’t usually pass from animals to humans	⚠️ May pass from animals to humans
✅ Can only crawl	⚠️ Can jump
✅ Die after a few days without a host	⚠️ Can live up to 100 days without a host
🤏Nearly microscopic	⚠️ Larger, easier to spot than lice
✅ No major health risk besides itchiness and discomfort	⚠️ Can spread harmful diseases, including typhus and other infections
✅ Mostly transmit from contact with other infected animals	⚠️ Can transmit from outdoor time in grass, forests, or woodland areas

💡So it helps to keep track of whether your dog’s coming back home extra-itchy from:

• A run in the woods, which might signal pesky critters like ticks, mites, or fleas – or even pollen
• Or from the dog park, which might be more likely to signal lice (but not always, of course.)
• Or wherever else they’ve been wandering, – if you’re monitoring their movements, that is.

(Like with your dog’s Heat Map and Location History.)

Which can help you guess the cause of their itching that much better.

Track Your Dog’s Location History

Read more: Flea & Tick Prevention For Dogs: Your How-To Guide

Where might dogs get lice from?

If your buddy’s picked up a bad case of lice, it’s usually due to contact with other animals that also have lice in their fur. (Or from contaminated surfaces they share with these animals.)

Which could be from:

• Dog parks, where spending time around other dogs might open up the risk of infection
• Dog day care centers
• Group training classes or walking groups – especially ones that take place outdoors in nature
• Kennels or boarding facilities, where your dog might end up sharing food or water bowls with other dogs
• Other contaminated surfaces, like bedding, collars, and even toys – super important if you’ve got multiple dogs at home!
• Grooming centers, where your dog might come in contact with other dogs – and any infected fur.
• Elsewhere outdoors, like if you’re in the habit of going running, hiking, bikejoring, or camping with your dog – and they run into other dogs at campsites, for example.

💡 Now why is it smart to pinpoint exactly where your dog might be coming home extra-itchy from?

Because if it’s a case of something worse than lice – like fleas, which can also infect humans – you now have your own health to worry about besides your dog’s.

Besides, some louse species can also operate as carriers of other, more harmful parasites – like tapeworms.⁵ Which can make your buddy’s health worsen beyond just scratching and restlessness.

Now you could hover over your dog 24/7 – monitoring their every move. (But which we both know just isn’t sustainable over time. Plus, you do want to give your dog their freedom too, right?)

✅ Or you could join a growing family of loving, responsible dog parents around the world – just like you – who are following their buddies’ every step remotely via GPS trackers.

Because with your trusty Tractive GPS strapped to your buddy’s collar, you can now track your dog:

• In real-time,
• Over an unlimited range,
• In the middle of the night,
• And even while on vacation – or 175 countries if you’re on a Premium subscription

All with just a glance at your phone.

So you can intervene that much quicker if you’re buddy’s headed somewhere they’re likely to eat something weird or pick up an infection – and then bring it home along with them!

Follow Your Dog’s Every Step

Are some dogs more likely to get lice than others?

While any dog can get infected with lice, it’s more commonly seen among:

• Puppies, who might even suffer anemia as a result of the gradual blood loss.
• Older dogs, especially those living in dirty environments.
• Ill and/or malnourished dogs, who might end up scavenging for food in dirty environments.
• Dogs with long, shaggy coats, including Afghan hounds, Lhasa Apsos, Maltese, Shih Tzus, Yorkies, Pomeranians, Newfoundlands, Old English Sheepdogs, and Bernese Mountain dogs.⁶
• Dogs living in warmer, humid climates – conditions that help lice thrive.
• Outdoor dogs, who might be spending time around other dogs in communal spaces or out in nature.

If you’ve got an indoor dog (or dogs) dealing with some lice, it’s a good idea to investigate where they might be coming in contact with other, possibly infected dogs. (Like if they’re sneaking out for some unsupervised outdoor time or similar.)

Likewise, if you’ve got an outdoor dog, well, that’s a bit easier – since their wandering behavior might have them running into some other dogs that might transfer some critters over to them.

💡But if you’ve strapped a Tractive device to their collar, it automatically logs where your dog’s been spending most of their time throughout the day.

So you can figure out if they’ve picked up a case of the itchies from:

• The dog park,
• A kennel or boarding facility,
• Your neighbors’ dogs
• Or just about anywhere your buddy might end up wandering (or sneaking out!)

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How your vet might identify & treat lice on dogs

Now if your dog’s been scratching themselves to death or losing fur in patches, it’s a good idea to drop by your vet before their condition worsens. Watch out for excessive scratching around your dog’s ears, neck, shoulders, and even their butts. (And if you’ve got multiple dogs at home – bring all of them to the vet for a checkup.)

It’s also a good idea to go prepared to answer questions like:

• When did your dog’s symptoms first appear? Has your dog had them before?
• Did you make any changes to your dog’s food, outdoor privileges, or other routines recently?
• Is your dog primarily an indoor or outdoor dog? How often do they head outdoors?

All these questions can help you both better identify where your dog might’ve picked up any lice or “scratchy” substances from – which could also include dust, pollen, and other insects.

💡(See why it’s smart to have a log of your dog’s favorite outdoor spots to share with your vet?)

Diagnosing lice on dogs

Your vet will begin with a thorough physical examination of your dog’s skin and fur – from nose to tail. They might also take a scrape of your dog’s skin to examine under a microscope to rule out the presence of lice, or other pesky critters, like ticks, mites, or fleas. Or use a special lice comb to check for any nits or larvae in your dog’s fur.⁷

With that out of the way, your vet might prescribe you:

• Topical medication to get rid of the lice over a specific time period. (Usually 2-4 weeks.)
• Medication that they might administer orally or via injection, usually over a few weeks.
• Lime sulphur dips, which they’ll apply to your dog’s body over a few weeks.⁸
• Medicated shampoos that are specially designed to kill lice and nits.
• A vet-approved flea and tick preventive, which can help keep your buddy safe from other infections as well.

Always make sure to follow your vet’s instructions to the T and complete the full course of any medication. (Yes, even if your dog’s scratching seems to be lessening or they seem better.)

Also, no matter how much your buddy is suffering – never use any products designed for humans on them! These might contain ingredients toxic to dogs that might end up worsening the problem.

Read more: What Is Toxic To Dogs? Watch Out For These Common Items

What can you do to prevent lice on dogs?

Now while it’s good to stay aware and take steps to get your buddy some relief – it’s always better to prevent them from picking up lice and other infectious critters in the first place.

Here’s how you can get started.

Clean just about everything – from top to bottom

Something in your dog’s environment might’ve turned it into an “itch”-prone zone – like their living and sleeping area, if you’ve got a primarily indoor dog.

So make sure to keep these areas clean with regular washing – including your dog’s:

• Bedding
• Toys
• Food and water bowls
• Any favorite shirts or sweaters you leave behind when your dog’s alone at home
• Favorite couches or sofas around the house
• Grooming tools, including combs and brushes
• Your bed – especially if your dog likes to sleep next to you
• Any other items your dog likes to use, play with, or interact with on the regular

Got multiple dogs at home? You’ll have to whip out the vacuum and cleanup mops much more frequently. But with these preventive steps, you’ll be that much better off preventing another infection.

Make regular grooming a priority

Regularly brushing out your dog’s fur can help spread their natural oils better – which can prevent matting and tangling. (All conditions that can attract lice, since they can hide better.)

• In fact, some dog breeds that are vulnerable to lice, need more frequent brushing and grooming to keep their coats soft and free of tangles.
• With a regular grooming routine, you’ll also catch onto nits and lice faster – and get your buddy to a vet much in advance, before they grow in numbers.

Just make sure you’re using dog-friendly grooming products that are medically-approved and designated safe for use.

Read more: 5 Easy Dog Grooming Tips You Can Do At Home: The Ultimate Guide For Dog Parents

Watch out for any “itch”-prone zones in your environment

A last, super important tip that’ll help you be a responsible dog parent: let your fellow dog parents know you’re dealing with a case of dog lice. This will help them take action for their own dogs, get them to the vet, and prevent worsening any infections.

It’s also a good idea to warn them about any “itch”-prone zones in your outdoor environment – especially if you all like to hang out together at dog parks or other community areas.

💡Which, if you’ve invested in a Tractive device, means you now know where your dog comes back home from extra-itchy – more than usual, at least.

And which also means you can warn fellow pet parents by reporting these zones as a “danger” via your Tractive mobile app.

(Plus, not just for “itch”-prone zones, but rather also for other hazards in your environment – like wild animals, poisonous plants, and even sharp objects.)

🐶 So you can both keep your dog safe – and also do your part as a responsible dog parent.

Help your buddy enjoy an itch-free summer with these tips

Dealing with lice on our own heads can be bad enough – but if you’ve got a dog (or dogs!) scratching themselves to death, it can be even worse. Though rest assured, you’re not likely to pick up on an infection from your dog, nor pass one on to them.

Where do dogs pick up lice from?

Because primarily, dogs pick up lice from other, infected dogs that they might run into at:

• Dog parks
• Dog day care centers
• Group training classes or walking groups
• Kennels or boarding facilities
• Other contaminated surfaces, like bedding, collars, and even toys
• Grooming centers
• Elsewhere outdoors, where your dog might run into other dogs

What are some signs of lice on dogs?

Drop by your vet for a full checkup if you notice one or more of these symptoms in your dog persisting for a few days:

• Excessive scratching
• Hair loss
• Rubbing their face on the floor
• Red, dry, scabby skin
• Matted fur
• Sores or lesions from biting and scratching
• Showing visible lice in their fur
• Seeming more restless than usual

Your vet is most likely to prescribe a topical medication with an anti-parasite effect, medicated shampoos, or another preventive solution.

How can I prevent lice on dogs in the first place?

Regular cleanups and grooming go a long way – especially if you’ve got multiple dogs at home, who all need checkups since they’re all likely to be in contact with each other. (And where lice might spread.)

So it’s a good idea to do a thorough cleanup of your dog’s (or dogs’):

• Living areas, including any playpens or toys they use frequently, as well as favorite “sitting” spots like couches, rugs, and sofas
• Sleeping areas, including their bedding and blankets
• Grooming tools, including brushes and combs

Besides, we’d also recommend you let your fellow pet parents know – so they can also take preventive steps or get their dogs over to the vet’s for a checkup. (Helping prevent the spread of lice the next time you meet at the dog park or for a play date.)

And most importantly…

💡Keep a log of where your dog likes to spend most of their time outdoors – so you can better guess the cause of their itching.

• Lice, while annoying to deal with, don’t pose any major health risks besides infecting other dogs quite easily.
• Fleas and ticks, on the other hand, can infect humans and spread harmful disease or trigger allergic reactions from their bites.

🐶 Meaning keeping track of where your dog’s off wandering can both keep you and your buddy safe and healthy for the long run.

Which you can do by hovering over them all day – or just let your trusty Tractive device do the “hovering” for you, 100% remotely.

Always know where your dog is

Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.

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Wondering how to tell if your dog has lice? Here’s a helpful video to get you started:

And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.