What do lice look like on a dog? - briefly
Canine lice are tiny, wingless insects about 1–2 mm long, with a flattened, elongated body that is gray‑white to tan in color. They cling to hair shafts and move rapidly, appearing as small moving specks or clusters on the coat.
What do lice look like on a dog? - in detail
Lice that infest dogs are small, wing‑less insects belonging to the families Trichodectidae (chewing lice) and Pediculidae (sucking lice). Adult specimens measure 1–3 mm in length, with a flattened, elongated body that conforms closely to the host’s coat. Their coloration ranges from pale gray to brown, often matching the surrounding fur, which makes visual detection difficult without close inspection.
Key visual characteristics include:
- Body shape: Broad, oval, and dorsoventrally flattened; the head is concealed beneath the pronotum, giving the insect a smooth outline.
- Legs: Six short, sturdy legs ending in claw‑like tarsi that grip hair shafts. The legs are positioned laterally, allowing the louse to move rapidly through dense fur.
- Antennae: Two short, segmented antennae protruding from the head region; they are not easily visible unless the insect is examined under magnification.
- Mouthparts: Chewing lice possess robust mandibles for feeding on skin debris and sebaceous secretions, while sucking lice have elongated stylets for extracting blood. Both types lack visible proboscises to the naked eye.
- Eggs (nits): Oval, translucent to white, and firmly attached to individual hair shafts near the skin surface. Nits measure about 0.5 mm and may appear as tiny specks along the coat.
Typical locations on the canine host are the head, ears, neck, and base of the tail, where hair is dense and moisture is higher. In heavy infestations, clusters of lice and nits become apparent as a fine, moving dusting on the skin, often accompanied by reddened or irritated areas.
Microscopic examination reveals the exoskeleton’s chitinous texture, segmented abdomen, and, in the case of chewing lice, a distinct pronotum that shields the head. These structural details differentiate canine lice from other ectoparasites such as fleas or ticks, which are larger, possess jumping legs, or have hardened dorsal shields.