Jump to content
BC Boards

Lice on Rescue Puppies!


sheepandakom
 Share

Recommended Posts

I picked up a female BC mix and her 6 female puppies today. They came from a rural VA shelter and are loaded with lice. I've got some Permethrin spot on that I had used when we were having a major tick problem. The package I have doesn't say anything about age restrictions, but I thought there usually were minimum ages. They all got scrubbed up in the sink with puppy shampoo and I tried to comb out as much of the lice and fleas as I could, but I'm sure they feel awful. My vet is closed on Saturdays and I hate to have them itching and feeling so crummy until Monday. Has anyone ever used Permethrin on young puppies or anything else to treat lice on little guys? Of all the icky things foster dogs have come in with, this is the first time we've had lice.

 

Emily

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oral ivermectin will treat lice. I think it takes a couple of doses, plus comb them out well per the vet's instructions later. The ivomec is actually safer than Permethrin - that's scary stuff.

 

Do you have any Frontline or Advantage? I think they also treat lice. In fact I'm sure Frontline does, I remember reading it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got Frontline and Advantage but I wasn't sure if they were ok to use on puppies this young (about 6 weeks), either. I do injectable Ivomec that I dilute down for HW preventitive so that the dogs the the same mcg of Ivermectin as they would if I were giving Heartguard. Would I give the same dose for lice or is it higher?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you have the package insert for the Frontline?

 

When I was in Morocco this summer, there was a puppy approx. five or six weeks old in the house we were staying in. She had fleas, ticks, and lice. I got Frontline spray at a pharmacy in Rabat and followed the package instructions for her age and body size. The vermin were gone the next day, she slept in my tent, and I didn't bring any fleas, ticks, or lice home with me so I'm assuming it worked OK.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't have the inset for the Frontline anymore, but Jeffers has an online version of the product label and insert of almost everything they sell, so I looked it up there. It recommends Frontline for lice, too. As soon as the puppies are all dry, probably morning, I am going to Frontline them. I know that lice are species specific and I can't get them but the thought of it is making me itch like crazy.

 

Emily

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can tell you from experience that with lice, just do the Frontline... we tried every natural remedy out there & nothing worked. We did have some really soft, shiny dogs, though :rolleyes: I've had to do the Frontline twice to get rid of the lice- about 3 weeks apart. Not sure if it was newly hatched lice, or re-infestation (one of my dogs came in contact with the dog we think they got it from originally again)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks! I put Frontline on the puppies first thing Saturday morning and by Sunday night, I couldn't find any live lice, so it seems to be working. These guys had more lice than I have ever seen before. I could part the coat and see close to 10 lice in one place. I've had lice on sheep before, but you only ever found one or two. I would treat with permethrin several times and the lice would be gone.

 

Emily

Link to comment
Share on other sites

*shudders* Bree had lice when we brought her home. I couldn't figure out what all of those bumps on her skin were. Blech. Anyway, at the time we thought she was 8 weeks, but in retrospect I'd guess she was more like 5 or 6 weeks - and my vet hit her with one dose of frontline... the wee beasties were falling off of her as we drove home. :sick:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not a bug person of any kind. On my way home from picking the puppies up I stopped at the store and bought puppy shampoo, a fine tooth comb, and rubber gloves. I bathed the puppies one at a time and tried to comb out as much as I could. I put them in the bathtub with towels and an old flannel sheet to dry off. I threw the towels and the sheet away and washed my clothes in hot water. I felt itchy the rest of the night. I am so glad they have cleared up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...