Veterinary Parasitology: The Practical Veterinarian - CX.com

• Nymphs hatch from eggs; three nymphal stages
occur prior to reaching the adult stage.
• After mating, the adult female will lay eggs and the
life cycle begins again.
• The time from egg to egg can take as little as 3–4 weeks.
• Eggs generally do not hatch and neither nymphs nor
adults will live much longer than 1 week if removed
from the host.
Common Lice
• Lice are relatively host specific with most species of
animals having some type of louse (common species
and hosts are presented in Table 2–7); human lice
(Phthirus pubis, Pediculus humanus) can occasionally
be found on dogs.
• Sucking lice do not parasitize cats or birds.
Importance
Arthropods 29
• Most lice problems manifest under crowded conditions,
often in winter.
• The presence of either type of louse can cause irritation,
pruritis, scratching, licking, and restlessness
leading to loss of condition, poor weight gain,
decreased milk production, etc.
• Sucking lice can cause anemia.
• Bite wounds can become secondarily infected.