Lice - Dog

Heterodoxus spiniger

Heterodoxus spiniger
Class	Insecta
Order	Phthiraptera
Family	Boopidae

Identification

The adults are relatively large at around 5mm in length. They are yellow and the tarsi end in two claws, enabling them to be distinguished from other lice.

Life Cycle

The female produces eggs, which can be found throughout the body of an infected host. Three further nymphal stages are required to produce a mature adult.

Linognathus setosus

Also known as:

Dog sucking louse

Felicola subrostratus
Class	Insecta
Order	Pthiraptera
Family	Linognathidae

Identification

The adults can reach up to 2mm in length, and the first pair of legs are smaller than both the second and third.

Life Cycle

The eggs hatch in around 2 weeks, forming nymphs. The nymphs then undergo three further stages before becoming reproductive adults. This process takes around 2 weeks.

Trichodectes canis

Also known as:

Dog biting louse

Felicola subrostratus
Class	Insecta
Order	Pthiraptera
Family	Trichodectidae

Identification

The adults are small, yellow lice, measuring around 1.5mm in length. They have short legs, each with a single claw on the end.

Life Cycle

The female is capbale of laying several eggs per day, and usually lives for around a month. The eggs then take around 7-14 days to hatch, and then undergo three subsequent transformations to become a reproducitve adult.