Pets can get lice. Humans can get lice. So can kids and pets give each other lice?
No.
Even though both pets and humans can get lice, they are different types of lice. Head lice are a specific type of species called Pediculus humanus capitis. They affect humans on their head, eyebrows and eyelashes. There are different types of lice that affect pets like cats and dogs. In fact, pocket pets, certain birds and livestock can all get head lice, too!
Bottom line: cat lice need cat blood to survive, dog lice need dog blood to survive and human lice need human blood to survive. You can’t give lice to your pets, nor can they give them to you.
Now that you know that your cat or dog didn’t give your child lice, where did your child get these parasites from? And what can you do to get rid of them? Let’s find out the answers to your questions!
How Did My Child Get Head Lice?
Most cases of head lice are spread through head-to-head contact. One child was already infested with lice and touched heads with your child. This can happen more easily than people realize as head-to-head contact is common when kids play at school, at home, in sports or on the playground. It takes just seconds for a louse to crawl onto a new host, so something as simple as tackling a friend on the playground or attending a slumber party can cause lice to show up in your home.
What is the Best Way to Treat Lice?
Taking care of a lice infestation mostly requires treatment like a head lice shampoo. You don’t need to do any excessive cleaning because lice can only live off a host for about 24 hours. But it doesn’t hurt to vacuum the home and wash recently used bed linens, towels, blankets, etc. in hot water.
As for treatment, there are a number of head lice removal products you can purchase. While many products are sold over the counter, we don’t typically recommend them. Lice treatments often contain pesticides like permethrin and pyrethrin. You do not need these potent chemicals to kill lice.
My Hair Helpers has a wide selection of head lice removal products available, including head lice shampoos and head lice conditioners. They are made from all natural ingredients that are safe for any age – even babies! For lice prevention, check out our head lice repellent sprays and lice elimination combs.
What about the Rest of the Household – Do they Need Treatment, Too?
If your child has lice, it’s important to have everyone in the household checked for lice. This way, you can treat everyone at the same time and prevent a new infestation from starting. It can take 4-6 weeks for lice symptoms to appear, so you can’t go off the symptoms alone for a diagnosis. You can diagnose lice by wet combing everyone’s hair or taking them to a head lice salon.
For all of your head lice woes, My Hair Helpers is here for you! Contact us today for an appointment or to learn more about our products.
