Lice in cats: do they have these parasites and how to withdraw them

Pets are a great joy and responsibility. In addition to proper nutrition a fluffy pet needs caress and care, constant veterinary examinations. Often, such a problem as lice in cats, remains unnoticed for a long time. As a result, tiny insects deliver a lot of trouble. And, multiplying in large numbers, parasites can bring the animal to extreme exhaustion.

Many are very interested in whether lice are transmitted from cats to humans. Having studied the special literature, we can authoritatively state. They can not live on the human body, but your pet will not feel any better from this. It is extremely important to notice in time whether lice have appeared in cats, and take the necessary measures. Having become acquainted with the material of the article, you will understand what to look for.

Description

For sure, animal lovers know very well how parasites look. However, do not confuse with fleas. Lice in cats appear after contact with infected animals. Insects can be intermediate hosts of intestinal parasites or worms. These are small, wingless creatures with a rounded body and a triangular head. Specific to their host. That is, insects parasitize only on cats. Most often occur in animals with long hair.

Flea or louse

It is impossible to confuse them. The cat flea has a dense, shiny chitinous shell and jumps well. Lice are light brown in color, they really look like human. At the same time, parasites are quite leisurely, and it is easy to catch them. The larvae are smaller in size. Surprisingly, the female can lay between 50 and 70 eggs. In this case, the life cycle is about 25 days. It should be noted the resistance of insects to insecticides. They reproduce very quickly, and get along well with fleas, without interfering with each other, but exhausting the animal.

Symptoms

The owner must know whether lice are in cats, in order to take preventive measures and treatment in time. These insects feed on the epidermis, blood and secretions of the sebaceous glands, and are very fond of accumulating on the neck, head and base of the tail. By checking these outbreaks, you can be certain if the animal is infected.

If the apartment cat, which lives exclusively within its limits, the problem is not so relevant, then for the fluffy beauty that walks by itself, the owner needs to closely monitor. If you notice uncaused itching, anemia and a change in the coat, then it's time to contact the veterinarian urgently. Nits and adults are visible to the naked eye, however, an experienced doctor should prescribe the treatment.

But the main symptom is not even itching. The coat of the infected animal is heavily strewed. In some places, the bald patches can form. Especially a lot of wool on the litter, where the animal sleeps. Running cases can lead to complete baldness. On the skin, blood counts are noticeable. If the wool is light, then on the hairs are visible black dots - feces of parasites.

If there is a strong infection

What danger do lice have in cats? At first glance, it's okay, well, the animal was scratched. But you need to take into account that they breed with lightning speed. If you do not take action, then in a short time the entire surface of your pet's body will be covered with scabs and combs, and insects will still bite.

Lice in cats cause constant itching, irrepressible, disturbing to live, eat and sleep. Parasitizing in wool, insects thinner, make it disheveled and untidy. If an animal has suffered from this scourge for a long time, it can even be visually determined without inspection.

Severe infection leads to eczema. In this case, the skin of the animal forms vesicles and cones, and under them inflammation. Affected areas are very itchy, and, combing them, the cat enters an infection. That is, recovery is impossible until the cause is eliminated.

Duration of disease

We have already answered the question of whether lice live on cats. Yes, and quite successfully. But this is a special kind that will not parasitize on any other animal or person. However, this does not mean that the pet can not be treated. To bring to a state where there are incredibly many parasites, you should not pay any attention to it at all. Most often this problem concerns homeless animals. And to treat it is necessary, because the cat suffers.

How to get lice out of a cat

Initially, you should evaluate the condition of your pet. If there are many combs on the body, then, perhaps, it is not yet worth using insecticides. The doctor will examine the animal and tell you what is best to do. Kittens and pregnant cats are especially sensitive to bites. Especially since lice can infect them with helminths, which also requires correction. In the arsenal of veterinarians there are drugs that affect all parasites that live in both wool and intestines. However, without prior inspection, they are not appointed.

The most gentle means

If the animal is weakened, then you need to choose the safest methods of treatment. In this case the doctor, most likely, will offer shampoo from lice for cats. They contain an active substance, that is, a weak insecticide. Soap foam immobilizes insects, and even those that do not have time to die are easily washed out of wool. However, this method has a disadvantage, lice nests are resistant to such effects, so you have to wash the animal several times to destroy all the larvae when they were born and have not yet laid eggs.

What to do in case of severe infection

It also happens that a few shampoos have been tried, but the condition does not change, that is, they continue to live and reproduce lice in cats. The photo in this case demonstrates a gradual deterioration of the general condition of the fluffy beauty, its exhaustion. Then it is recommended to resort to other options for assistance. More effective means is a special spray.

Use it is recommended only on heavily infected cats. It is very important that there are no deep scratching on the surface of the body. Carefully observe the condition of the pet during the procedure. If salivation starts, vomiting or trembling, then treatment should be stopped, and the pet is shown to the vet.

Prevention of infection

It's best if you warn. Today in veterinary pharmacies are sold a huge number of different means. The best of them are drops on the withers or collars. The second option is very convenient, as it provides long-term protection. But not all cats agree to wear such a decoration.

Therefore, the most popular were drops on the withers. The composition is applied along the spine so that the animal can not lick it. In a short time, the active substance accumulates in the fat cells and the upper layer of the skin. That's how it gets into the digestive tract of insects. In a short time, parasites die. And the effect will last a few more weeks. Hatching insects will also die as soon as they start eating. Against lice it is recommended to perform a re-treatment, so that the effect was certain.

Instead of concluding

No infection is insured against infection by any cat. Therefore, the owner needs to regularly take preventive measures. Fleas are easier to notice, even a few individuals stand out on the body, especially if the wool is light and short. Lice in this case find themselves only anxious animal and hair loss. If you find a pet with these parasites, do not panic, for you they are harmless, and you have to save the fluff.

Address to the veterinarian, he will prescribe an optimum agent which will help quickly get rid of this problem. It is also recommended to lay a few twigs of wormwood on the litter, so that those individuals who settled on it could die. However, it is best to treat the litter with the same means as the animal itself, since folk remedies are not always reliable.