I seem to be just getting lucky on a few recent posts.....I'm sure it won't last long.. :)
Thank you for the compliment! Karla
Wow Karla! You sure have a lot of great info! I never would have thought of lice, but it sure sounds like it to me.
Most over-the-counter flea shampoos contain some kind of pyrethrins (dervitatives of the chrysanthymum flower) that kill fleas. As Karla mentioned, they should would on lice as well as fleas.
It seems sensible that the same kind of treatment for fleas would apply to lice - treat the dog as well as any place the dog resides. You'll have to vacuum frequently and wash all bedding thoroughly to get rid of eggs and larvae. Your vet is the best person to diagnose exactly what these bugs are, but again, the treatment appears to be the same kind of thing as applies to fleas.
Congratulations to you for rescuing a pup in need. Rescuing isn't easy, as you obviously now know, but the rewards are great. :-)
The best I can up with is possibly Lice, although it's uncommon. They occur in dogs that are run down, sickly or have Low immune systems. They cause severe itching. There are two kinds. Adult Lice are wingless, SLOW moving, pale colored about 2-3 millimeters long. The eggs look like white grains of sand and will be attached firmly to the hair. They do not live long off of their host. They are easily killed with most insecticides, including lime/sulphur, pyrethrins, and pyrethroids. The infected dog and any other dogs that have been in contact should be treated once a week for 4 weeks. Infected bedding should be destroyed. The dog's sleeping quarters and grooming equipment needs to be disinfected....Severely anemic dogs may require blood a transfusion or vitamins & iron supplements......Hope this helps.....It's all I could find...Karla