Lice lay eggs (termed nits) on the hair shafts. The life cycle takes about 21 days to complete.

Females lay up to 100 eggs or nits. The nits of the canine biting louse are protected by an operculum and are cemented to the base of the dog's hairs.

Of all parasites, lice are by far the easiest to treat because they are not active in our environment like fleas and ticks.

They are flat, gray, wingless parasites that are about a twelfth of an inch long.  Dog lice are very slow movers.  In fact, they hardly move at all. They do not jump from dog to dog like fleas, but dog lice are still spread through dog-to-dog contact, so if your dog interacts with other dogs on the trail, at the dog park, at your friend's house or in doggie day care, your dog may be exposed.  If your dog shares a bed, or crate, they can be infected. 

 If your dog has been scratching himself more than normal it could be due to lice. Lice are very small, but can usually be seen by the human eye. They look like little black dots and have a clear lining around them. They do not really look like bugs, but more like dirt. It is very easy to see the lice if your dog is infested, but many pet owners miss them especially in cases where dogs only have a few lice on them and they can be very hard to find. They attach themselves to the skin, so you have to push the fur around to look for them. Groomers are often the ones to discover the lice when using a high-powered blow dryer, so it is good to schedule a time to have your dog checked.

Have your dog professionally groomed regularly. It's always good to have another set of eyes check over your dog. If your groomers find anything unusual, they will notify you. You can also talk to your vet about preventive treatments. It is recommended that you put your dog on one of these preventive regimens if you are bringing your dog to a doggy-day care.