Here's a tough one...

[Lisa Carroll]

can a goldendoodle to get "head lice"?  The only reason I ask is my daughter's best friend was over last night, her mom emailed me this morning to tell me (could have told me last night) that her daughter has head lice.  The girl's would be I think easy to to treat - but a doodle? Omg, I can't imagine.

Thank you.

Lisa

 

[Melissa & Porter]

I am pretty sure I read somewhere that the answer is "no."

Best wishes.  When my kids spent the entire day with a pair of kids who turned out to have lice, I drenched their hair in conditioner and wrapped their heads in plastic bags for 4 hours.  Then I covered all the car seats the other kids had sat in with trash bags for two weeks.  We didn't get lice.

[Lisa Carroll]

What kind of conditioner.  I have a 3 and a 6 year old (girls) and they never had it. Is it as bad as they say it is??

[shelly]

Oh Boy!  I hate LICE!  I think I too have heard that dogs don't get it... but I have a friend who's sister opened up a business that takes care of getting rid of lice.  She's here on Long Island, but I bet if you contact her she would be able to help you - maybe tell you what to buy  Her website is : www.deliceful.com . (you can even mention that your friend (me) knows her sister Lorraine). I know come lice season which here is usually the fall, I use lavender shampoo which deters them.  You can also check the website I believe it's fairy tale hair products found it: www.fairytaleshaircare.com   MOST importantly than treating the hair is treating your home which is the biggest headache.... bedding, furniture, pillows, everything... or it will keep coming back!  I wish you luck!!!!! Now I'm itching MY head!

[Melissa & Porter]

Pantene--it's what I had lying around.  Here is a picture of the happy troopers.  How long was your daughter with the other girl?  And at whose house?  That can make a diff.  We were at their house, but they rode for 2 hours in my car.  Hence my strategy to kill live things on my kid's heads and prevent any eggs that might have been laid in the car.  Friends whose kids have had lice swear by combing as the best way to eradicate them.  Of course they chemical-shampoo, launder etc., but those steps w.o the super diligent combing mean little.

[Lisa Carroll]

Thanks.  She was at our house but outside the whole time for about two hours.

[Melissa & Porter]

I wouldn't worry at all then.

[Lindsey]

Oh my...I don't think dogs can get it...but...good question!! I hope someone knows the exact, correct, answer.
I hope your daughter doesn't get it...I had it as a child and it was a pain to get rid of. I just remember sitting in the bath tub as my mom combed liquid stuff through my hair...I felt a lot like a baby monkey, ha!!

[Adina P]

There are lice that live on dogs (NOT common but one of our members' dogs had them) but I  believe they are a different variety than the head lice that lives on people and they don't transfer between dogs and people.  For DOGGY lice, what they did was two applications of Frontline Plus a week apart (?  Don't quote me on specifics though :))

[F, Calla & Luca]

True, they are different lice. Here's what I found at About.com:

Question: Can Dogs Get Human Head Lice?

"My kids have head lice, and we share our home (and beds, and furniture) with two long-haired dogs. Do the dogs need to be treated too?" ~ A Reader

Answer: Thankfully, head lice (Pediculus humanus) are species-specific, meaning they only like, and are transported by, human heads. Human head lice can only live a very short time off a head, and will not cling to the coarser hairs on a dog's pelt. However, do vacuum the dog's bedding well, and your upholstered furniture, and definitely any carpets in your home. Wash all bedding in hot water and use the hottest setting on your dryer to dry them after.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

ARGH! my mouse keeps scrolling me off.  To the best of my knowledge there is no transfer from humans to dogs.  I was told by the vet and my groomer that there is no transfer from dogs to humans.  Dog lice are different.  My dogs are the ones who had them (we think they got them at the dog park or public dog walk area when we were camping.  The treatment is Frontline 3 weeks apart.  It is actually easier than people because you do not pick anything off of them.  Supposedly you don't even need to super clean their surroundings because the Frontline kills all the lice and if there are nits that hatch, your second application kills those and you are done.  Do you think I scrubbed anyway? You betcha!  I put their stuffies in the dryer, vacuumed, dusted, mopped, washed/dried their bedding using lots of heat. But I didn't throw away their brushes and combs (not when I have LesPouchs ones) like I would with a human.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Looks like you got the answer that your dog is safe but what about your kids??? Good luck!

[shelly]

Hi Lisa - just checking in.... how is everything?