Mange Disease in Dogs
When you welcome a dog into your family, you commit to doing everything humanly possible to keep him healthy and happy. But sometimes, despite your best efforts, pets suffer from uncomfortable conditions such as mange disease. There are two types of mange disease that can affect dogs -- sarcoptic mange, commonly referred to as canine scabies, and demodectic mange, also known as red mange. Fortunately, if mange disease is properly diagnosed, both types are treatable.
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Causes
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According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, "sarcoptic mange is caused by mites that are oval-shaped, light-colored and microscopic. All dogs raised normally by their mothers possess demodectic mange mites (Demodex canis), which are transferred from mother to pup via cuddling during the first few days of life." Dogs have parasites that naturally inhabit their hair follicles and skin. When there is a sudden spike in the number of these parasites, it can result in a number of health conditions, including mange.
Symptoms
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Demodectic mange disease causes skin lesions, hair loss, immune disorders, redness and sores on the skin. Demodectic mange can be localized--meaning that only one or two areas of the body are affected--or generalized, where several areas of the body are infected. Generalized mange is more severe than localized mange and requires immediate treatment. Sarcoptic mange causes intense itching in dogs. The violent scratching that the itching causes can eventually lead to bald spots, skin redness, sores and scabs.
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Diagnosis
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If you suspect your dog has mange disease, see a veterinarian immediately. The vet can easily identify the condition by doing a visual inspection of the skin, assessing present symptoms and scraping the skin or plucking hairs to identify the parasites under a microscope.
Contagious
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Sarcoptic mange can be passed from pets to humans, causing mosquito-like welts and itchiness. So if your pooch has this type of mange, he needs to be isolated until treatment is complete. Demodectic mange is not contagious to humans. However, the Demodex mites that cause demodectic mange can be passed from canine to canine. But these mites don't usually harm healthy dogs.
Treatment
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Localized demodectic mange often goes away without treatment. But an antibacterial shampoo and a specialized lotion on the infected regions may be recommended. Generalized demodectic mange disease requires treatment with antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections and specialized dips to kill Demodex mites. Sarcoptic mange is treated with antiparasitic medications to get rid of mange-causing parasites. A medication to soothe the itching and inflammation may also be used. Treatment for mange disease in dogs can last up to 10 weeks.
Considerations
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Since demodectic mange disease is believed to be genetic, neutering a pooch that has this condition is recommended.
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