What If a Human Comes Into Contact With a Dog With Mange?
Mange is an illness that effects dogs that have been housed with other infected dogs. Humans that come in contact with mange may wonder if the condition can be passed to them and what effects it may have.
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Types
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There are three major types of mange that effects animals: demodectic, cheyletiella and sarcoptic. Demodectic and cheyletiella mange are conditions usually found in the pores of puppies, while sarcoptic mange is the most common type to find on adult dogs.
Function
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Mange is a parasitic illness in which microscopic mites burrow into the pores of a dog's skin and reproduce through laying eggs. The bugs can transfer to humans through contact, though they cannot sustain in a human's skin. After burrowing into a human's skin, the mite dies and cannot breed.
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Effects
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Cheyletiella mange is highly contagious but short-lived. Demodectic and sarcoptic mange can be more serious conditions for dogs, however, requiring insecticide baths and oral medications to completely rid the dog of mites.
Humans
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Sarcoptes mites can cause some symptoms in humans that have come in contact with infected dogs. Symptoms of these types of mange are usually mild, presenting as a temporary itch on infected areas.
Considerations
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There is a race of sarcoptes that have adapted to humans, though they are usually transmitted through human contact rather than through canine/human contact. Infestation of these mites is called scabies, and symptoms include an itchy rash on wrists, elbows and between the fingers.
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