What Are the Treatments for Mange on Dogs?
External parasites known as mites can be found all over your dog. They normally reside on your dog's hair follicles and skin and are usually harmless. However, some types of mites can cause skin disease, or mange, in both healthy dogs and those with underlying medical conditions. Mild cases of mange can make your dog's life miserable, while severe cases could require extensive treatment.
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Sarcoptic Mange
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Sarcoptic mange, or canine scabies, causes severe itching that can lead to persistent scratching or restlessness. Check your dog for irritated skin, scabs, hair loss or sores, especially on its face, elbows, ears and legs. Light-colored, oval-shaped mites cause sarcoptic mange and can pass easily from one host to another. Treatment begins with isolation to prevent the spread of mange to humans or other pets. Prescribed anti-parasitic medications will help destroy the mites causing the condition. Medications to relieve inflammation and itching can be used to ease discomfort. Your dog might also need additional medication if a secondary skin infection has developed. Noticeable improvement generally begins to show around one month after the start of treatment.
Demodectic Mange
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Mites that cause demodectic mange pass to puppies from their mother within a few days following birth. The mites normally won't cause problems, but mange can develop on occasion. Demodectic mange mites can be passed from one dog to another, but generally won't result in skin problems in healthy dogs. Demodectic mange does not spread to humans or other animals such as cats.
Common symptoms of demodectic mange include sores, scabs and hair loss. Localized demodectic mange causes bald spots in one or two small areas, usually on the face. This type of mange commonly occurs in puppies under 18 months old and clears up on its own in about 90 percent of cases. Generalized demodectic mange occurs in large areas and can spread to the entire body. Extreme itchiness and offensive odor indicate that your dog has a secondary bacterial infection. Dogs with this type of mange could also have underlying health conditions such as a weakened immune system, endocrine problem or hereditary disorder. Demodectic pododermatitis affects your dog's paws and is also characterized by bacterial infections. Breeds such as Shar Peis and Old English sheepdogs face a higher risk of this type of mange.
Oral or topical antiparasitic medications and medications to relieve symptoms can be used to treat demodectic mange. If a secondary infection is present, medicated shampoo or another medication to treat this condition will also be required. Underlying health issues will also need to be addressed in order to manage physiological stress. Long-term therapy might be necessary to treat adult dogs.
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Prevention
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Clean or discard your dog's collar and bedding if it has sarcoptic mange to prevent reinfection. If you have other pets, keep them away from the infected dog and watch for signs of mange. Avoid breeding dogs with demodectic mange, since it can be hereditary. Have your dog's veterinarian perform skin scrapes every two weeks during treatment. Stop using medication once your dog has two consecutive negative scrapes. Bring your dog in for another scrape a month after treatment to make sure that reinfection has not occurred. Keep your dog away from other dogs that exhibit symptoms of mange.
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