What Is Demodectic Mange, and How Do I Get Rid of It?
What is It?
Demodectic Mange (or often called
Demodex) is a skin disease caused by mites. These mites are called Demodex
Canis. This mite lives on every
dog. Usually the affected mother gives the mites to the pup
during nursing. Also, sometimes if a pup has
a weakened
immune
system, the
mites will reproduce rapidly and cause problems for the dog. They live
in the hair follicles which cause small patches of red scaly skin and
noticeable hair loss.
So, what should I do?
It is first important to ask your vet what form of Demodex your
pup has. There are two different diagnoses: localized and generalized.
If
your dog has localized Demodex which is a few bald patches here and
there, simply keep an eye on the pup and don't worry about it unless
many more
bald patches begin appearing on your pup. 75% of these dogs will outgrow
or cure the infection on their own. Sometimes in a localized case the
pup will be prescribed Benzoyl peroxide gel. Generalized Demodex is when
the mites start showing up all over the body. The skin will be red; the
pup will lose lots of hair with lots of sores and infection. In this
case a more aggressive approach is usually taken for treatment. Most
vets will recommend Mitaban dips, Ivermectin injections, and antibiotics.
Please make sure the vet is positive that it is a generalized case before
you do the dips. They can be dangerous, and many times the vets
will prescribe the dips for dogs with localized demodex when they do
not need it.
The simple answer is no. Demodex is not contagious to other dogs as they all have mites living on them anyway. It is said that the mite does transfer from the mother to the puppy during nursing because it has such a low immune system at birth. Because of this dogs that have had Demodex should not be bred.
