Symptoms and Treatment for Mange in Dogs?
How to Solve Mange in Dogs
I couple of weeks back I posted a Question on Yahoo Answers which didn’t seem to solve my dogs problem. For the last couple of months we have been backwards and forwards to the vets who don’t really seem to look into the issue instead they throw useless medication at her which has so far made her vomit the pills back up.
After a little more research on the internet I suspect that it could be a case of mange. But before I purchase any of the medication and cause her anymore stress I would like to get a second opinion; I am going to be taking her to the vets first thing Monday morning again… But I would really appreciate a professional’s opinion.
Molly has hair loss near her hind legs and around her eyes and nose. There is also a considerable amount of redness around the facial area, I will include a couple of pictures of Molly who’s going to be turning one this month so you can see these areas for yourself. Molly also is suffering from dandruff near her hind legs which you can’t really see from the pictures.
I love my dog and I really want the best for her but it seems the vet’s are only trying to milk us for our money, we have taken her to the vets about 5 times now for the same problem at 2 different veterinarians.
Best answer to the person who can answer these questions:
What are the symptoms of mange?
What is the treatment to mange here in the UK?
Does it sound like Molly has mange?
I just want to thank everyone in advance
Thank you for all the answers, as far as I am aware the only real change would be in her diet and that was from dry food to a mixture of wet and dry food.
I will be taking her to the vet on Monday and will ask for the Skin Scraping test.
That does sound and look like mange, in my opinion based on the mange cases I’ve seen. But it could possibly be other things as well.
Types of Mange in Dogs
First, you’ll need to know that there are two completely different types of mange:
1.) Sarcoptic mange: Highly contagious, and is generally passed from one animal to another. Although she doesn’t appear to have this type.
2.) Demodex (or Demodectic) mange: Not contagious through physical contact, this form is genetic based, and is usually passed down from parent to pup.
The symptoms of mange include: redness, flaky skin, chronic itching or biting, etc… and scabbing in the red/flaky areas. It usually begins on the face region (in my experience anyway), but can appear in other places. As far as treatment in the UK, I’m not sure if it’s any different, as I live in the US.
To diagnose mange, a vet would need to do a skin scraping of the effected areas to look for the mange mite. Keep in mind that Demodex is generally more difficult to see. Has your vet done any skin scrapings to determine that this IS mange?
Also, Demodex can reverse itself. A Demodex flare is caused by something impairing the immune system. This can be a fast change in food, a new allergy, an illness (even a small “cold” can cause it), stress, etc… If it IS Demodex and you can find the trigger, you can usually help the mange with little or no medication involved by simply removing the trigger. Demodex flares can happen at any time during a dog’s life, and can happen at any time that the immune system is impaired.
This could also be a case of allergies, a thyroid issue, etc… Did you change foods before this happened? Have you noticed any fleas? Have you recently moved to a new area? Has anything changed that could trigger an allergic reaction?
Best Treatment for Mange in Dogs
Mange Breeder Pack is designed for the Breeders or people who have several pets with Demo Mange. This pack focuses on attacking the Mange HEAD-ON. It’s easy-to-use, safe and works quickly.
- (2) 8 oz. / 236 ml Sulfinex Cream
- (2) 8 oz. / 236 ml Mange Treatment Spray
- (1) 32 oz. / 946 ml PuraCleenRx Disinfectant Spray
The Mange Breeder Pack offers potent antimicrobial action for your pets’ environment as well their skin to attack the Mange head-on.
Your vet may well be doing the best that he can. If you’re not happy with the treatment your dog is receiving, find a new vet. Finding a vet that you like, etc… can take time, and you may end up going through a good number of various vets.
Skin and Coat Problems in Dogs and Cats
The skin, your pet’s largest organ, acts as a barrier against harmful invasions from the environment. As an organ of elimination, symptoms of disease often show up in the skin and the body rids itself of toxins
Skin problems are probably the most common ailments seen in dogs. Usually they are not a disease in themselves, but a symptom of another underlying problem.
The most common reason for skin problems in both dogs and cats is an allergy. Foods, pollens, dust or medications may cause signs of allergy. Problems can also show up due to dietary deficiency or poor diet in general. Symptoms include such as itching, redness, and poor coat quality.
If no other reason for the problem can be found, it is time to look for food allergies. Changing to a premium or home-made dog food can usually make a big difference in a short time. Often simply adding raw meat to the diet is enough to see an improvement.
If the problem persists, or the pet is already on a healthy diet, then you must look at the specific ingredients in the food. Beef, chicken, corn and soy are the most common allergens, but cats and dogs, like people, can be allergic to anything. Try eliminating the above four things first, if that doesn’t work a more drastic “elimination diet” may be necessary. This usually takes at least 6-8 weeks to get a good reading.
If no food allergy can be identified, or if eliminating an offending food has not solved the problem, then you must look to the environment – inside as well as outside. Once an allergic reaction has been allowed to continue for some time, the immune system is taxed and the body may become sensitive to other irritants.
Play detective! Ask yourself if anything has changed in the house recently; new carpeting, new cabinetry, fresh paint? These things can all give off chemicals which may cause illness. Are the symptoms seasonal? Pollens are a common allergen, and difficult to avoid, especially for a dog. Did the symptoms start suddenly? What happened just before they appeared – vaccinations? Other illness? Emotional upset? Finding and eliminating the cause can be a long and difficult process.
Essential Fatty Acids, also known as Omega-3 and Omega-6 are important nutrients for the skin and coat of dogs and cats. You might also consider certain herbs, such as Milk Thistle or Dandelion, which support the liver and help the body detoxify. There are many natural topical products that can be used to calm the symptoms.
Bathing is not always the answer. If the dog’s coat is dry, bathing may just make matters worse. If you must bathe, use a gentle shampoo. For dogs or cats with itchy skin, look for oatmeal as one of the ingredients in a pet shampoo.
Another common cause of itching and redness for dogs and cats is flea bite dermatitis. Not all animals are allergic, but fleas will at least cause scratching or biting in all pets simply because they are annoying! Flea allergies however, cause the pests to be more than just an annoyance. Symptoms of flea allergy include hair loss, redness, and sometimes sores kown as “hot spots”.
If you suspect your pet has fleas but you haven’t actually seen any, look for the tell-tale black “specks” at the base of the hairs. Fleas particularly love the areas at the base of the tail, ears and hind legs (where they meet the belly). To determine if the specks are flea dirt (dried blood) and not just dirt, put some on a white paper or cloth and wet them. If they turn red, you’ve got fleas.
Some diseases cause symptoms of the skin and coat. Thyroid imbalances may cause dull, flaky or greasy coat and sometimes hair loss. Skin and ear infections are common with Cushing’s Disease.
There are some specific skin diseases as well. Mange is caused by a mite and causes lesions and hair loss, usually around the mouth and eyes. This most often clears up on its own, but some dogs and cats cannot rid themselves of the mites and have a more severe case. Ringworm is a highly contagious fungus affecting cats, dogs and people (especially children). It shows up as circular lesions that are raw, hairless and scaly. The disease spreads rapidly.
Boredom or anxiety can cause a dog to lick its paws repeatedly and constantly, resulting in “lick granulomas”. These are raised nodules, often rough and scaly. There is also a group of autoimmune diseases called Pemphigus which cause scaly skin, scabs and pustules. Some breeds are particularly susceptible to the disease.
Elyse Grau
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/skin-and-coat-problems-in-dogs-and-cats-250087.html
Best treatment for mange. So many-so useless!?
Identifying mange on your pets
Trying to get a diagnosis for mange can be very frustrating. The standard method is to perform a skin scraping and then identify the organism under the microscope. Unfortunately, on average, only twenty percent of the infected dogs will show Sarcoptes mange mites on any given scraping. Therefore, if a dog has a positive skin scraping the diagnosis is confirmed, but a negative scraping does not rule out sarcoptic mange. Therefore, most diagnoses are made based on history and response to treatment for mange.
Symptoms of mange
The symptoms of mange are varied but usually include hair loss and severe itching on the elbows, ears, armpits, hocks, chest, and ventral abdomen (belly). The mites prefer to live on areas of the skin that have less hair. As the mange infection worsens it can spread over the entire body. Small red pustules often develop along with yellow crust on the skin. Because of the severe itching and resultant scratching caused by the mange infection, the skin soon becomes traumatized and a variety of sores and infections can develop as a result. The itching seems to be much worse in warm conditions such as indoors or near a stove or heat vent. If the infection goes on untreated or is mistakenly treated as an allergy, the skin may darken due to the constant irritation, and the surrounding lymph nodes may become enlarged.
Sarcoptic mange
Sarcoptic mange is a somewhat common infection and many cases have often been misdiagnosed as severe atopy (inhalant allergy). Any time we see a dog who does not have a prior history of allergies and develops severe itching, or if the itching is not seasonal but year-round, we have to suspect sarcoptic mange.
The intense itching caused by the sarcoptic mange mite is actually thought to be caused from a severe allergic reaction to the mite. When dogs are initially infected with Sarcoptic mange they do not develop itching for several weeks. If the animals are treated and then reinfected at a later time, severe itching starts almost immediately, which indicates the itching may be due to an allergic reaction. However, the standard treatments for allergies generally will not decrease the symptoms of scabies, and will do nothing to cure the disease.There are several ways to treat scabies. there are several other products that have been extremely effective, safe, and convenient in treating sarcoptic mange. Selamectin (Revolution) is a newer product, which is a topical solution that is applied once a month and provides heartworm prevention, flea control, some tick protection and protection against Sarcoptic mange. Liquid ivermectin is another alternative that is sometimes used. It is used at much higher concentrations that are found in heartworm preventives (e.g., Heartgard). Ivermectin should not be used in Collies or Shetland sheep dogs and should be used with caution in the herding breeds. In dogs that are sensitive to ivermectin, some veterinarians have been having success using milbemycin oxime (Interceptor) at an off-label dose. Both ivermectin and Interceptor should only be used under direct veterinary supervision and care.
the best treatment is from the vets. old fashions dips are dangerous to us and cause health problems to the animal.
You can also get the best treatment for mange here.
