Mange

[Buddy's mom]

Well the little pitbull I am adopting has come down with mange. Do any of you have any experience treating mange? Since is not congauous I will be continuing with her adoption and hope to have her home soon.

[~8DachsieAngels~]

My Harley has it there are a couple of ways to treat it there is a dip name escapes me right now and there is a ointment Goodwinoil thats what i use on Harley its a genetic skin condition the Demoitic (sp) is anyways that means Harley can not be bred the condition seems to flair up more under stress it causes little spots of fur loss or thinning... Harley doesnt have it very bad just a little on her forehead... depending on age your vet will determine the course of treatment and in my experience Harleys hasnt itched. Good Luck

Jen

<font color="#00FFFF" font size="1">[This message has been edited by ~8DachsieAngels~ (edited July 24, 2000).]</font>

[lilpaws]

What I've learned over the years about mange http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/smile.gif...

Demodectic mange (also known as red mange or follicular mange) is a skin disease generally of young dogs caused by the mite, Demodex canis. It may surprise you to know that this same mite lives, without causing any harm or irritation, on the bodies of virtually every adult dog and most human beings. These small "alligator-like" mites live inside of the hair follicles (i.e., the pore within the skin through which the hair shaft comes through), hence the name follicular mange. In humans, the mites usually are found in the skin of the eyelids and the creases alongside the nose.

When a mite lives in or on the body of another animal, and its gaining nourishment from that animal without doing it any harm, it is referred to as a commensal. If it does harm to that host animal in drawing its nourishment then it is considered a parasite. As we understand Demodex today, it can be either a commensal or a parasite depending on its effect on the host. Whether Demodex causes harm to the dog depends on the animal's ability to keep the mite under control. The dog's immune system and how well it is functioning determines the amount of control.

Transmission of demodectic mites
The mites are transferred directly from the mother to the puppies within the first week of life. Transmission of the mites is by direct contact only. That is, the mother and puppy must be physically touching as the parasite cannot survive off of the animal. This is important, because it means the kennel or bedding area do not become contaminated and therefore the environment need not be treated. Lesions, if present, usually appear first around the puppy's head as this is the area most in contact with the mother. Virtually every mother carries and transfers the mites to her puppies. Most puppies are immune to the mites' effects and display no clinical signs or lesions. A few are not immune and it is these that develop into full-blown cases of mange.

Signs of demodectic mange
Individuals that are sensitive to the mange mites may develop a few isolated lesions (localized mange) or they may have generalized mange in which case the lesions are seen over the entire body. Most lesions in either form develop after four months of age.

The lesions and signs of Demodectic mange usually involve hair loss, crusty skin, and at times a greasy or moist appearance. The mites prefer to live in the hair follicles, so in most cases hair loss is the first noted sign. Usually, hair loss begins around the muzzle and head areas. In localized mange, a few circular crusty areas will be noted, most frequently around the muzzle. Most of these lesions will self heal as the puppies become older and develop their own immunity. Persistent lesions will need treatment which will be described later. In cases in which the whole body is involved (generalized mange) there will be areas of hair loss over the entire coat, including the head, leg, neck, throat, abdomen, and feet. The skin along the head, side, and back will be very crusty and oftentimes inflamed. It will often crack open and ooze a clear fluid. Hair will be scant, but the skin itself will often be oily to the touch. This patient needs a vigorous treatment at once.

Diagnosis of demodectic mange
Once Demodectic mange is suspected it can usually be confirmed by a skin scraping in which the mites can be seen with the aid of a microscope. They are too small to see with the naked eye. The adults appear as tiny alligator-like mites. Remember that these mites are present on every dog so by themselves they do not constitute a diagnosis of mange. The mite must be coupled with the lesions for a diagnosis of mange to be made.

Treating demodectic mange
The treatment of Demodectic mange is usually accomplished with lotions, dips, and shampoos. Localized mange, in which only a few small areas are involved, can often be treated daily with an ointment applied directly to the affected areas. For years Goodwinol Ointment has been used successfully in these very mild cases, or as a supplement with other medications in more severe cases. In mild cases, the puppy probably has some immunity (which is why it was localized and not generalized) and treatment need not be too vigorous. This patient should be carefully monitored to ensure that it does not develop generalized mange.

Once a case has developed to the point that it affects most of the body and is considered the generalized form, therapy must be very aggressive. At this point we are dealing with what may be an uncontrollable, fatal disease. Classically, generalized mange, or even localized forms where the lesions are obviously spreading, have been treated with dips. Today the most frequently used dip is Mitaban, a prescription product produced by UpJohn Laboratories. This usually involves at least two dips done every 14 days. Prior to each dipping, a bath is usually used to remove the debris of dead skin and grease (the latter produced from the inflamed and irritated skin and its associated glands). In severe cases, we use the dip every two weeks for up to eight treatments. Oral antibiotics are also used in generalized forms because the skin will be prone to secondary bacterial infections. The dipping and baths are done until skin scrapings show no mites for two consecutive scrapings two weeks apart.

Timing is an important part of the therapy. At about six to eight months of age, most cases clear when the dog goes through puberty and the immune system becomes fully functional. This is an important point to remember when evaluating and treating a Demodetic mange case. Many of dogs showing only mild or very localized areas affected at five to six months of age will almost always be easy to treat. The goal, basically, is to keep the case under control until they are six to eight months of age. No matter how handled, almost all cases will usually start to recover at this point.

In the last few years they have found two additional medications that have greatly improved our overall treatment results. The shampoo they now use for bath prior to dipping is Oxydex. This is a benzoyl peroxide product that has the interesting property of opening up and flushing out the hair follicles. This immediately forces out huge numbers of the mites that live there. In many mild cases, they have even put them into remission and freed them of clinical signs as long as the Oxydex baths are done weekly. The results of this simple step has been dramatic. The second adjutant to therapy is ivermectin. It has been rumored that it will cure everything under the sun, but that just isn't true. With it they have had very good luck treating Sarcoptic mange (a condition that is often difficult to manage). However with Demodectic mange, if they use ivermectin injectable by itself without any other therapy, they have had only marginal improvement. But if they use it in conjunction with Mitaban and Oxydex, they have had very, very good results.

Occasionally, older animals that are immune-suppressed, as with dogs with cancer, mange may surface and give problems. In these cases, the mite has been living on the adult dog for years and only becomes a problem when the dog's immune system shuts down.

Prognosis and impact on breeding
Demodectic mange is not an inherited condition but the poor immune system that allows the puppy to be susceptible to the mites can be. Remember that all puppies receive the mites from their mother but only a few are sensitive and develop the mange. This sensitivity can be passed genetically through generations. Individuals that have had a history of Demodectic mange should not be bred.



<font color="#00FFFF" font size="1">[This message has been edited by lilpaws (edited July 24, 2000).]</font>

[Penny's Aunt]

Is it demodectic mange or is it the other kind (my mind is going fast), the one they call scabies? Scabies is the easier to treat.

[Buddy's mom]

She has demodectic mange but since I have gotten such great advice I am sure I can treat it at home. She is on Mitaban. Does anyone have expereince using Mitaban? I am limiting her exposure to our other animals until the mange clears up. Thank you to everyone who replied.

[Owen's Mom]

I've heard that pits have a predisposition to mange because of so much poor breeding. Have you considered treating her with Diet and homeopathic supplementation? I'd suggest posting on the ACME board, as it has lots of people with pits who could give you some great advice.

Poor little baby girl!! Hope you can help her kick the mange.
http://acmepet.petsmart.com/club/bboard/fur/index.html <~~link to acme board

[Cindi]

There is no reason to limit her exposure to the other dogs since this is not a contagious disease but a result of a depressed immune system. This could also be a result of stress from being 'available for adoption'. Stress can suppress the immune system immensely. Many dogs, once treated and cured, never have another incidence. If they do have another incidence their immune system is obviously hindered and of course they therefore should not be bred (not a problem with a rescue situation since all rescues normally are spayed/neutered). One of my girls came down with localized demodex after coming in season AND going to her first show. It was too much for her. One dip and she was clear. Mitaban is very easy to use (I work at a vet clinic and do at least one a week.) However, the first one should be done under veterinary supervision as some dogs have a reaction that could be life threatening. It doesn't happen very often but it is something to be aware of.