Anyone have experience with demodex mange and dogs?

[prozacnation]

I'm being asked to foster an 8 month old rottie with demodex mange. I've read that it's not contagious but other then that I have no clue. What would I be getting myself into?

Thanks for any help. :)

[unblock]

1. apparently puppies get it from mommy during birth

you apply an ointment that you get from the vet until it's gone. usually no big deal. there's some itching but normally that's about it.

if you let the puppy scratch too much, then you can get open wounds and infections. that's more of a problem.

at least, that was our experience, your mileage may vary.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. check out what this site has to say and check with a vet

http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/dem.html

QUESTION: Is Demodex transmissible to my healthy dog from a dog that is infested?
ANSWER: Healthy dogs are quite resistant to infestations and, as mentioned, may already have a number of mites residing harmlessly in the skin. It is best, though, to not allow your dog to have direct physical contact with a dog that has an active case of Demodex... just to be safe.

Demodex in the dog is a common infestation of the dog’s skin with tiny, cigar-shaped, eight-legged mites. (Human demodex cases do occur but transmission from the dog to a human is quite rare. Nevertheless, human cases of demodex do happen where transmission from a family pet to a human occurs. See a case of demodex in a human below.) The mites reside and feed in the hair follicle and oil glands of the skin. Also called Mange, which is a general term used to A Demodex mite near the edge of the microscope slide... high power view.describe any kind of mite infestation, Demodex is generally less severe than Sarcoptic mite infestation.

Fortunately, most cases of Demodectic mites are self-limiting… that is, the animal is able to arrest the reproduction and growth of the mites and eventually repair the damage they do. Once eliminated, most dogs do not acquire another infestation; the dog’s immune defenses are primed to eliminate any new Demodex mites that happen to find themselves on the dog. However, there are certain individual dogs that, because of genetic programming, do not produce the specific immune factors that will target the mites for destruction. That specific lack of adequate immune defense against the mites is a hereditary aspect of the disease that can predispose an infested dog to a severe, unresponsive case of Demodex. Many veterinarians believe that all dogs have small numbers of Demodex mites residing in the skin and that having a few mites is normal and common. It is when immune related, or nutritional or environmental stresses impact the dog that visible skin lesions from mite infestations become noticeable. Seen most commonly in young dogs, and rarely in cats, Demodex skin lesions are usually transient, but occasionally in certain individuals the mites will totally overwhelm the dog's skin. See the photo below of a year old Doberman Pinscher with severe, generalized Demodicosis that was totally unresponsive to all attempts at treatment. Adult-onset Demodicosis is explained below.

[ezekiel333]

3. Check the Merck Vet Manual Online

Canine Demodicosis

<http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/72005.htm>

[jswordy]

4. Yeah, it's caused by a mite, and there are dips that kill them.

Dogs who get it and can't overcome it are susceptable we think because of an immune system deficiency. They lose hair where the mites are feeding. Common in puppies whose moms had it and passed the mites on.

The vet will tell you it is chronic and cannot be fixed if the dog is susceptible, but you can indeed prevent it by great nutrition and building the immune system. It also helps to use Revolution or other flea and heartworm medications, as dogs who are susceptable to mites also seem more friendly for fleas. And they react to those bites, too, possibly setting up a parasitic cascade.

The whole thing looks more like an allergic-type of reaction to the mite bites among susceptable dogs.

We had two who were mangy, and what I am telling you is what we learned as we rid them of the condition, while the vet all the while was telling us that only periodic dips would keep it away. The dips are hazardous to the liver, so I would not overdo them (The vet probably won't tell you that, either).

Dogs with the condition often have dry, flaky skin and dull hair. Use fish oil or feed sardines in the dog food, and it will bring luster and oil to the skin and hair, and act against mite infestation. You can use localized antibiotic creams like Neosporin to rub into the mite-bitten areas and reduce reactions. My wife used an herbal salve she makes with comfry and calendula in it, and it worked well. There are commercial herbal salves with those ingredients, if you want to try them.

No way I would let something as easily controlled -- or even cured -- as mange keep me from fostering. Message me if you want more info, and I will be glad to ask my wife, who had a major hand in curing our dogs of it using natural remedies. Sue knows her stuff!

[prozacnation]

5. Thanks for all of the info

Thank you for your advice/info. I will definitely not turn the dog away because of mange. His owner surrendered him because they didn't want to pay for the treatment. Apparently, the shelter doesn't want to deal with it either. I think this is the dog's last day to find a foster home before they put him down. Did I mention people really suck? Just because your dog gets mange doesn't mean he deserves to die.