DEMODECTIC MANGE
Demodectic Mange, also called “Red Mange,” is a skin disease that has been around as long as there have been dogs and veterinarians. It still is one of the most difficult medical conditions to manage successfully in some cases. It is caused by a tiny parasite called Demodex canis which lives in the hair follicles and skin glands of the dog.
Puppies are infected with mites from contact with the skin of their mother while nursing. The mites are present in the skin of many healthy dogs and do not cause disease. It is thought that pets diagnosed with demodectic mange are “immunodeficient”--unable to fight off the mites as a healthy dog would do. This allows large numbers of the mites to appear. Demodex occurs almost exclusively in young dogs (3 months to l year of age). When the disease is seen in older animals, they usually have been afflicted since their youth.
A hereditary predisposition is suggested. Affected dogs should be spayed/neutered to prevent passing the disease on to their offspring. Even though all pups in the litter may not show signs of Demodex, they still may be a carrier capable of passing on the disease to any offspring they produce. Some breeders are irresponsible and persist in breeding pets whose offspring are consistently infected with Demodex. Research carefully before purchasing a puppy. Affected female dogs should also be spayed to reduce the stress of the estrus (heat) cycle, which may cause acute flare-ups of this disease.
Demodectic mange is seen in two forms:
Localized mange is confined to a few small areas usually involving the face or front feet, and is relatively easy to treat.
Generalized mange is one of the most severe canine skin diseases, and treatment is NOT always successful!
The skin of a dog with mange may become infected with bacteria--eventually allowing the hair follicles to rupture, expelling pus. The skin may become dry, crusty, brittle, and ooze serum, blood, or pus. A strong, offensive skin odor may be present due to the secondary bacterial infection. These secondary skin infections are treated with antibiotics, but antibiotics don’t kill the mites, so until those are eliminated, infections will usually recur, requiring long-term treatment.
Animals with small, local lesions of Demodex usually recover well without recurrence. Washing with special shampoo in these localized areas and antibiotic treatment as needed for secondary infection is usually recommended. Repeated skin scrapes are done to look for mites until no more are found.
Diligent, time-consuming therapy is required for full recovery in the severe, generalized cases. Because a defect in the immune system plays a part in this disease, some dogs DO NOT recover! If the skin infection spreads to other parts of the body, the dog may become systemically sick and even die. Severely affected animals that do recover seldom show signs of the disease again. However there are some dogs that require a periodic treatment for the rest of their life to keep the disease under control.
Dips with a product called Mitaban are usually recommended for generalized cases. Most dogs tolerate the dips well but some become ill and other treatments are then required. These cases, or those that are resistant to the dip, may be treated with daily administration of heartworm or flea medications, some of which have been shown to be effective against these mites. These products are expensive when given on a daily basis.
It is also very important to support an affected pet’s immune system with an excellent diet containing high levels of fatty acids, good preventative care, spaying and neutering to decrease stress and prompt treatment of any secondary infections or other diseases.
* Your dog usually will look WORSE for 2-4 weeks after treatment is begun because of the hairs that are already affected when treatment is begun. Recovery takes a minimum of 6-12 weeks in most cases. Many cases fail to respond due to a lack of proper treatment by YOU--the owner!
TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Medication must be individualized to your particular pet's stage of disease and clinical signs present. Please follow the treatment procedures checked below:
( ) Feed a high-quality, well-balanced diet.
( ) Be sure the dog's immunizations are up-to-date and that the dog is free of internal parasites. This is especially important since the dog's immune system is not working as it should be.
( ) Thyroid Hormone Supplement. Give _____ tablets once/twice daily.
( ) Fatty Acid/Zinc Supplements. Give_____ teaspoon(s) once daily.
( ) Vitamin E Supplementation. Give _____ (units/tablets) _____ times daily.
( ) Systemic Antibiotics. Give as directed.
( ) Apply ointment to affected skin areas once/twice each day.
( ) Clip hair as short as possible for more effective skin treatment.
( ) Bring Pet To Clinic Every 7 - 14 Days For Amitraz Dipping.
Amitraz is the only currently approved treatment for demodectic mange. It must be diluted properly and applied in a specific way. This treatment cannot be dispensed. It must be applied in the clinic by trained personnel. A minimum of 6-8 treatments is required. Some require much longer treatment. In mild cases, the solution is applied every 2 weeks. In more severe cases, current research recommends weekly application. The most common side-effect of the medication is drowsiness, which may last 24-48 hours. Please notify the clinic if severe depression exists for more than 2 days after treatment or other abnormalities are noticed.
DO NOT ALLOW THE PET TO GET WET BETWEEN TREATMENTS. DO NOT APPLY ANYTHING ELSE TO THE SKIN WITHOUT OUR APPROVAL. Successful treatment depends on the medication staying on the skin for the period of time between treatments.
( ) Recheck in _____ weeks.
( ) Other:
Recovery rate is approximately 85% with a 6 - 8 treatment procedure in less severe cases. An additional 6 treatments will increase the recovery rate to about 95%. 5% of affected dogs do NOT respond to treatment and will NOT recover. In more severe cases, there are other new suggested treatments which have not been officially approved by FDA for use. We will discuss these additional medications with you if we feel they should be considered in the treatment of your pet.
Be prepared to diligently treat your dog for 6-12 weeks minimum. A common cause of relapses is a failure to treat the pet long enough before medication is discontinued.
Demodectic mange has been around about as long as dogs--and is still very difficult to treat in some cases because of the suppressed immune system present in some of these pets. We are successful, however in most cases.
