In my parasite series this week, I will tell you everything you never wanted to know about those lovely skin parasites...mange mites!
Mange, what an ugly word. Nobody likes to deal with it. Mange can be a difficult and messy thing to treat.
Mange is caused by a parasitic mite that burrows into the animals skin or nestles into the hair follicles, which is what causes the itching. There are two primary forms of mange, sarcoptic mange and demodectic mange. These two forms are very different. They are caused by different mites, present with different symptoms and deal the animal varying amounts of misery.
Sarcoptic mange usually centers around the face and ears, but can also appear on the legs, especially at the joints, and even on the feet. Sarcoptic mange is contagious, even to people, though in people, usually the only symptom is a slight itching that goes away without treatment. Itching and hair loss are the primary symptoms of this parasitic infection in dogs. It is sarcoptic mange that causes the intense itching. Infected animals will scratch themselves raw, allowing secondary skin infections to take hold. It is those infections that will make an animal with sarcoptic mange ill. The good news is, sarcoptic mange usually responds well to treatment. The primary form of treatment for this parasite is weekly injections of Ivermectin. Some breeds of dog do not do well on this treatment though, and they will be treated with a weekly Lyme Sulfur dip. BEWARE: Small dog owers take note...this dip is VERY toxic and has been known to do small breeds more harm than good.
Demodectic mange is a little different. The mites burrow into the hair follicles, which causes the hair loss. Dogs with demodectic mange rarely have a great deal of itching, which helps to keep the secondary skin infections from setting in. The primary symptom of this parasitic infection is hair loss. However, the hair loss can vary from one very small patch, to complete hair loss over the entire body.
There are two types of demodectic mange, and they get get their names from the amount of hair loss associated with the infection. Localized demodex is confined usually to one or a few small patches of hair loss, and is generally seen on the torso, but may also appear around the ears or hauches. Generalized demodex is the term for the wide spread hair loss. There is a higher risk of secondary infections in the generalized form.
Demodex is usually considered the "puppy mange" because it is not often seen in healthy adult dogs. Unlike sarcoptic mange, all dogs carry the mange mites for demodectic mange. They contract them from their mother shortly after birth. In most dogs, the immune system keeps these mites in check, but in animals with underdeveloped (in puppies) or weakened (in animals who have been ill) immune systems, the mites are able to flourish. Treatment of demodectic mange is usually the same as in sarcoptic mange, but demodex does not usually respond quite as easily to it. This form often requires a longer treatment cycle. However, the good news is, a great many cases of demodex will clear up without treatment. As the immune system gets stronger, the dog's body will once again be able to bring those mites under control.
So, if you see patches of hair loss on your dog, or if your dog begins to constantly and sometimes violently scratch himself, you should suspect mange and take him to the vet for a skin scrape test. These tests are not the most pleasant, and will leave a little sore for a few days, but they are the only means for detecting mange. Sarcoptic mange must always be treated, but if you have a small breed dog with localized demodectic mange, my recommendation is to do nothing unless it becomes generalized or fur doesn't grow back on its own after a couple of months. For small breeds, the cure really can be much worse than the disease!
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