When you see a dog with mange you immediately think it has been abused in some way and that your pup will never look like that. Well actually mange happens in the best of homes and your dog is just as susceptible as any other.
Mange is a condition caused by microscopic mites that bore into the skin of a dog and live their lives about one to two millimeters deep. They lay eggs which turn into larvae which turn into adults who find mates and start laying more eggs and the cycle just keeps going. As ugly as the dog looks, and as uncomfortable he is with the itching, the real threat is infection.
Mange cause a real strain on the dog's immune system as it tries to attack and eject the mites. That immune system can be further stressed by infection caused by the dog's constant scratching and rolling around. When a patch of skin becomes infected and the dog's defenses are weak, then you have the potential for much bigger problems.
Symptoms of mange
Knowing the symptoms is important because even the vet will have difficulty positively identifying mange. The standard test is to take a skin scrapping and placing it under the microscope. Unfortunately only about 20% of the mites are on the surface of the skin meaning there is an 8 out of 10 chance that the scrapping won't show any mites.
Typically mange first shows itself as hair loss particularly on the belly, haunches, ears and face. Bald patches of skin with pimple like bumps are also common with mange. Occasionally there will be a yellowish crust around the bald spot particularly on the ears.
Treatment for mange
The best treatment is prevention and that means using products like Frontline and Advantix which act as mite repellents. However when mange is present then it usually calls for a series of chemical dips which are not pleasant for either the dog or the person giving the dip.
You can help the immune system and the itchy skin by adding a teaspoon of olive oil to his food each day and also crushing up a vitamin E supplement.
Lastly, if you have any other pets in the house you need to treat them as well even if they don't have symptoms as mange is highly contagious. Of course you're going to want to do an extensive cleaning of the house and anything that your dog touched to kill off any mites he might have shed.
Pimple In EarFor more detailed information on dogs with mange and a list of great home remedies for the condition click here.