HELP! Demodex question

[Konah's Mom]

I feel like the worst mom on the planet. My 4 month old baby Konah has demodex! I noticed some pink patches on him (easy cause he's white!) that were losing hair and he was scratching a lot. So (i love our vet and he humours my paranoia, he has boxers too and so we bonded, he's great) So our vet took some scrapings and sure enough it was demodex. My questions are, is there anything i did or didn't do to make him get this? The vet said puppies are prone because their skin doesn't recognize when the mites are taking over (since all dogs have the mite on their skin naturally) and he showed me tons of info in a medical book but it didn't answer these questions. second, is it supposed to get worse before it gets better? He has more patches now even though he's been on the meds (ivomec) for four days.

Third is more of a moral question, my vet said petsmart will kick you out of obedience classes due to other owners protesting, even though demodex is not spread from dog to dog (or to human thanks god). He reccommended not telling my trainer unless she asked, based on the fact she may have to report it due to her contract. He's been doing so well in class and we only have two classes left that i don't want to be kicked out but my conscience (which is and always has been overactive) is making me feel really guilty. I don't know what to do!?! Our trainer is great and i want to continue when she moves to her own facility next month but i don't want Konah to get kicked out with 2 classes left...what would you do?
(our vet has fought persmart on this same thing before, sending them literature and notes and everything saying it cannot be passed from dog to dog). I'm so paranoid about it that i wasn't sure i wanted to post until we were done classes in case petsmart found out *L*but i knew my boxerworld compatriot's would at least offer sympathy.

Sorry this is so long....i'm crazy protective of my sqwooshy face boo man.

 

[Jan]

You are not at fault in any way. You could look at ways to boost the immune system. (Do a search) I certainly wouldn't tell petsmart as it is none of their buiness. It is not contagious and is not transferred from dog to dog.

Good luck!

 

[kjames7148]

I agree with Jan totally. I WOULD be your responsiblility to tell PetSmart if your dog had a contagious infection or disease (kennell cough for example), but since he doesn't; it's none of their business.

Just get through your last two classes and your home free.

Re: Demodex.

Been there!!! Clyde had it for probably a year and a half due to a terrible immune system. I have two other boxers who didn't get it at all......definatly not contagious. Don't worry so much. Just keep up with what the doc tells you and it'll go away eventually.

Good luck to you,

Karen

 

[Maniago]

. My questions are, is there anything i did or didn't do to make him get this?

No, you did nothing. Demodex is brought on when a weakened immune system cannot fight off the mights. You can do a search and pull up lots of imformation. I would re-think the ivomec.
Do a search on boosting the immune system.

is it supposed to get worse before it gets better?

It will appear to get worse before getting better.

This is Grace at her worst, with demodex she has been completly cured for almost a year

Check this link for some general info

 

[Konah's Mom]

Thank you so much! I don't know why i feel guilty and i guess i'm scared that it might progress to that yucky stage where it gets scaly and scabby. it looks so painful and i don't want him to go through that. Thanks though!

 

[Rlr.Giraffe]

Poor Konah! I agree with the other posters about not telling Petsmart. In the meantime, work on that immune system and get Konah feeling better soon. We're thinking about you!!! Big licks from Willis.

 

[Marley's Mom]

I am going through the exact same thing right now! Both of my 4 1/2 month old pups have this but we have been treating them with dips. I would not tell Petsmart at all unless they ask. We are also doing training with a private organization, and the trainers are both very familiar with the condition and even suggested some things we can do to help our pups! It's very true it will get worse before better, Marley was so bad after his first dip with itching that we had to put him on some medicine to make him stop! Luckily after the second dip he is feeling so much better and the hair loss has not gotten any worse, in fact it's growing back in some areas!

 

[Konah's Mom]

Thanks Jen! Maybe someday we can organize a bash or a get together where Willis and Konah can meet!

Marley's Mom-What kind of dip? We only have a shower so will it work like a shampoo? I have leftover antihistamine's from when he had ear mites but i'm worried about mixing those with the ivomec.

Yeah, unless my trainer asks i'm not going to tell. Its only two classes and i think he might get some awards (he's a star! our vet said "he's the best trained boxer i've seen" i think he was just being nice but still!) he can sit, stay, down, spin, shakeleft and right, high five, here, heel, leave it and give it. of course at the park all bets are off and he's deaf.

Is there any shampoo i can buy that's anti-itching? we have oatmeal shampoo but it's not really working...

 

[Rocco850]

Don't blame yourself! As everyone has said here, boost that immune system! Petsmart would kick you out? We took Rocco to classes there and he was still going through treatment, some asked what was wrong with him. We politely told them that he has Mange and there is no way that their dogs can get it, so don't worry. Now he's a graduate (Even though I think the trainer thought him being the class clown was cute, and that's what passed him ) Take a look at these pictures in my gallery:
Rocco Before1 and
Before2
and Rocco Now. See, your pup will get better, just do a few searches here. I know a lot of us have talked about it many times here and we talked about the shampoos, treatment, food, and many other issues about Mange that you will find useful. Good luck.
If you think Petsmart will give you a problem, then print up some brochures of you own and hand it to anyone who turns their nose to you.

 

[BeckyNC]

My girl Tae had Demodex this summer. The vet opted to watch it, and hope her immune system could fight it off, but no such luck. She was on ivermectin for 8 weeks (just finished last Friday!) and she recovered quite quickly once I started her on it. In fact, after one month, she had clear scrapings, but the vet felt she should stay on ivermectin for 30 days after a clear scraping. I was not happy about this, but I did not want to take a chance that it might recur.