Sarcoptic Mange

[gmacleod]

Wow. I don't think I've ever heard of a vet "diagnosing" sarcoptic mange and prescribing treatment, without confirming the diagnosis with a skin scraping before.

As for generalised demodex, the facts there are that only 10% of individuals affected by demodex go on to develop the generalised form. And of that 10%, 30-40% of them will still recover all on their own. It really is only the remaining few individuals who are incapable of recovery and who require aggressive treatment. Since your pup has had her immune system further stressed with treatment for sarcoptic mange, you've got to figure that there is a very strong chance that with that treatment halted and her immune system boosted instead, she would have a very good chance of recovery without further chemicals.

If you do feel you need to treat the mange (beyond the standard high quality diet/supplements, and elimination of immune system stresses (no chemicals, no flea treatments, vaccination or elective surgeries - all of which assault the immune system), then there are far gentler things you should try before even considering mitaban dips as an option. That is a serious poison that poisons the dog right along with the mites. With mitaban, it is a case of seeing who succumbs first - and it is not always the mites :(

Alternative treatments that should certainly be tried first are goodwinol ointment (applied topically), then oral ivermectin or interceptor. And only if all that fails should you ever consider using mitaban - it is the treatment of last resort.

Do a search of the forums for previous threads about demodex, there is a ton of useful information there.

 

[Charlie809]

Lots of Info

Wow, you weren't kidding. There are a lot of threads about this problem -- demodex. Based on what I read, Charlie certainly has generalized mange. His entire face is losing hair along with his head and multiple spots on his sides and legs. From what you say, he can recover all on his own? I want to believe you, but I find it very hard to understand. He is so small, and this problem appears to be so big. His head and now his face are developing soars from the scratching. I saw his sister the other day, and she looks worse. Her face is all cracked and her mom says she his getting blood all over the furniture. I don't care about the furniture; it's old anyway. But I certainly don't want him to bleed. If we let this take its course, how do I prevent the itching and scratching so he can go thru this with some level of comfort?

Also, you mentioned that the mitaban could kill him. If we don't treat with chemicals, can the mange eventually kill him?

We are already feeding him Innova, which I understand is a very good food -- turkey base, high protein, no by-products or corn. What do you mean by other supplements?

I haven't given him any flea treatments in the last few months. I haven't given him any heartworm preventatives in the last month either, but he has gotten a fair amount of invermectin from the s-mange treatment. Is it a good idea to stop the heartworm chewables for now?

I really appreciate your help. This is calming me down, even if just a little.

Thanks!

 

[gmacleod]

Mange is not a fatal disease. It is hair loss, really. And while in the generalised form can become rather uncomfortable and unsightly, it is not of itself an overwhelming problem. The only dogs (and there aren't many) who end being euthanased with demodex are those who're so immuno-suppressed that they are battling a range of other serious issues as well.

Anyway, most dogs will recover from demodex on their own - all those with only localised mange should be capable of it. Even amongst those with generalised demodex, a reasonable proportion (30-40%) can still do it all on their own, but some form of treatment is usually given anyway - because of the possibility that the dog will be one of those who can't recover alone. So if your guy has generalised demodex, treating him is wise, but I would still hold off on the mitaban until and unless all other treatments fail.

Further treatments of ivermectin is probably the best course. Or you could consider interceptor (it's a heartworm treatment, but also useful for demodex). It may appear to get worse before it gets better (in reality, it's just already damaged hair falling out) but these sorts of treatments carry far less risk than mitaban.

Here's a short veterinary article about demodex. It's a bit too pro-mitaban for generalised mange for my preference (this is a drug that's been withdrawn from the market before for it's toxic effects, but you don't see that mentioned by many vets!) but it gives a good overview of the issues: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1352&articleid=729

Oh - and on food/supplements. The Innova kibble you're feeding is a good one, but many people find that adding supplements such as missing link to kibble diets helps a lot with demodex.

 

[Charlie809]

You're a real help...

Thank you very much for all your input. I now realize that even though this looks bad, it certainly is not the worst ailment Charlie could have. He is still scratching unfortunately, but we'll deal with that -- I suppose. I read something about fatty acid supplements being used to boost his immune system or stop the itching. I've read so much that I'm starting to mix sources. Do you have any advice concerning that?

I've been keeping him from play dates because I didn't know how he would act around other dogs right now. When I took him for a walk yesterday, we ran into one of his play pals. They plays on leash for about 20 minutes, and Charlie had a great time. There's probably something to be said for companionship during sick times. We made plans for a play date tomorrow. We'll see how that goes.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks. He's not getting better at the moment, but I feel more upbeat about the whole situation. This really is a great environment for boxer owners.

 

[gmacleod]

Yes, Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids are generally helpful. good sources of those include oily fish (like sardines, mackeral), fish or salmon oil, olive oil and flaxseed. That's actually one of the major reasons many people go for missing link - it contains those and a few other things besides. I'd happily recommend that supplement for all except dogs who suffer allergies (in addition to the good things, there are a couple of things not great for allergy sufferers). You can go either way though - just buy the missing link, or alternatively, add some flaxseed and oil to his food yourself.

 

[Charlie809]

Oh, "THE MISSING LINK." I get it now. That's actually a product. I thought it was some mysterious thing that I haven't figured out yet. Well, I guess it was. But, I understand now. I did a search on Google and saw that it's actually a powder supplement. I think I'm really getting the hang of this now.

 

[Shotze's Mom]

Just to give you a little hope for the future, check out my gallery. Shotze had a severe case of generalized d-mange and secondary staph infection. Her face popped open from the infection and had to take a trip to the e-vet before we finally got diagnosed. A daily dose of ivermectin cleared her up in a few months. She DID look worse before she got better though. There is hope for babies with d-mange. Try bathing with betadine scrub to cut down on surface bacteria and feed sardines and missing link as you were told by the gracious moderator. Also if scratching is a problem try putting socks on the feet, this keps the nails from damaging the skin anymore.

Hope your baby gets better soon. ((hugs to yall from Texas))