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Although the disease is more common in dogs it can also affect pigs, horses, sheep, goats and other domestic animals.
Mange usually occurs in animals that are sick, dirty more often that not, or have weakened immune systems from a different underlying illness.
There are two types of dog mange:
Demodectic mange also known as red mange
is caused by the demodex canis mite. It is said
that these mites feed on the fluids within
the dog's hair follicles causing damage to both
the hair follicle and surrounding tissue. The
mange symptoms involving the demodex mite
can be anything from mild irritation and hair loss
to severe infection and inflammation. This type
of dog mange is usually not contagious from one
dog to another, except from mother to pup
shortly after birth during nursing.
Sarcoptic mange is caused by the skin burrowing mites called Sarcoptes Scabei Canis. As opposed to demodectic mange, this type of mange is extremely contagious among dogs. Symptoms include severe itching, redness, inflammation and hair loss.
Sarcoptic mites can also cause scabies in Humans through the handling of mite infested animals. However scabies in humans only last up to three weeks as they are not the preferred host of these mites and cannot reproduce in human skin.
Dogs with sarcoptic mange should be isolated from other animals. All bedding should be properly washed and treated or discarded. Veternarians diagnose mange through the microscopic examination of your dog's skin scrapings. The current treatments available for dog mange include ivermectin, amitraz and sulfur containing dips.
For more information consult your vet.
I Hope you have enjoyed this article on dog mange.
If you have any questions please feel free to send me an e-mail.
Best wishes,
Randy
My Doberman
