Common Disease Name:
Mange, scabies
Medical Term for Disease:
Sarcoptic mange
Species Affected by Disease:
Age Animal Usually Affected:
Any
Commonly Affected Breeds:
Any
Sex Usually Affected:
Any
Disease Symptoms:
Intense itching in areas with thin hair such as belly, chest, elbows, hocks, ear margins, and around eyes. There will be skin crusts and scales, evidence of self trauma, and sometimes skin infection. Poor response to steroids is a sign that it might be mites. In multiple dog households, more than one dog usually shows symptoms.
Method(s) of Diagnosis:
Skin scraping may find mature adults and eggs, but they can be difficult to find. Any dog with clinical signs suggestive of sarcoptic mange should be treated for scabies, even if skin scrape results are negative. Sarcoptic mange can resemble pruritic impetigo in young puppies. Always consider sarcoptic mange as a possible cause of pruritus in an allergic dog that is no longer responding to corticosteroid therapy.
Disease Causes:
Infestation with the mite, Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis.
Treatment:
Baths and dips. Prescription Ivermectin should be used with extreme caution in collies, Shetland sheepdogs, old English sheepdogs, Australian shepherds, and their crossbreeds because Ivermectin toxicity is more likely to occur in herding-type breeds.
Prognosis:
Excellent. All dogs in the household should be treated. Response to treatment should be seen within 2 weeks. If none is seen, make sure the treatment protocol is being followed.
Complications:
Can be passed to other animals and to humans. People that come in close contact with an affected dog may develop an itchy, bumpy rash on their arms, chest, or abdomen. Human lesions are usually transient and should resolve spontaneously after the affected dogs have been treated. If the lesions on people persist, advice from a human dermatologist should be sought.
Prevention:
Once a dog is diagnosed, he should be isolated until the disease is under control. Also, bed linens should be cleaned to prevent the spread to humans.
Medicines Used for Treatment of Disease:
Anti-seborrheic shampoo bath followed by total body treatment with 2% lime sulfur solution (LymDip), Mercaptomethyl phtalimide (Paramite) dip or Ivermectin orally or by injection (This is extra label use and is not approved by the FDA for treatment of sarcoptic mange) Antibiotics as needed for secondary bacterial infection and short-term steroids if needed for severe itching.
Helpful Products:
"Revolution @” will help prevent infestation in multiple dog households. All dogs exposed should d be treated even if showing no symptoms.
