What?! My Puppy has the Mange!

4/19/2016

Let’s begin talking about puppy health with a little story. You decided to bring a new puppy into your home, and because you are a responsible pet owner, you take your puppy to the veterinarian for a wellness exam. During the physical examination, the veterinarian notices some hair loss is around the eyes and the front feet and points this out to you. You haven’t noticed the puppy scratching in these areas and tell the doctor about the lack of scratching. You think that this must be a “puppy thing,” but the doctor takes some skin scrapings to check for any skin diseases. When the doctor tells you the results, you are shocked—your puppy has the mange. So what exactly is the mange?

The most common type of mange in dogs (and the type found in the puppy from our story) is demodectic mange. This particular form of mange is caused by Demodex canis, a species of mites that lives in the hair follicles of dogs. Demodex is most often found in puppies, but it can also be seen in adult dogs. The most common sign of the presence of Demodex is a noticeable thinning of the hair coat around the eyes, nose, and feet and a moth- eaten appearance on the main body of the puppy or adult dog. It is also possible for an area affected by Demodex to become itchy, signaling a secondary infection of the skin caused by bacteria infection (this is why the veterinarian conducted a skin scraping on the puppy in the story). Pets that are diagnosed with Demodex are not recommended to breed because the mites can be passed to their puppies. Demodex only affects dogs and can’t infect humans.

So, you know what is wrong with your pet, but how do you treat demodectic mange? There are many treatments out there to kill the mites, and the most commonly used treatment is a daily dose of oral Ivermectin. This particular medication can cause severe neurological side effects in certain breeds, so your veterinarian will closely and carefully monitor your pet during the treatment period. If your pet can’t be treated by Ivermectin or you wish to explore other treatment options, another option is bringing your dog into the veterinarian’s office for weekly dips of Amitraz, also known as Mitaban. This medication is applied topically and allowed to dry on the skin of the dog. Possible side effects of this medication are a drop in blood sugar in humans (if the medication is handled incorrectly), and it can be toxic to pets if the wrong concentration of dip is prepared. The final treatment option is a newer one that appears promising but has not been widely studied by drug companies for use in the treatment of Demodex. This newer treatment may be one you will use to prevent fleas and ticks. The next generation of oral flea and tick prevention for dogs has been shown to effectively treat generalized demodicosis in 3 months. So starting your pet on Nexgard or Bravecto for the prevention of fleas and ticks can also give you the secondary benefit of treating and controlling demodex mites.
If you have any questions concerning the care of your new puppy (or older pet), please contact your veterinarian.

12 Comments

Jim link

4/7/2019 11:53:36 am

Such a cute puppy face!

Evan Young link

12/12/2019 08:18:02 am

Great blog...
Pet parents should be aware of the harmful impacts of such parasites on the health of a dog.
Effective precautionary measures should be implemented to get rid of those parasites.
Besides, if a pet is affected by such parasites then suitable medication should be provided according to the recommendation of a veterinarian.

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Jeff Carbine link

1/8/2022 06:52:59 am

I never knew that the most common type of mange in dogs is demodectic mange. It is really good to have it checked by veterinarians for medications. Thank you for the information about pet medication.

Victoria Addington link

10/27/2022 05:54:40 am

It was interesting to know that demodectic mange is the most common type in dogs. My friend wants to protect his dog's health. I think they should go to a veterinary service regularly to ensure proper care.

Bryan Costa link

11/12/2022 02:50:40 am

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Eve Mitchell link

11/16/2022 04:24:47 pm

It's good to know that mange needs to be treated by mediation. I rescued a puppy off the street last week with the hopes of adopting him. I'm worried that he has mange though, so I need to take him to the vet this week.

Taylor Dickson

12/14/2022 05:46:34 pm

My puppy was itching and hair was thinning. Thought it was allergies turns out to be this! Thankfully it was just this and not something more serious.

Jessie Holloway link

12/22/2022 07:40:18 pm

Thanks so much for talking about dog health and how you can tell when it's off. My aunt got a new dog and they want to make sure she knows where to take it if it ever needs some professional care. We've been looking into finding a nearby vet that they get along with to take the dog to.

Iris Smith link

1/3/2023 05:03:58 am

Thank you for stating that Demodex canis, a kind of mite that resides in dog hair follicles, is the cause of mange. In her hair follicles, my dog has mites. I'll take him to the vet clinic to get him examined and treated.

Mia Evans link

2/8/2023 07:30:14 am

I appreciate when you explained that the most common type of mange in puppies would be the Demodex which would live the follicles of the dog. I will keep that in mind and ensure that I ask about the various protection or products we can use to prevent them when I find a veterinary office here in Ithaca, New York. Hopefully, I can become a responsible pet owner even if it is my first time which is why I have been researching about this for the past couple of days.

Adam Golightly link

3/22/2023 05:09:01 pm

Thanks for providing this information about pet medication. I have a cousin who recently adopted a German Shepard puppy and was dealing with mange. It's good to know that there is an effective treatment option available in the form of oral Ivermectin, which should be taken daily to kill the mites that cause mange. Thanks again!

Animal Health Care

What?! My Puppy has the Mange!

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