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by
Shawn Messonnier DVM, author of the award-winning The Natural Health
Bible for Dogs & Cats. Join over 5 million satellite radio
listeners and listen to Dr. Shawn each week on his award-winning show,
Dr. Shawn-The Natural Vet, on Martha Stewart Radio Sirius 112, Tuesday night from 8-9 PM EST.
Mange - A Common Problem for Many Pets
Few skin diseases cause as much concern among pet owners as occurs when mange is diagnosed. In years past, mange was often a death sentence for many pets, as there were no good foolproof treatments, and those few that were tried are very toxic to pets. Fortunately mange is now more easily diagnosed and more effectively treated. This article will talk about the two types of mange, the proper way to diagnose mange, and review current therapies you may wish to consider if your pet is diagnosed with this common skin problem.
Microscopic parasites called mites cause the disease called mange, and
there are actually 2 different types of skin mange. The first and most
common type of mange is called demodectic mange, often referred to as
read mange. This type of mange most commonly occurs in young puppies
and causes areas of hair loss and sometimes scaling of the skin; these
pets are rarely itchy. When they do itch, it seems to be the cause of a
severe mite infection were secondary bacterial infection of the skin.
Demodectic mange is caused by the demodectic mange mite. All people and
animals harbor this mite in their hair follicles, as it is acquired
from the mother within hours of birth. Normally these mites knew if
quietly within the hair follicles, not causing any problems. In those
pets with a genetic defect of the immune system, these normally quiet
and innocuous mites begin to reproduce uncontrollably, causing the
disease we call demodectic mange. Since this type of mange is an
inherited disease and occurs as a result of a suppressed immune system;
affected pets should not be bred.
Since older dogs and cats normally have more mature, "competent" immune
systems, demodectic mange is rare in these older pets. When it does
occur in older pets, it is important to look for any problems that may
have occurred to affect the pet's immune system (cancer, chronic
steroid therapy, infection with the feline leukemia or immunodeficiency
viruses, etc.) The demodectic mange is considered an inherited but not
transmitted disease, although there have been extremely rare reports of
pets contracting this type of mange from an infected pet.
The diagnosis of demodectic mange is most often made by a simple
laboratory test called a skin scraping. The debris collected from the
scraped area of skin is examined microscopically for the presence of
the mange mites, which are usually readily visible. In those pets in
whom demodectic mange is suspected but which fail to show the mites on
a skin scraping, a skin biopsy can be done which will reveal the mites
in the hair follicles.
The second type of mange is called sarcoptic mange in dogs or notoedric
mange in cats. Both of these types of mange are caused by a different
type of mite. It can occur in pets of any age and is not associated
with suppression of the immune system or inherited from the mother.
Unlike demodectic mange, sarcoptic and notoedric mange are very itchy
to the pet. Both sarcoptic and notoedric mange are transmissible to
other pets and people via close contact with infected pets and anything
that has contacted the infected pet (bedding, brushes, etc.)
Diagnosis is also made by microscopic evaluation of a skin scraping,
but the sarcoptic mites in particular are much harder to detect than
demodectic mites (up to 50% of infected pets may not show mites on
multiple skin scrapings.) Treatment is often begun based upon clinical
suspicion of the disease if the clinical signs (itchy, scaly skin) are
seen even if the mites are not detected microscopically. When in doubt,
seeing the mites on a skin biopsy or seeing a positive response to
therapy in the treated pet are useful diagnostic tools.
All three types of mange respond very well to conventional therapies.
There are different therapies for each type of mange. These dips must
be properly prepared and the person applying the dip should wear
protective clothing to minimize contact with the dip. The pet should be
carefully monitored for the occurrence of rare side effects (lethargy,
bloating, tremors, vomiting or diarrhea) for about 8 hours following
the dip. While I prefer not to dip pets except those with severe
generalized disease, in most cases the dips can be safely applied and
are quite effective.
For pets with demodectic mange, a potent dip with the chemical amitraz
is applied every 1 to 2 weeks for 6 to 12 treatments, or until the
mange mites are no longer seen on to success of skin scrapings. While
most pets respond to this regimen the, some fail to do so. For these
pets, other therapies such as ivermectin or milbemycin are administered
for 6 to 12 months are longer.
A word of caution is important regarding dipping pets with mange. These
dips must be properly prepared and the person applying the dip should
wear protective clothing to minimize contact with the dip. The pet
should be carefully monitored for the occurrence of rare side effects
(lethargy, bloating, tremors, vomiting or diarrhea) for about 8 hours
following the dip. While I prefer not to dip pets except those with
severe generalized disease, in most cases the dips can be safely
applied and are quite effective.
Sarcoptic and notoedric mange can be treated with several of the new
topical insecticides used to control fleas and ticks in pets, with
Lyme-Sulfur dips, or with ivermectin. These types of mange can usually
be cured within 1 to 2 months of starting therapy.
To minimize the number of dips needed to successfully treat mange, I
always like to combine the dipping with several supplements to help the
pet heal as quickly as possible. Some of my favorite natural remedies
include echinacea, arabinogalactans, astragalus, and homeopathic
sulfur, all of which are administered orally. Using supplements such as
echinacea, arabinogalactans and homeopathic sulfur (good for many skin
disorders) to boost the immune system is helpful in reducing the number
of dips needed to treat the mange.
Topical aloe vera, vitamin E, and tea tree oil can be used for pets
with mild disease; these topical remedies are applied to localized
lesions on the pet. Since the true oil can be toxic to many animals,
only approved product should be used for this species being treated,
and label directions must be followed closely.
While sarcoptic and notoedric mange can be prevented by minimizing
exposure to infected pets, demodectic mange cannot be prevented in this
way. All puppies and kittens acquire demodectic mites from their
mothers within hours of being born. All pets (and people) have these
mites living normally within their hair follicles, and most of the time
these mites (normal inhabitants of the skin) do not cause problems.
Pets with immune system deficiencies can develop demodectic mange when
these mites reproduce and excessively colonize the skin. The only good
way to try and prevent this condition is to keep your pet as healthy as
possible, and to avoid breeding pets that have developed demodectic
mange.
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Used with kind permission from Dr. Shawn
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About the Author
Shawn Messonnier DVM, author, the award-winning The Natural Health
Bible for Dogs & Cats. Join over 5 million satellite radio
listeners and listen to Dr. Shawn each week on his award-winning show,
Dr. Shawn-The Natural Vet, on Martha Stewart Radio Sirius 112, Tuesday
night from 8-9 PM EST.
www.pettogethers.net/healthypet
http://www.petcarenaturally.com/
Check out Dr. Shawn's new book, The Natural Vet's Guide to Preventing and Treating Cancer in Dogs, NOW AVAILABLE! www.petcarenaturally.com/bookpromo2007
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