These Invisible Critters Can Make Your Dog Insanely Itchy
They're not always visible to the naked eye, but you can see the damage they can cause when the conditions are right - tremendous itching, bald spots, scabbing and skin sores.
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
If your dog is itching, scratching, and has inflamed skin, it might be a case of either demodectic or sarcoptic mange
Demodectic mange is most often seen in puppies with immature immune systems, and is not contagious
Sarcoptic mange, on the other hand, is quite contagious and can be transferred from your dog to other pets and animals, and even to human family members
The standard veterinary treatment of mange in dogs typically involves potent pesticide dips and other chemical remedies, all of which have side effects
Not every dog with mange needs a harsh healing protocol, so it’s important to consult with an integrative or holistic vet about less toxic options to relieve your pet’s symptoms and resolve the condition
Lots of dogs get “the itchies,” which invariably triggers “the scratchies.” For some it’s just an occasional, short-lived episode; but for other pets, it turns into a chronic problem. Our canine BFFs can get itchy for any number of reasons, but one of the most common is mange. If your furry pal is insanely itchy and his skin is inflamed, he might have one of two types of mange: demodectic or sarcoptic.
Demodectic Mange
Demodectic mange is also called red mange, follicular mange, and puppy mange, because it’s most often seen in young dogs. It’s caused by the mite species Demodex canis, which lives inside the hair follicles, and is usually the result of an underdeveloped or suppressed immune system.
Demodex mites can’t survive off the host, so they move from dog to dog through direct contact. Typically, mites are transferred from a mother dog to her puppies shortly after birth. All dogs naturally carry around a small population of these microscopic mites that under normal circumstances cause no problems, and every mother dog ends up transferring them to her litter.
Most puppies have no reaction, but a pup with a deficient immune system can become overwhelmed by mites. These are the pups who develop demodectic mange. There are three varieties of demodectic mange: localized, generalized, and demodectic pododermatitis.
Localized demodectic mange affects just a few body parts, the most common being the face. The mange will appear as a small patch of lesions around the face. This condition is most often seen in puppies, and typically resolves on its own without treatment as pups become immuno-competent.
Generalized demodectic mange involves larger areas of skin or even the entire body. This variation creates secondary bacterial infections that cause intense itching, a foul odor, and can be very challenging to resolve.
Demodectic pododermatitis is confined to the feet and creates secondary bacterial infections between the toes and the pads of the feet. It is the toughest of the three to get rid of.
Sarcoptic Mange
The Sarcoptes scabiei mite causes sarcoptic mange, also known as canine scabies. Female mites tunnel into a dog’s skin, laying eggs as they go, which causes a significant inflammatory response. In three to eight days, the eggs become larva, the larva become nymphs, and the nymphs become adults. This all happens in the tunnel the females build under the skin. The adult mites then breed, and the cycle repeats itself.
Unlike the demodectic mite, sarcoptic mites can live several days off a host’s body and up to 3 weeks in a moist, cool environment. In the average home, they have a 2 to 6-day life span off a host.
Sarcoptic mange is highly contagious and can infest not only dogs, but also other animals. If you’ve ever seen a squirrel with a bald tail, it’s probably the result of S. scabiei. Scabies mites can also infect cats, pigs, horses, and even people.
Symptoms
Demodectic mange — Demodectic mange causes tremendous itching in dogs thanks to secondary bacterial and yeast infections that are almost always present along with the mites. You’ll probably also notice some hair loss, bald spots, scabbing, and sores on the skin.
Dogs with generalized demodectic mange can become quite ill with a fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy. If this is the case with your dog, it’s important to make an immediate appointment with your veterinarian.
The presence of demodectic mites (which can only be determined with a skin scraping or biopsy) doesn’t confirm the diagnosis, because the mites live in all dogs. There must be both mites and skin lesions for a diagnosis of demodectic mange.
Because this type of mange points to a genetically predisposed weakened immune system, a confirmed diagnosis in an adult dog should always prompt testing for other conditions like Cushing's disease, hypothyroidism, heartworm disease, cancer, or immune deficiency.
There’s no reason to isolate dogs with demodectic mange because the condition isn’t contagious.
Sarcoptic mange — Symptoms of sarcoptic mange tend to vary from dog to dog, but the most common are intense itching and hair loss. Sarcoptes scabiei mites prefer areas of skin without hair, so the first place you might notice a problem is on your dog’s elbows, armpits, ears, chest, belly, or groin.
It’s important to treat a sarcoptic mange infection promptly to prevent it from spreading to your pet’s entire body. Often there will be red pustules and crusting of the skin. Because the mites are intensely itchy, your dog will scratch and may traumatize the skin, which can cause sores and secondary infections.
Dogs with sarcoptic mange must be isolated to avoid infecting other animals or people. Bedding should be thoroughly cleaned or replaced, and the dog’s collar should also be disinfected.
In addition, because the mites that cause sarcoptic mange can survive off a host in your home for several days, your floors, drapes, and upholstered furniture need to be thoroughly cleaned. If you don’t remove the mites from your living space, your dog can be re-infected along with everyone else in the family.
Natural Treatments for Mange
Unfortunately, conventional treatment of both sarcoptic and demodectic mange often involves dipping your dog’s entire body in a powerful chemical pesticide that kills off the mites. These dips can cause harmful side effects such as restlessness, tremors, vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite, and a decrease in body temperature.
Other medications may be given as well, orally, by injection, or via topical application or shampoo. All these treatments involve chemicals that can cause side effects, and while they’re sometimes necessary to cure stubborn infections, starting with the least toxic approach is always wise, especially if your pet’s immune system is compromised.
My recommendation is to consult an integrative or functional medicine veterinarian to explore all your options for eliminating the mites and relieving symptoms. Your dog may or may not need to be dipped in strong chemicals or receive other potentially toxic therapies, depending on the severity of the infestation. Other, less caustic treatments can include:
Lime sulfur dips, which are remarkably stinky, but all natural and very effective. This is an excellent, nontoxic way to get rid of both types of mites without the use of chemicals
Dietary supplements, including omega-3 fatty acids, coconut oil, and probiotics can help relieve itching, improve the condition of your dog's skin, and support her immune function, in addition to eliminating starch from the diet, which feeds skin inflammation
Disinfecting baths using tea tree or neem oil shampoo (it’s important to avoid soaps and shampoos containing oatmeal)
Topical remedies such as neem, cedar oil, lavender oil, and other soothing and healing herb poultices for local lesions
Internal herbal remedies to fight bacterial infection and strengthen the immune system, including echinacea, cat’s claw, arabinogalactans, colostrum, beta glucans, olive leaf, neem, thymus extract, oregano, pau d’arco, and garlic
Homeopathics like sulphur, silicea and psorinum
Ozone skin treatments
Treatment of mange should continue until three consecutive skin scrapings are negative. And because not all scrapings show positive for mites, all symptoms should be resolved, including infected skin and hair loss, before it’s safe to conclude that your dog no longer has mange.
Once your dog has cleared the infection, it will be very important to strengthen and support her immune system so it can defend against parasitic infections in the future.
As always, I recommend a nutritionally optimal, species-specific, fresh diet (make sure to eliminate refined carbs in the diet that will feed opportunistic yeast and staph bacteria), and titer your animals; the goal is to assure our pets are protected against disease without stressing their immune systems unnecessarily.
Healthypets Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor. Dr. Karen Becker cannot answer specific questions about your pet's medical issues or make medical recommendations for your pet without first establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Your pet's medical protocol should be given by your holistic veterinarian.