by Amelia Bines

Created on: February 13, 2009   Last Updated: February 17, 2009

The sight of a dog with substantial hair loss typically conjures up one word to people's vocabulary: mange. Mange has proven to be a very misunderstood condition, with even more confusion and misinformation surrounding its treatments. To begin to understand mange more clearly, we must first start with the two different types of mange - Demodectic and Sarcoptic.

DEMODECTIC MANGE

Demodectic Mange, or "Red Mange," is caused by a naturally occuring mite that all dogs have known as Demodex. Though most, if not all puppies are exposed to this within the first week of birth from contact with their mother, it typically does not cause negative reactions with the skin. Canine mange is almost always caused by poor health of the dog or unsanitary living conditions.

Dogs with Demodectic Mange do not itch from the condition, but do have irritated and red skin and start with small areas of hair loss. This can make it a hard condition to spot in its early stages.

Red Mange is almost never considered contagious and isolation of a dog with the disease is typically not suggested or required. There is little concern of other healthy dogs becoming infected with Demodectic Mange due to being around a dog with the skin infection, and there is no concern for humans or cats to catch the disease.

TREATMENT FOR DEMODECTIC (RED) MANGE

Treatment for Demodectic Mange can be as simple as providing proper nourishment for a neglected puppy, or as involved as medicated dips and oral medications. Depending upon how severe the mange is, the following are acceptable ways to try to combat the infestation of Demodex:

* Rid the dog of all parasites. This includes using medications to completely kill all fleas and ticks, and also medications to kill any intestinal parasites, or "worms," the dog may have.

* Feed the dog high quality dog foods. For maximum results, check the ingredients list on each package of dog food and only purchase those with a type of real meat as the first ingredient. If the first ingredient is yellow corn, forgo that brand in favor of another. Optimal health helps the dog fight Red Mange more quickly.

* Oral Medications, such as Ivermectrin, have been proven to be effective in killing Demodectic Mange. This should be done under a vet's care due to the high risk of overdosing, and possibly killing the dog.

* Amitraz(Mitaban) Dips provide medicated solutions directly on the problem areas. Clipping of the dog's fur before treatment may be necessary to provide optimal contact and effectiveness.

SARCOPTIC

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