Experiences with mange?

[catz]

Rio has started to get small bald spots around her hips and tummy and scabs on her skin so we went to the vets tonight and they told us it was mange. I'm shocked to be honest, I had always associated mange with the neglected dogs I've seen on the street but the vet assured me it is a mite that she could of picked up anywhere or we could of brought into the house.
They gave her 2 injections and sent us home with bags of tablets and instructions. We have steroids that must be given twice daily, Noroclave 500mg to be given once a day and a bottle of Aludex to bath her in every 3 to 5 days. We have to go in for another shot next Friday.
They told us that it will be a long process getting her through this and it dosen't always work?
Has anyone ever experienced mange in their dog?
I'm so worried about my girl. She usually loves the vets but at one point the needle broke during the second injection and we had to hold her tightly so the vet could try again. I hated hearing her yelp even when I know its for her own good.. I hope she is ok going in again next Friday..

[BowWowMeow]

Is is demodectic mange? If so, the mites are always on them.

Mange is very common in puppies and localized mange usually resolves on its own, without treatment. I have no idea why your vet would give a steroid because the ideal treatment is to stimulate (and not suppress) the immune system so the body resolves the problem on its own. Here they do sometimes treat with ivermectin but it isn't necessary.

Here's Rafi's mange thread. It came back a second time but both times I used holistic treatment and it hasn't reoccured since then. NEEM was the most helpful topical and apple cider vinegar seemed to help too. I also did a lot of immune boosting.

Demodectic Mange--Natural Treatments?

[Warrior09]

Hachi got mange and the vet gave us a liquid dip and told us to mix it with water and wash him down with it and let him dry on his own. Had to it 2 times and it was gone. He had it really bad!!!! legs, chest, back, face and ears. This was when we first got him. He was starved and very very young The vet lied to you, It is treatable.

[catz]

Oh dear.. and I paid nearly 250 for all the tablets! I knew I should of asked here but I trusted my vet because they are usually quite good.
They didnt say if it was demodectic or sarcoptic mange, the wash says its for both and I think the tablets where for the infection from her chewing?
I will read the thread now thank you for your help..

[msvette2u]

Originally Posted by Warrior09

Hachi got mange and the vet gave us a liquid dip and told us to mix it with water and wash him down with it and let him dry on his own. Had to it 2 times and it was gone. He had it really bad!!!! legs, chest, back, face and ears. This was when we first got him. He was starved and very very young The vet lied to you, It is treatable.

Your dog had sarcoptic it sounds like. Demodex is different.

You can just treat with ivermecin (either one).

Demodectic Mange

Sarcoptic Mange

[catz]

Sorry if I sound silly but the vet talked about it like it was very serious and all the tablets they handed us worried me even more. Should I ignore all the tablets they've recommended and just stick with ivermecin and the wash?

[msvette2u]

I wouldn't dip her, either. Ivermectin given daily will get her over the mange. Steroids can make it worse, but can help w/itching.
It might help if you posted pics?

[msvette2u]

Antibiotics can't hurt, I'm sure. If her skin is infected from chewing.



Ivermectin dosage.

[carmspack]

you have to go to the vet and have them identify the mange variety. Is that the dog in question on your avatar . I'm asking because there appears to be a sparse area on the bridge of the dogs nose.

Demodetic mange mites are present in every hair follicle. When the immune system takes a hit there is a period where the balance is disturbed and the mange mites have a population explosion. As part of the treatment you have to strengthen the dogs immune system. A dog with a precarious immune system can be challenged by a growth spurt, teething , first season , which is why Demodectic mange tends to appear in young animals. Sometimes a puppy that gets it first vaccination or too many successive , closely spaced vaccinations will get a few points of mange activity around the lips , nose, above the eyes . If you allow the immune system to mature a bit and vaccinate closer to 7 weeks , rather than 5 to 6 which I know some do , you would have less of an immune challenge.

Sarcoptic mange is just horrible . This is the mite that burrows into the skin and is highly contagious. When a vet sees this they really are to report it to public health (for humans) .
In my area we have a lot of coyotes. About 15 years ago when there was a population boom with limited prey for them we actually saw mangy coyotes walking around , some so horribly bad that they looked like mexican hairless dogs ---. At that time the back acres and fields were off limits for walking the dogs . We stayed in the groomed garden area surrounding the house to minimize chance of infestation.

whatever you do make sure you look after the overall immune health in addition to topical treatment .

Carmen
Carmspack Working German Shepherd Dogs

[Klamari]

Rayne had one little spot of Demodex mange about her left eye when she was 7-8 months old, after I moved into my new house. She was bald on that spot, and it was scabbed and irritated.
I slightly increased her daily dose of vitamin C, my vet gave me Goodwinol ointment and I applied it twice a day (plus a week of antibiotics for a seconday skin infection), and it healed in no time. You could barely even notice the spot after a month. Vet was worried that it would flare again when Rayne went into her first heat but it didn't.