localized demodectic mange in puppies

[chowNcharge]

It is hard to take pictures of little hairless spots with a camera phone.. but I am pretty sure my new puppy has demodectic mange. Its localized and the skin looks healthy... just missing some hair!

Has anyone else had this with their puppies? I have had a couple of fosters that had it, and in a couple of months it was gone and to my knowledge never came back again. it usually starts to happens if one of the females come in heat (where i foster does not alter dogs until they are adopted)

Is it common to take your dog to the vet for it? I understand if the hairloss is getting worse, or its seems pretty bad you should go to the vet, but if it is just a few spots here and there... or a little on the eye lid I was always told that it was fine and not to worry unless it got worse.

Thanks! here is a picture of some hairloss on the face.
it is also found on his legs, and the corner of his mouth. I counted three spots on his leg and one corner of his mouth. and what you see on this picture.

[Dizzy]

I would say it's worth going to a vets... mange can spread. And what if it ISN'T?

I'd deffo book an appointment, and I'm not the sort of person who goes running for every tiny ailment!

[Aleron]

I've seen my fair share of Demodex, it's fairly common in young puppies and especially young puppies of certain breeds. The mites which cause it are something all dogs have but when the immune system is weakened or just immature, the mites breed in larger numbers and cause the symptoms you are seeing. IME it's best just to let it be, as the "treatment" for it tends to be worse than the Demodex (very toxic). The vast majority of cases of Demodex will clear up on their own with no treatment.

If you want to feel like you're doing something for it, you can go the natural route and try to support your dog's immune system. This has some ideas, if you want to go that route but also keep in mind - it usually just clears up on it's own : http://www.thewholedog.org/artDemodex.html

[chowNcharge]

thanks
I did put him on a grain free dog food, and gave him a couple of good baths in a tea tree based shampoo.

I read somewhere that it MAY help to put the drops for ear mites onto those spots (i wouldnt around his eyes, but maybe his leg spots?)
has anyone else heard of that?

[Southpaw]

Well it certainly wouldn't be a bad idea to go to the vet just to confirm that it is, indeed, demodex.

If the only issue it's causing is hairloss I wouldn't worry about it. Juno had it as a pup and hers took a long time to clear up, but hers was just a patch of hairloss on one hip so other than being ugly lol it wasn't affecting her enough that I felt the need to pursue treatment, and the vet was actually the one to recommend just leaving it be.

Ivermectin is the standard treatment, but Promeris is also approved for treating it, which is just a monthly flea & tick preventive. So it's easy enough.

I would say it's worth going to a vets... mange can spread.

Demodectic mange is actually not contagious. Sarcoptic mange is the nasty, itchy, contagious one that springs to most peoples minds when they hear the word mange.

[chowNcharge]

i groom dogs, and three dogs i know died from promeris, and the vets in my area have stopped carrying it.
have you heard anything about this?

[Barb04]

I would have your pup checked out by a vet to confirm what it is.

[Sapphire-Light]

Hmm the pic looks blurry, but I can tell you that mange makes the skin looks grey and dry almost like cement color and texture like this dog http://www.dogsobediencetraining.com...dddb2918f1.jpg

I have seen many cases of mange it's very common on feral and street dogs around here.

[Saeleofu]

Promeris has been pulled/recalled/discontinued last I heard because of the dangers. What we generally use for treating mange is an ivermectin suspension (your vet can probably mix one up for you). Dips can be very dangerous.

If it were my dog, I would take it to a vet if I suspected demodex. I had a foster with demodex before and it took a while for them ti figure it out, and he was really itchy and almost bald, took him forever to grow his hair back. It started localized, but spread to most of his skin.

[Dizzy]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

Demodectic mange is actually not contagious. Sarcoptic mange is the nasty, itchy, contagious one that springs to most peoples minds when they hear the word mange.

I didn't mean between pets, I meant on the individual. You can get pretty nasty cases.