The following was given to me by a Pug-Villager .

You can’t be serious! My dog has MANGE??? (*shudder*)

No! It can’t be!!! I have a clean house!! and … oh gosh … what do I do now??”

Wow! That’s what the vet said! That awful word!! “mange” – the very word has the power to turn your stomach and bring horrible images of poverty, filth and all the worst that 'dirt' has to offer!

But it just can’t be! **MY** dog? Or perhaps you begin silently berating yourself for ever having the silly notion that you could “save the world” and adopt a needy dog from a shelter!

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MANGE

Which ‘mange’ is which? – What it looks like.

Hopefully your vet told you more than that one word “mange”. The word is actually descriptive of 2 main kinds of skin conditions and a few minor ones! First, it would help to know a bit about each.

The most common types of “mange” are sarcoptic (or “itch”) mange, demodectic mange (a/k/a “red” or “puppy” mange) and ear mite mange (sometimes just called “ear mites”). There are some other mange conditions caused by chiggers and other tiny microscopic insects. However, all are very different. Each is caused by a totally different “mite” or spider-like microscopic organism.

Sarcoptic Mange -- Sarcoptic mange is the one everyone thinks of when the word "mange" is mentioned. But it's not the most common. In brief, sarcoptic mange is caused by the sarcoptic mite and typically thrives in and spreads through filthy conditions, however a dog can pick it up easily from contact with another dog or by being ‘near’ where such an animal has been. It’s no reflection on your home!! Sarcoptic mites can bite any animal, including humans, and the poison they release when they bite will cause horrendous itch to dog or human.

However, the canine variety can only breed in dog skin. There are actually other species specific varieties (like the human counterpart “scabies”), but what affects your dog can bite you and make you miserable for a while, but it can’t ‘breed’ on you or your furniture! The males essentially run on the dog’s skin’s surface biting, injecting their poison and procreating, and the female sarcoptics burrow into the dog’s skin to lay and tend their eggs. About the time the eggs hatch the female dies.

The primary symptom is a mind-numbing itch that just goes on and on. The hair tends to get ‘scratched out’ in large patches (sometimes the entire dog can go bald) and the inflamed skin is then a breeding ground for secondary skin infections. The skin may appear almost ‘tough’ or leathery. Animals left totally untreated for this can actually go insane from the incredible, unrelenting itch. However, usually after treatment the hair usually will re-grow normally.

Sarcoptic mange can be difficult to diagnose specifically because the females are burrowed deep in the skin and the males are literally too fast to be caught by a skin scraping. Veterinary rule of thumb is usually “if it’s suspected, treat for it.” However, it is not uncommon for a dog to have sarcoptic mange and another kind of mange at the same time. That can make it doubly hard to identify and diagnose.

Ear Mange or Ear Mites -- Ear mites cause ear mange. This is a pretty minor type of mange. It is pretty much confined to the ear/ear canal area, but actually these mites can eventually spread to other parts of the body.. Pretty easily diagnosed, it sort of looks like ‘coffee grounds’ in the ear, which is actually the remnants of dried blood. Or you may find ‘fresh’ blood in the ear canal from scratching. Ear mites can cause some significant discomfort and a lot of head-shaking and scratching and must be treated to avoid significant secondary problems that can include hearing loss.

Demodectic Mange – Demodectic mange is very common and is usually found only in immature dogs -- typically puppies. It often starts as a flakey, rough, sometimes reddened & moist patch of skin – often on the face, head, neck, ears, chest or front legs/paws. The skin often looks bumpy and rough and may even be damp or oozy. Later pustules resembling acne cysts can develop as the inflamed skin pores/hair follicles get clogged from debris from the mites and become infected and puss-filled.

There is also characteristic smell – sort of a sickish, sweet 'ugh-this-dog-needs-a-bath' smell. Anyone who has ever lived with demodex can spot it from far away. The itch, although not quite as severe as that caused by the poison from sarcoptic mites, can be horrid (or there can be no itching at all), and many times demodex can cause severe secondary infections, not only from the infected pores, but from the torn flesh from the dog scratching itself bloody. It will get worse and worse – it won’t heal itself.

Unlike the other two mites that bite and live off the blood of the dog, the mites that cause demodex don’t bite and they don't consume blood from the animal. They live in skin pores and hair follicles and literally feed on the skin and hair oil they find there.

Demodectic mange (“demodex”) may well be one of the most common ailments found in dogs and puppies today; and due to the poor breeding practiced by many breeders and the horrors of puppy mills, it is spreading at an alarming rate. Demodex is a genetic flaw. It can be overcome, but it's not merely a case of getting rid of the mite.

Since my dog, Muffin (affectionately known as the Muffin the Intrepid English Cocker Spaniel – simply because he’s been through so much that he is the bravest little guy I know), waged a battle against chronic, generalized demodex since we rescued him in 1998, I can speak from experience here. Since I’ve done a lot of research on this to help my own dog, I have more information on this particular type of mange to share. It’s an absolute fact that demodectic mange is an immune problem, and hence it’s a bit more complicated to treat.

Demodectic mange is NOT contagious, nor is the mite “dangerous” at all to most dogs or other animals or humans. It’s only problematic to the animal with a weak or poorly developed immune system! Actually, the problem is, in reality, an immune problem caused by the animal’s inability to deal with a toxin in the waste left over after the mite feeds on skin oil

The Story Thus Far

– or –

Oh no!!! How Did MY dog get **this**???

Mange - How it's transmitted

All forms of mange are caused by aracnid-type mites, and it begins when the dog gets close enough for the mite to get on the dog. However, there seems to be a definite link to the health of a dog and how 'easy' it is for the dog to get infected by the various kinds of mange.

Sarcoptic mange is commonly thought to be a disease found only in the worst conditions of squalor and filth. In fact, many people are put off adopting from shelters by the possibility of such a heinous disease! But it need not be a drawback at all. It's actually pretty easy to get rid of.

It's not uncommon for dogs that have been feral (living on their own - in "the wild" essentially) to contract sarcoptic mange. Particularly puppies and older dogs seem prone to it.

Yes, the sarcoptic mite often proliferates easily in filthy conditions. But these mites only breed IN the dog's skin. It's relatively easy to treat, and by simply keeping the area where the dog lies clean and treating the dog several times through-out the life cycle of the sarcoptic mite -- it’s not all that difficult to get rid of it if treated properly and promptly. However, because it seems sarcops prey particularly on older or weaker dogs -- they can become much more susceptible to sarcoptic mange simply because they have no resources to combat it if they are in even the slightest contact with a sarcoptic mite. The neighborhood stray who “visits” can easily pass such a thing on to your dog just passing through the yard and taking time to lie down on your dog’s bed to scratch, or even rubbing up next to your dog! So don’t be totally devastated! This stuff has the capacity to spread easily and it’s not a reflection on you personally!! Ear mites are also spread by casual contact, dog to dog, easily and quickly.

Dogs with sarcoptic mange need to be restricted to an area where there is concrete or linoleum under them that can be bleached every day and their bedding washed in bleach. If they are left outside in dirt, the dirt itself will harbor mites and you will have a REALLY hard time getting rid of them. Crating a dog in the kitchen, cellar or garage while you get it treated is important. Vets often don't mention this, and then people have trouble with the dog getting reinfected over and over.

Demodectic mange is really quite different. It’s not contagious to humans and it has nothing to do with living conditions. First off, most all puppies have the demodex mite since it’s naturally transmitted from the mother during her care of the puppies. It’s just not problematic with most of them. Demodex mites are simply so very common -- because they are found on every mammal with hair - including humans -- that from here on I must treat the discussion of demodex separately.

Dogs don't "catch" demodex. The mites are simply part of life. But a dog with a healthy immune system won't be bothered by the mites. So it isn't a matter of where they 'got' it -- but rather how to help the dog to be healthy enough to deal with the problem.

When the immune system isn't up to par, the body allows the mites to flourish uncontrolably and dog becomes overwhelmed by the mites. The thing that causes demodectic mange to become evident is that certain conditions or “triggers” cause a breakdown of the immune system and the body can’t tolerate the toxins from the mite any longer, the skin becomes inflamed and staph infection and skin eruptions occur.

Demodectic mange is not more prevalent in mixed breeds than purebreds. Actually quite the reverse is true! A poorly bred ‘purebred’ is much more apt to develop this kind of skin problem than a mixed breed – although any animal with an inherently poor immune system can get demodex. It’s also possible that an animal that’s been abused or malnourished may also be very prone to demodex because the immune system hasn’t been able to develop properly.

Dogs’ immune systems aren’t fully developed until they are around 18 months to 2 years old and it’s not unusual to see a dog not “break out” with demodex until it is several months old and things like sexual maturation, teething, etc. become "stressors".. It simply takes the right combination of “stressors” – also known as “triggers” -- to push the immune system over the edge so it functions below par and the demodex mites multiply unchecked. There are various things (stressors) that can set the stage and allow the demodex pop out.

What starts it -- or -- What makes it worse?

Also known as "A Trigger"

Triggers -- Anything that can ‘stress’ the dog’s immune system is what I refer to as a ‘trigger’. These can be man-made (like vaccines, placement in a new home, a change in your home situation, a change in the dogs routine, etc.) OR it can just be the ‘stress’ of growing up and maturing, with physical ‘triggers’ including such things as teething, growth spurts, and probably the biggest is sexual maturation.

Many times triggers or stressors are things that just can not be helped. But what does help is being prepared for them. Knowing that certain things may inevitably cause breakouts can allow you to take steps to avoid them. Often you just have to think back to a few weeks before you “noticed the bad spots” and you’ll be able to figure out for yourself what may have triggered the onset! If it triggered it once, it could trigger it again, so next time be wary!

Vaccinations -- One of the first predictable things that can trigger an outbreak of demodectic mange are vaccinations of any sort. Now, of course, vaccines are necessary! But for an animal pre-disposed to a weak immune system or a slower developing one, this can begin or ‘trigger’ the onset of mange. Sometimes we unwittingly set the stage for this ourselves and such reactions can be avoided..

Typically, it's easier and less expensive to take the dog to the vet (particularly that 'first visit’) and the rationale is “why not get everything done at once?” I mean I'm frugal and busy and it used to be my usual thought that it was silly to incur more than one office visit (not only costly but often a scheduling nightmare for us humans as well)???? Well, actually there are really GOOD reasons "why not".

For a moment, think about what a 'vaccine' is. According to MicroSoft Encarta, “Vaccination (also called 'immunization') is preventive medicine. It's how people/animals are made immune to an infectious organism by inoculating them with a form of the organism that does not cause severe disease but does provoke formation of protective antibodies."

So either by using live virus or 'killed' virus, a little bit of this 'disease' is injected into the patient, which SHOULD trigger the body to build a defense against this. But, when you give a bunch of shots all at once, the immune system has to develop antibodies to EVERYTHING all at once and you may well overload the animal's system. In Callie-English it's like there's only so much strength to battle everything at once, so while it battles ONE thing, something else is left uncovered and other areas become weaker and susceptible to problems!!!

So, how should vaccinations be handled? Be careful. Don't do ‘too much’ at once. Particularly, I've found Muffin broke out every time I got him vaccinated. I learned vaccines for any reason were stressful.

Eventually we learned more about vaccines. If a dog has been vaccinated with a "modified live" vaccine for parvo or distemper, then it's likely the body formed a lasting resistance to that disease. A blood test, commonly known as "pulling titers", will give a solid indication of whether the dog has sufficient immunity to parvo or distemper, and if so, the dog does not need that annual vaccine. At this point we “pull the titers” annually instead of getting annual 7 in 1 shots. Only parvo and distemper are typical continuing threats. The rest of the things in the 7 in 1 shots are either rarely encountered or not even a threat to a mature dog. You can’t just arbitrarily decide not to vaccinate and I'm not advocating that. But pulling a titer report the next time, after the dog has had the vaccine and should have developed appropriate resistance to it, is wise.

There is not a titer report for rabies, but most of the United States allows for a dog to only be vaccinated once in three years (because the modified live rabies vaccine lasts that long. In my county in Florida, I no longer must do a rabies vaccine every year for licensing purposes so I only do rabies every third year making sure I keep the certificates to prove when they last had rabies vaccines.

We get titers pulled every year for parvo and distemper simply so I have that written proof for shot record purposes. We travel with the dogs, and all my dogs work in pet-assisted therapy and the titer reports are sufficient to give 'proof of vaccination' for the anywhere we visit.

What about puppy shots? -- Pups need those first shots to protect against diseases that can often be fatal in pups – like parvo and corona. Let me stress here that first off, there is a difference in a baby puppy getting their first shots and having a less than developed immune system and a full grown dog that we already KNOW is prone to demodex. In other words, I’m not telling to avoid puppy shots! They need them. BUT at the same time I’m telling you not to over-vaccinate an older pup or bunch the vaccines up so they cause a problem.

However, have your vet give at least one round of modified live vaccines for distemper and parvo and give them separately. Particularly if demodex has been a problem or you suspect it might be, have those shots done on separate days, allowing at least a month for the body to recouperate between them. Never get all shots on one day, and I would tell people to avoid the 7 in 1 shots so popular. First off they are "killed" vaccines (originally thought to be safer so there was no risk of disease) but now they are finding it doesn't even give a full year of protection against the disease, so the vaccine itself is inferior. The adjutant in the 7 in 1 shot (the liquid that spreads the disease cells thru the body) has been known to cause severe allergic reactions in any event.

Other Issues that Trigger Outbreaks

Physical issues - we’ve already talked about vaccinations, and lots and lots of other illnesses or health-related concerns can "stress" demodex-prone dogs. In fact, just being a teething puppy is stressful! Teething, growth spurts and sexual maturation are all potential ‘physical triggers’ because they stress the immune system.

Sexual maturation is probably one of the most serious stressors. Frankly, "heat" (in females) or sexual maturation (the dropping of the testicles) in a male can be about the worst ‘trigger’ of all. In fact, the release of testosterone in a male and the estrus cycle in a female (not to mention pregnancy) are going to be lifetime problems for these dogs and for this reason alone they should be neutered/spayed. The surgery is, itself, a stressor, but a far smaller one than the effect of leaving these dogs intact. The earlier it is done (you can spay/neuter as early as 2 months old) the less of a stress it is upon the body!

Dogs with demodectic mange should be spayed or neutered for another reason as well. The poor immune system that triggers the condition IS hereditary. As discussed, the mites, totally common to any mammal with hair, aren’t hereditary, but the predisposition to be over sensitive to the mites and the predisposition to an inferior immune system surely is! It’s my strong but considered opinion that a dog that develops demodectic mange ought to be spayed/neutered as a matter of course because they WILL pass on that gene that causes the inferior immunity otherwise! Additionally, leaving these dogs intact is far more apt to cause them to suffer recurrent problems with the mange over their lifetime that can be eliminated by spaying/neutering.

Emotional issues - often simply the stress of a new home, housebreaking, and figuring out "gee, what do these human-folks want??" can trigger it. It’s not at all unusual to see a newly placed “rescue” dog or dog taken from a shelter or pound develops demodex simply from stress and sometimes a history of poor diet or poor care that contributed to lowered immunity. But if a dog makes it past early puppyhood and then breaks out - sometimes the stressor can be something like emotional stress they feel from the humans in the home (a human divorce, a geographic/physical move, disruption in schedule, family schedule change, departure of a family member, displacement then placement in a new situation, and even specifically grief!)

Breed specific - No breed automatically has demodex, however, the fact that some breeds have been overly bred, or widely poorly bred, has given some breeds more predisposition to demodex than others. In some breeds, the tendency to oily skin (some hunting breeds), over-breeding for certain coat development, or a slower developing immune system, makes dogs of those breeds far more prone to demodex.. I'll list breeds here, but just because yours isn't on the list, don't think it can’t happen to your dog! ANY DOG can have this problem if circumstances and propensity mingle to set the stage!!!

In the vast amounts of mail I've received and my own research the following breeds seem to be prone to demodex: Afghans, Beagles, Boxers, Boston Terriers, Bull Terriers, AmStaffs, Pit Bulls, (literally any "Bullie Breed"), Chihuahuas, Collies, Dalmatians, Dachshund, Dobermans, English Bulldogs, German Shepherds, Great Danes, Old English Sheepdogs, Retrievers of any kind, Shar-peis, Shelties, and Staffordshire Terriers. Quite a range - not anything that's common - all are different breeds and categories!!! This is no "authorized" list - just an accumulation of things I've read and people I've heard from who've been told their breed "often has this problem."

Puppy Mills -- Dogs who likely came from puppy mills or back-yard or casual breeders are also extremely prone to demodex simply because little or no care was taken to ensure that the genetic stock used for breeding was free of demodex. Puppy mills, in particular, seem to not care at all if a bitch is actively broken out with demodex before she's mated, and the dog can suffer horribly throughout her pregnancy with sore, infected skin. Muffin the Intrepid, as an English Cocker Spaniel, wasn't from a breed typically plagued by demodex, but he was most likely a puppy mill survivor -- it grieves me to think what his poor mother must have endured.

Diagnosis

It can happen, but not often, that someone walks into a vet’s office and says “I think my dog has demodex – would you do a skin scraping?” More often, a totally frustrated pet owner takes a constantly scratching, Poochie to the vet with some array of symptoms like bloody scratches from enthusiastic scratching, huge bald patches, or reddened, oozing, stinky skin – and occasionally the owner is either scratching sympathetically with either bona fide bites from sarcoptic mites or at the very least “sympathetic itch” from just watching the poor dog scratch incessantly!!

Demodectic mange is easily diagnosed by a skin scraping – the veterinarian literally takes a hard edged blade, and while pinching a section of affected skin, scrapes just the very top layer off and examines it under a microscope. If it’s demodex, the vet will probably find LOTS of them.

Often though, demodex has such a typical odor, and so obviously starts on the face, chest, neck area and once advanced to the 'infected' state a skin scraping might not even be needed to diagnose it.

Sarcoptic mites are so fast however, that it’s almost impossible to find them on a skin scraping. But the rule of thumb is that if demodex mites are found, that’s probably the culprit, if it looks like mange, but demodex is not present, then treat for Sarcoptic mange!

Ear mites are easily diagnosed by examining the discharge from the ears. It looks like "coffee grounds" in the ear (which is dried blood in waste from the ear mites feeding).

Treatment for Sarcoptic Mange and Ear Mite Mange

Sarcoptic mange, ear mange and other blood-sucking parasites are now very frequently treated with ivermectin or milbemycin, either orally or by injection. For those cases, ivermectin or milbemycin is incredibly helpful because both drugs work IN the bloodstream and directly attacks that mite’s food supply.

However, be aware that with any type of mange, antibiotic therapy may be needed if the irritation of the skin has caused secondary skin infections to set in. In that case, an antibiotic is VERY necessary or the skin will not heal.

Strong Caution regarding herding breeds or mised breeds of unknown origin - I must give a caution here that although extremely effective for any blood-feeding parasite --both internal parasites like heartworm, hookworm, whipworms, etc. and more external parasites like sarcoptic mites and ear mites – SOME DOGS CAN NOT USE IVERMECTIN!!! Herding dogs like collies, shepherds, Australian cattle dogs, shelties, etc., can have a potentially very dangerous reaction to the ivermectin that has to do with a gene-linked sensitivity to ‘how’ the ivermectin kills the parasites. So, if you have any idea that your dog may have some “herding dog” in its ancestry, please discuss this at length with your veterinarian since milbemycin may be safer!! Ivermectin is easy to use and it's cheap, but it has to be used cautiously. A dog who is overly sensitive to ivermectin can DIE. Please don't risk it -- ask.

Ear mites respond to localized treatment. For sarcoptic mange, there are over-the-counter dips available like Lyme Dip, Paramite Dip and others. Even though some of them are incredibly smelly, and perhaps slower to work than a dose of ivermectin or milbemycin, they are eventually very effective. You have to repeat the dip several times to break the life cycle of the mite because mites that are still eggs imbedded in the skin won't be killed by the first application of dip.

However, most flea and tick dips are ineffective. The label will specifically state “for Sarcoptic Mange”. Specific ear drops for ear mites are also available from your vet and are far preferable to anything over-the-counter.

Ear mites can also be treated by drops for the ears, usually that contain pyrethrins (an insecticide). Just over-the-counter drops that simply say “for ears” and that don't contain an insecticide aren’t going to work. Consult your vet first for and exact diagnosis and what to use.

Another treatment that can help the itching symptoms, although not eliminate the mite, is an antihistamine good for “skin itch” like diphenhydramine (a/k/a Benedryl) or hydroxyzine (a prescription antihistamine but not an expensive one) which will bring a LOT of relief for the dog until the mites are eliminated. Simply ask your vet (a call on the phone should do) to ask what dose to give. Diphenhydramine is available over-the-counter, or your vet can prescribe hydroxyzine.

Geriatric Dogs – Again, I would emphasize that geriatric dogs often exhibit a much higher propensity for getting sarcoptic mange than younger dogs. As they age, they weaken and their resistance drops and they seem to develop it far more easily than most dogs younger in years. It's not uncommon for rescuers to find dogs with sarcoptic mange dumped at shelters, dogs literally hauled out of or tied to dumpsters, or litters of pups taken from wild orange groves and beyond. Sarcoptic mange very frequently in older or “senior” animals. If your older fur-buddy suddenly gets this, don’t be over concerned – just get it treated and continue on with your life!! However, do take some serious precautions while treating to keep the dog on linoleum or concrete, and bleach the contact surfaces every day to ensure that your yard and home don't wint up inadvertently continuing the cycle of the mites.

In addition to whatever your vet uses to ‘cure’ the sarcoptic mange (either ivermectin or the dip procedures), most of us want peace of mind as to how to get ‘rid of this stuff’ in our homes. These mites aren’t going to “breed” in your furniture, carpeting or even on you!! Remember, they can ‘bite’ humans, but not ‘breed’ on us. However, sarcoptic mites have a life cycle of about 3 weeks, so the mites can 'hide' in cushions, pillows or carpeting and jump back on the dog so during treatment keep the dog away from these things. If you want your faithful friend to sleep in your bedroom, crate them at night and wash the bedding daily in bleach water.

Clean all surfaces the dog lies on with chlorine bleach if possible, concrete or linoleum are the easiest to keep clean. Sarcoptic mites have a life cycle of about 21 days. If you segregate an animal with sarcops to an area where there is only concrete or linoleum (yeah, like you actually have to keep them crated while you treat this for about the first 3 weeks or so -- it's not a pleasant time for them but you must keep them segregated), then the mites will die off in other areas. They may bite humans, but they can NOT breed in your skin.

If the dog has already been in other areas of your home, talk to your local pesticide store about a fogger type bomb that will kill sarcops specifically. Pillows, blankets, etc. can be sealed in heavy plastic bags and stored for a month, giving the mites time to die of starvation and old age -- THEN launder/dry-clean and use again.

You should treat outside areas like grass or dirt as well. Again I’m going to defer to your local pesticide store. There are pesticides that will kill this, but first be aware that local/state law, or the laws of other countries differ widely on what is legal and acceptable to use. I would encourage you to be VERY careful, simply because some pesticides may be very effective, but they can also leave a very dangerous residue that can make the animals (and humans) very sick. As a last resort you may decide to simply replace some sod if you’re uncomfortable.

But no matter how your dog got this, please don’t be afraid that your vet will think you’re terrible, horrible or some kind of transient because your dog contracted sarcoptic mange or because you got a dog from the pound or shelter that has it!! It’s just plain easy to get!! But it’s also easy to cure!!

Treatment for Demodectic Mange

Overview

Because Demodex is primarily an immune problem and because the demodex mite feeds from oil in the skin pores/hair follicles it requires a totally different kind of treatment. In fact, it actually requires a two-pronged type of treatment that strives to treat A) right now and then B) to be proactive by keeping mites at bay, making the dog less attractive and also building the immunity. As described above, antibiotic therapy may be needed if the irritation of the skin has caused secondary skin infections to set in. If the skin is oozing or if pustules are present, a vet needs to be consulted to see if a course of antibiotics is necessary to help the animal begin to heal.

Demodectic mange can be most frustrating to treat for many reasons. Because it is stress induced and immune-related, it can recur again and again, and in some dogs it may be a life-long condition. As I mentioned, I’m personally very familiar with that situation. Muffin, my badly-bred, but sweeter-than-candy English cocker spaniel was likely a product of a puppy mill (even though the lady who couldn’t wait to get rid of him because he was ‘stinky’, still cheerfully and proudly handed me his ‘papers’). By the time I rescued him when he was nearly two, his chronic generalized demodex was a not just "puppy mange" but instead life-long condition that battled for years until we discovered the underlying cause that made his demodex continue. However, once we got a proper treatment program in place it becamse fully manageable.

Why can’t I seem to get him healthy and keep him that way???

As I have already said, Muffin was almost two when we rescued him – so when I got him he wasn’t a puppy with his first outbreak of demodex. He’d already been ‘treated’ (unsuccessfully) by the folks who were giving him away.

When I first took him on myself, I was ever so faithful to use the amitraz (a/k/a Mitaban Dip) as prescribed, but I just could not figure out why I could not KEEP the animal healthy. I had been told to ‘avoid stress’ -- which I thought sounded just so much like an excuse! It was just so ‘totally yuppie-speak’!!! …

“Oh, dear .. . my doggie is a victim of stress too!” (*rolling eyes*). Puh-leese –there’s GOT to be an answer here! My dogs live pretty happy lives and are very well treated and get good food and good care. What gives?

But no sooner would I get the skin healed it seemed something unavoidable would happen (the weather changed, we had to go away for a weekend, etc.) and he would break out all over again! I had developed a list of “triggers” as long as my arm, but it was driving me up a wall! If all these things ‘trigger’ outbreaks, then how can I totally avoid ‘stress’ – is it me?? Am I doing something to screw this up every time? Could I have made a mistake? What did I miss?

GUILT!!! Is it all my fault because I didn’t anticipate? Because I had to leave him at the vets? I had no choice!! I have a life to live!!! There MUST be an answer! There HAD to be more! All this dipping FOREVER???? Please, NO!!!! You'd think this was the Demodex Abyss!!!

At this time, six years ago, there was very little on the Internet about demodex and most books were useless. So began my search for information. I harassed every vet I met, I read college textbooks, and pestered my state's university vet school professors. I also took copious notes on Muffin's treatment and what seemed to work and what didn't. It took me months to actually determine that demodex is an "immune" problem, so I also began to research what alternative methods I could use to boost the immune system, since any pharmaceuticals available seemed so unreliable. Gradually I learned more and more and began to come to some conclusions. Keep in mind I’m not a vet, this is just the result of my experience and research. But I'll try to break this down so it makes sense.

My caution would be that you need to take this as a whole. No ONE part is sufficient. You can't just get rid of mites. You can't just boost the immune system. No one thing is a magic fix. It is ALL of the followin: treatment right now, boosting the immune system, avoiding triggers in future. Please be patient and read the entire instruction as follows. I realize this is long, but it is comprehensive and will very likely work for you.

A. Treatment Right Now

Killing the mites.

Bathing or Mitaban? More and more I'm becoming convinced that if you are willing to expend quite a bit of effort you can avoid the necessity of "dipping" the dog in Mitaban (or Taktic - the farm strength version of amitraz which is becoming increasingly popular because of the likelihood that Mitaban will be taken off the U.S. market.. Mitaban can be difficult for a lay person to get hold of (in some states the vets won't dispense it to owners at all -- I'm not sure if it's law or just custom though). It is a very toxic pesticide that is high risk to both the owner and the dog. It *can* be done though. I did it on Muffin for a long time. But it's horrid, awful, toxic stuff -- avoid it at all costs if you can. Let me explain the process I developed to kill mites:

Highly preferably and successful alternative to "dipping" in Amitraz. I have actually discovered that it is preferable (or at least as satisfactory) to use frequent benzoyl peroxide baths following that immediately (while the dog is still warm and in the bathtub) with tea tree oil 'soak/rinse'. The benzoyl peroxide opens the pores and hair follicles (where demodex mites live) and literally flushes them out. The tea tree acts as an astringent and antiseptic to close those pores down 'clean' so you don't get dead mites IN pores causing staph infection pustules to develop (common problem with Mitaban).

Additionally, the bathing needs to be done very frequently -- like 2-3 times a week. Now this is totally adverse to any logic or standard in pet care because to bathe an animal that frequently. BUT the tea tree oil "soak" restores the condition and luster to the coat so it does not damage the coat to bathe this frequently. It simply allows you to remove the mites and control staph infection successfully. Instructions follow.

How to do the benzoyl peroxide baths and tea tree oil & water rinses?

Bathe inside if at all possible -- keep the dog warm throughout. I'm going to make a huge point of that here. DO NOT bathe where it is extremely cold, or with cold water In other words, it is vital to bathe inside where it is warm or heated and using warm water through the entire process.

The chemical benzoyl peroxide *opens* the pores. COLD closes them. You can actually cause a problem by closing the pores prematurely -- so be prepared to either wash down the walls of your bathroom or prepare an area where you can use warm water and keep the air warm in the room in order to make this work. As the past several cold winters have passed, it has become clear by personal experience and the vast amount of e-mail I received that I am correct in this -- you can't do this in the cold!!! It causes problems.

Back to 'how to bathe'. Benzoyl peroxide shampoo is available from most vets and online in several places. There are various brand names -- two I have used persoanlly are OxyDex (with and without sulphur) and Benzoyl Plus.

Wet the dog thoroughly first with the warm water. Be generous with the benzoyl peroxide shampoo (you can dilute it in a glass of water to aid in getting it well distributed over the entire body). Lather well and continue to work the lather constantly for a long while (10 minutes if you can). Use a washcloth to bathe the face, ears and delicate or hard to reach areas. Rinse carefully and for a very very long time in warm water -- it's the rinsing that is your 'friend' because you are literally sluicing out the skin and washing mites away. I've often spent every bit as long rinsing as lathering because you are literally trying to sluice water through those pores.

You are not done. Do not let the dog out of the tub!!! While the dog is still warm and wet, bring a dishpan into the bathtub and half fill with very warm water. Add 1/2 teaspoon (30 - 50 drops) or so of straight 100% tea tree oil. Put two of the dog's feet in the water (if all 4 fit -- small dog -- do that). Use a coffee mug and pour the water over the dog cup after cup letting most of it run back into the dishpan. Move the dog forward after a couple of minutes and do the back half, then turn the dog around and repeat so both sides get equal treatment.

Note on tea tree oil -- Tea tree is an essential oil which has antiseptic/astringent properties and helps dry the pores and reduce the staph infection that can so plague the skin. Additionally it helps condition the coat (which can become over-dry from bathing/dips) and thereby reduces itching and generally “helps” a lot. But don't use a shampoo with tea tree oil in it. It is a waste of money. Obtain the pure 100% tea tree oil from a health store, or even Wal-Mart commonly carries it.

Pour the tea tree oil and water mixture over the dog repeatedly (turn them around if only half the dog is in the dishpan). Let as much as possible run back into the dishpan, and continue until it is cold. This allows the skin to cool and the pores to close down slowly but cleanly.

Dry dog as usual -- tea tree can ruin towels, so beware. The dog can air dry or you can use a hair dryer if Poochie allows it. If there are particularly sore spots, you can rub in just a bit of tea tree oil straight on. Don't leave a ton of straight tea tree oil on the skin -- if they lick that it can give them a tummy ache. But it's not toxic done this way.

Frequency -- I've discovered that frequent bathing (every 2 to 3 days) with the benzoyl peroxide shampoo, following it with the tea tree oil 'soak' works incredibly well. This is a most unusual treatment, but it works and it doesn't have a negative effect on the skin because the tea tree oil keeps the skin and coat well conditioned. As a matter of fact you'll see the coat get really lovely and soft and new hair will re-grow.

I'll reiterate here -- it is the tea tree oil soak/rinses are what prevents the skin from over-drying. You would normally not ever bathe a dog this much, but in this case bathing kills the mites for you and the tea tree oil repels new mites and wards off skin infection while you build the immune system at the same time as I describe hereafter.

Alternatively, if you decide you MUST, you can eliminate the mites with a mitacide like amitraz (brand name Mitaban or the farm-strength version Taktic) in a series of dips (usually 3 or 4) done over a period of weeks. I will address the use of amitraz later, although I must stress I see it as extremely risky and personally, we have seen far far better results with the bathing than the Amitraz dips.

B. Boosting the Immune System – I only list this ‘last’ under proactive treatments because it’s the most important and I want it to stay with your mind the most. Truthfully it is absolutely THE most important item you will read in this whole article!!

I stated at the beginning that demodectic mites are found on ALL mammals with hair. They are 100% common and found everywhere. The dog will encounter them it's entire life long. Even you and I have demodectic mites on our skin right now. Therefore, please don't see the mites as something you have to eradicate and expect to have gone forever. You need to reduce the amount of mites so the dog's immune system can recover.

But these dogs need help in that. The dog would not have the problem at all if the immune system were functioning normally. Therefore, I’ve found it’s absolutely critical to put the animal immediately on supplements and vitamins to boost the immune system. This isn’t to 'cure' -- but while you're dipping the animal -- this hopefully begins to boost the immunity so by the time you get the mites under control the animal can then somehow begin to "maintain". Essentially you can help immediately boost the immune system with herbals, but at the same time, vitamins and supplements can help change the immune system on a cellular level so it can be better and stronger as it should be.

Note on Herbals, Vitamins and Supplements.

Herbals are plants. Just like you may go to the grocery store and find tomatos not good enough to buy this week, so can herbals be of inferior quality. I'm sure you have discovered there are places YOU just plain won't go and buy produce because it is either tasteless or always 'bad'. The same is true for herbals -- buy a good quality herbal from a store you trust. Do NOT buy cheap or 'generic' herbals. Often there is virtually no 'goodness' in them. This is not a place to be cheap. At the very end of this whole article I will tell you some of the sources I use.

Herbals ARE medicine! Please do not make the mistake of thinking because it's an herbal you can use "lots". WRONG. Be cautious and use a good quality herb. Don't simply give more thinking you can hurry up the process. You can not.

Also, be aware, the following is not any sort of scientific or "per pound" scale. Adjust it to your own dog -- there just do not exist any tried and true "amounts". If you have a very tiny dog cut the dose in half or less. Essentially build up gradually and make sure a thing is well-tolerated and that you get no nausea. Vitamin A in too large an amount may cause nausea. Vitamin C in too large an amount can cause diarreha.

Herbals -- Even if you've never "put much stock in" the use of herbals, there seems to be no pharmaceutical equal to what herbals can do to help initially kick-start the immune system.

Echinacea & St. John's Wort -- somehow when coupled echinacea and St. John's Wort are more than either separately. St. John's Wort typically is used as a relaxant, but when coupled with echinacea it augments the effects of the echinacea. I have typically used two to four 350 mg. caps/day of echinacea and one to two (150 mg. eac) capsules of St. John's Wort. Use only for about 2-3 weeks and stop. Echinacea will lose its effectiveness over time, so switch and move on to the astragalus. The only one to pair the St. John's Wort with is echinacea.

Astragalus is another herbal that boosts the immune system and is very valuable. It can be used longer term, althou I still recommend switching on and off with the other herbals every 3-4 months..

Other herbs -- pau d'arco, cat's claw, and there are others -- look to your own reserach there. Should you be in a situation with a mature dog that has life-long demodex, you can go back to the echinacea about every fourth month and cycle it over again..

Supplements and Vitamins

Colostrum -- if you have ever been a new mother, or known someone who breast-fed their baby, this is a familiar term. Colostrum is that thing in the milk of a brand new mother in the mammal family that passes on immunity to the baby. Commerically available is bovine colostrum. Start slowly with this - it is a milk product and theoretically some dogs could be intolerant although I've never seen even one dog that was. It's not itself a milk product, but rather a thing found in the milk of brand new mothers. It is not in regular milk..

Build gradually to human daily dose. (It varies with the one you use.) If you use plain bovine colostrum from a feed store give about a teaspoonful once a day -- two if well tolerated. I like the powdered colostrum available from health stores formulated for babies -- 1,000 - 2,000 mg./day works well.

Common Supplements --

Zinc -- in dogs or humans, immune-deficient tends to mean zinc deficient. 15 - 20 mg. of zinc a day for no longer than TWO weeks can be very helpful. Any mineral will stay in the body so do not give long term. You can cause a minteral toxic buildup in the body.

Sea Meal or Missing Link --Sold Gold (a holistic dog food company) makes a good supplement called "Sea Meal". It is specifically formulated for skin and the immune system and it tends to be an all pet supplement -- you can give it to dogs, cats and horses. Extremely good product. Missing Link is another good supplement. It has an excellent reputation, but unfortunately none of my dogs liked the taste of it. That's not to say it is bad -- it simply wasn't for us.

Vitamins C, A, and E (anti-oxidants -- fight infection and heal skin)

Vitamin C washes out of the body immediately. Use whatever is well-tolerated - up to 1,000 to 2,000 units a day divided up into small doses through the day if possible.

Vitamins A and E need to always be paired. They are co-dependant so always supplement them together. About 8,000 - 10,000 units of Vitamin A and 300 - 600 unites of Vitamin E daily work well. Vitamin A can cause some nausea so back off if you see nausea to whatever is well-tolerated.

Omega 3 Oil Supplements.(particularly flax seed oil, or fish oil like sardines, mackerel or salmon) Solid Gold again makes an excellent flax oil well tolerated by dogs. This is the one item I don't use a human grade product for -- the cold-pressing method used to extract flax oil contains an ingredient not well-tolerated by dogs and eventually it can cause horrible diarreha.

NOTE: cod liver oil is a common "omega supplement" -- it's primarily Vit A. But it's not a particularly good Omega 3 fatty acid. Fish *body* oils are omega 3's and cod liver oil is from the fish liver. Cod liver oil is great for them (altho it can be an allergen for some dogs), but it's a good Omega 6, not Omega 3). If you are already supplementing with cod liver oil, that's fine -- but don't overdo regular Vitamin A. ]

However, adding 1-2 sardines (packed in oil) a day, and/or giving mackerel once a week is a great addition to their diet.

Keep in mind:

In particular, be aware that herbals ARE medicinal. They have medicinal properties and you need to be CAUTIOUS that they don’t interfere with other medicines. For example, echinacea actually boosts the white blood cell count to help fight infection. But it’s not something you want to do if there are problems that would contraindicate that – this is why I stress involving a vet professional. Some vets seem frightened of herbals, but what they really are concerned about is people diving into the realm of “self-medication” without trying to be careful!!

IMPORTANT: You've gotta, gotta understand -- herbals or supplements work on a CELLULAR level. They are NOT a "quick fix". THIS WILL TAKE 6 WEEKS TO 2 MONTHS BEFORE YOU WILL EVEN *BEGIN* TO SEE ANY SORT OF PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT. What you begin -STAY WITH IT. You may want to ADD to it, but don't jump all around - it takes many, many months to build this - 2 months is ONLY to even BEGIN seeing results..

Please don’t take offense at the ‘capitals’ – I’m not shouting, but some folks have never used herbals or supplements on a regular basis and honestly, most of us live in a rather “instant” society that thinks you should be able to take a pill and feel better shortly. That just isn’t how this stuff works, but I can’t emphasize how incredibly effective they are when used patiently.

Practical Notes on HOW to administer -- Giving all those pills/supplements -- Actually, with a bit of training they think they're treats!

Roll the pills in a bit of butter or margarine (dogs don't get cholesterol problems folks, and butter is actually good for them and far better than margerine!) To start - offer just a bit of butter on your finger and let them lap it off. Yum, Yum!!! (We won't even mention the time Foxy stole a whole tub of margarine and single-pawedly finished it off by himself when he was just a pup. Dogs think this stuff is WONDERFUL and it’s better than stressing them by forcing pills down their throat!!!)

Dunk the pills in and then pick up a slippery pill (or lump of pills) in your fingers and hold it just ABOVE their nose - so they have to lift their heads/neck straight up to sniff - and they'll lick it right out of your fingers. Sometimes this takes a bit of training, but it will work.

Other suggestions-- Grooming -- While you're battling demodex, keep the animal shorn as closely as possible. I know, for those of you with long-haired dogs this is BAD news. But, if you can't get TO the skin with the benzoyl peroxide or dip, you won't be able to kill the mites. If you just try to "spot" treat - it's pointless - it will only break out somewhere else. Besides, you need to keep a close eye on that skin and when it’s covered up, you can’t watch it as well!

We discovered with Muffin - keeping his coat short but not OVER close (don't let "burn" the skin with the razor! -- that creates more problems!) was a huge help. Essentially the hair has to be kept short to get the skin bathed properly.

Nails: One of the 'side effects' of demodex is areas of thickened skin, but don't kid yourself - there's LOTS of feeling -- they can get protective of it because there's so much pain there!. In fact, Muffin got really bad at one point about getting his nails done.. He's convinced the doggie nail clipper is an ancient instrument of torture designed to maim!!!. Using a Dremel tool to carefully "sand" the nails can work really well. Do one nail at a time (the vibration is tickley) but it works!!! Email me ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) if you want "a how-to."

Natural food additions. This is another whole subject but I do add veggies to my dogs' food daily. I merely suppelement their food with a variety of veggies to boost the anti-oxidants in their food and provide fresh nutrition. Please investigate this. This is a very deep subject, but an extremely beneficial one for the dog with a poor immune system.

Foods to avoid -- table scraps are exactly that. Things you would throw away. Do that. THROW them away. But if it's leftovers that you would consume yourself, then that's not 'scraps'.

Dogs don't tolerate raw veggies -- dogs can't digest cellulose so either cook and mash the veggies or puree them. The veggies to AVOID are a short list: onions, eggplant, tomatoe (in quantity eggplant and tomato as nightshade veg will make them ill, and onions inhibit calcium absorption). Avocado pits (like all seeds and pits) can be poisonous in quantity so don't give them.

Corn has virtually NO food value and it can be an extreme allergen, so avoid it.

What works -- a good balanced variety of veggies. In other words, don't always use the same 3-4 veggies. Carrots and butternut squash are great, but altho they are easy to prepare they contain a lot of phosphorous so BALANCE it with turnip and other squashes. Green beans may be easy, but okra, turnip greens, zucchini and other veggies are incredibly good for them, and they learn to love them. Essentially my husband and I eat better now that I feed veggies to the dogs because I guess I try harder to give the dogs a variety, so I try things for us that otherwise I might not.

Lentils generally are very high in protein and you can cause some problems. So again, there is safety in variety.

Continued Treatment is Vital

Keeping mites at bay -- The tea tree oil rinses seem to help enormously repel mites -- for some reason mites hate it. However, for dogs with severe problems, especially at first, amitraz collars (brand name "Preventic") may help (not cure)! It simply lessens the number of mites the dog has to deal with and it keeps down pustules forming around the face, ears, head and neck! It's a constant small dose of the same ingredient that's in the amitraz dip.

Reducing the itchies. -- Demodex doesn't itch as badly as sarcoptic mange, but it does cause the itchies. A really good help is antihistamine. Diphenhydramine is extremely effective in the case of itchy skin. According to the above-referenced Pill Book Guide, you can give 1-2 mg./lb body weight three or four times a day. Diphenhydramine is the generic name of good old "Benedryl" and it helps to cool off the itchy skin. It's over-the-counter in 25 mg. capsules. The liquid has 12.5 mg./teaspoon. Both the elixir (for small puppy doses or to use topically!) and the capsules are helpful! Mostly they reduce itching which helps you alleviate infection. Talk to your vet about this if you aren't sure you want to use this option. It does make them a bit sleepy, but it surely does help the itching. Tavist and hydroxyzine are both used in dogs as are other antihistamines. Talk to your vet about what might be best for your dog.

You can also make a spray of tea tree oil and water (mix about a teaspoonful to a spray bottle of water. Shake every time you spray, but that can help cool sore spots. Liquid diphenhydramine (the child’s elixir) is also helpful when used topically!

Care if the skin. -- Frequent bathing in a benzoyl peroxide shampoo continues to be helpful to open the pores and flush them out and can often eliminate the need for dipping once the initial bout of demodex is under control. Likely you will need to bathe every other day to keep the mites under control until you can get the immune system to kick in naturally. However, eventually you will be able to lengthen time between baths without smelling/seeing demodex. However, if you know you have a stressful event (like a rabies vaccine, or an impending vacation or holiday that will upset the schedule, or even a vet visit, then increasing the bathing/tea tree oil soaks immediately prior to the event will help reduce problems.

Cautions on Treatment

Dipping -- Done "right" dipping can help if that is the route you and your vet feel you need to take. ! BUT done improperly it can be disastrous and dangerous. It’s critical that the dog not ingest (drink, lick) the dip – it will make them sick. It’s why I prefer to dip the dog myself. and thus make sure they don’t lick any liquid off the skin. You can honestly do as much with the benzoyl peroxide bath and tea tree oil 'soak' following it, as you can with the dipping. And it's less dangerous.

Ivermectin, Doramectin (a/k/a Dectamax) and Milbemycin-type products

Often people tell me that the vet gives some sort of liquid to give every day. Typically that is ivermectin. Ivermectin or milbemycin are becoming increasingly popular to be prescribed by vets to avoid the pitfalls of dipping. In a few U.S. States and Australia, a third drug, doramectin (brand name Dectamax) is also used. It's another 'cousin' drug to ivermectin that is somewhat easier for herding dogs to take, but that doesn't have the safety that milbemycin does. The adminstration of these dugs is easier and less labor-intensive for the veterinarian (and less risky if someone isn’t careful). Many vets are suggesting ivermectin or milbemycin.

Ivermectin liquid is actually the same stuff that is given "once a month heartworm preventive" (brand name is usually HeartGuard), except they are giving huge doses of it daily or sometimes weekly. Milbemycin is what is in Interceptor.

I’ve investigated this at length for a number of reasons. First off, it always seems to me that dogs that have been on ivermectin or milbemycin treatments (Muffin was treated this way for demodex at length before I got him) always seem to wind up much worse AFTER they go off the treatment.

Here is why. Ivermectin and milbemycin only ‘last’ in the body about 24 hours. The drug goes into the bloodstream (that’s why it is so effective in sarcoptic and ear mite mange and other blood-sucking parasite infestations). But it never does reach the oil that resides in the hair follicles or skin pores – which is where the demodex mite lives and breeds!! So, how can it be effective at all??

Actually neither kill mites at all. But they have a mild positive effect as an artificial immune booster. BUT the MAJOR DRAWBACK is that when given in quantity (and the dose necessary to have any sufficient effect on the immune system for this is huge!) it sort of takes over FOR the dog's own immune system and then the dog's immune system shuts down (letting the ivermectin's artificial stimulation do the work alone) so when the dog comes OFF the ivermectin or milbemycin the dog can wind up worse than before because the all-critical immune system winds up totally shut down. The dog literally becomes dependant on the drugs to make the immune system operate.

Some vets are attempting to “fool” the immune system by giving shots of ivermectin or milbemycin on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, sometimes with vitamins. But none of the vets I’ve spoken to indicate that ivermectin actually kills demodex mites and there’s not much of any evidence that the immune system can properly recover afterward. Some of the vets actually encourage vitamins in addition.

Quite frankly, they’re trying to take advantage of the mild immune boosting effect of these drugs for a temporary fix, simply because it’s rarely got side effects in non-herding dogs, and there isn’t the ‘risk’ associated with dipping if it’s poorly supervised or improperly done. Vets don’t want to suggest people dip themselves because then they’d have to screen the OWNERS for their health concerns because of the above-mentioned side effects from handling it for diabetic patients or patients on MAOI’s!

I’m also compelled to mention that in any event, that ivermectin in particular should not be used AT ALL under any circumstances for "herding dog" - particularly collies or shelties - or any mix with "herding dog" blood in him. I’m particularly sensitive to this because my sheltie-mix (Foxy) has severe reaction to even the tiniest dose of ivermectin. It can kill a dog that is sensitive and there's no way of knowing if your herding dog is or is not.

So, generally, my opinion is obviously that ivermectin and milbemycin can be more of an ultimate hindrance than help and if you even suspect your animal is partly any kind of herding dog - DON'T TREAT THAT DOG’S DEMODEX WITH IVERMECTIN! Even milbemycin seems to create the dependency though and I hope folks won't do that either.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

YES – there can be a “Happily Ever After”.

Sarcoptic mange and ear mites are relatively easy to fully cure. Hair re-grows and the ‘nightmare that was sarcoptic’ can eventually be forgotten. It’s absolutely wonderful to see a dog that had been rescued half-bald and mindless with itch grow a sleek, full coat and lie comfortably by the side of the person who cared enough to rescue him from that former life!! Infestation with ear mites, in comparison to the other manges, is actually relatively minor, but if you watch for it – once you know what it looks like, treatment is easily obtained and recovery is pretty easy.

Demodectic mange in small puppies is often totally eliminated quite quickly. It behooves any owner of a dog that has experienced demodex to be forever careful of ‘triggers’ and avoid over-stressing that immune system. It’s a promise that the first incidence of it was easier to get rid of than the second!! Even in dogs that are not really “baby puppies” – they have a fair chance of total recovery if the immune system is boosted and the mites are alleviated so the immune system can recover and develop properly AND triggers are avoided!

However, for any reader who has a dog with chronic, generalized demodectic mange the possibility exists that this might be a life-time condition. But, take heart! Folks with dogs in this category, and who have read this are NOW more informed than they were before! They will be much more sensitive to what can trigger it, worsen it, help it, eliminate it and keep it away than before!! In this particular ‘war’ knowledge truly IS power and “maintain” is a key word!!

If you are fortunate enough to catch this early and successfully help build the immune system enough so that the animal can withstand the occasional battle with the toxic residue they mites leave, that’s great!! Actually that happens most of the time when the animal has a relatively healthy immune system and has been bred decently.

However, some of you reading this may have an animal that is older or, like Muffin, is just plain abysmally bred. Some animals may battle this forever. But it’s a war that can be reduced to small skirmishes here and there that are win-able if precautions are taken to reduce stress and triggers and boost the immune system on a daily basis to keep the immunity built up. Once you get used to what you have to do, it’s just “normal course” and you deal with it, because after all – this IS your baby we’re talking about, right??

I must add, however, as an end note here, that if you’re just experiencing demodectic mange for the first time and your animal is “mature” (i.e., way over 2 years old), you MUST go and have a long sit down conversation with your vet and this animal must be checked for more serious immune-related problems like Cushing’s Disease and other immuno-related problems. Those things may not necessarily be fatal, but particularly if the dog is “mature” and suddenly develops demodectic mange “right out of the clear blue sky” – it needs some serious evaluation!!

“Mange” may be one of those words that strike fear into the heart of any pet-owner (sort of like the word “leak” to a person who sleeps on a waterbed!!) but it’s something that can be dealt with and overcome. But truly – the more you know about it, the easier it is to deal with it!!

Long Term Cases

Unfortunately sometimes it's later when proper treatment begins or for some reason the dog just isn't able to overcome the demodex. When they are past a year or year and a half the immune system is pretty set. If a dog has been treated with ivermectin heavily, it tends to put the immune system to sleep in short order. Getting it to wake up again is a tall order.

However, as was the case with Muffin the Intrepid, the demodex is sometimes kept "riled up" because of other health issues in the dog's life. These might not even be apparent. Most common in my finding are allergies. Dog allergies (whether atopic/inhaled allergies, contact allergies, or the less frequent food allergies) typically show on the skin somehow. They can manifest by keeping the skin irritated and sore (and then it's tough to tell demodex from allergy skin) OR they can cause things like chronic sore, infected ears. That resulting ear infection can keep the immune system so drained that the dog has no reserves left to fight demodex.

This is simply to caution you that if you are dealing with a dog that just can't seem to totally 'kick' demodectic mange, if you continue to have breakouts, or if the animal is more than 2 years old and continues to have problems, then you may have to look at other health issues that might keep the demodex coming back.

Muffin's demodex continued for years. To make a long story pretty short, we battled Muffin's demodex along with recurring ear infections. As a cocker with genetically horrible ears and because of the demodex we knew he was atrociously badly bred -- the ear canals were malformed and tiny. For a long time I simply assumed that those pendulous ear flaps kept moisture trapped. Eventually when I learned that the infections were bacterial, and not simply yeast, I blamed bad groomers totally.

Eventually we ascertained, Muffin had severe atopic allergies. These allergies manifested in the ears more than anywhere else on his body. I couldn't SEE them, so I didn't know they were there. Since the inside of the ear canal was raw and sore, any bacteria that got into the ears infected them. However we noticed that he didn't like his head behind the ears touched and it seemed tender. This was about the only indication we had of the deep ear infections.

Eventually, quite apart from the demodex, the ear swelled shut. The long term ear infections had become so severe and long-lasting that the cartilage in the ear turned to a boney substance ("ossification") and blood didn't flow to the ear. We couldn't get antibiotics to the ear either thru the bloodstream or thru the ear canal. Despite continuous and careful care on our part, we had to make a choice. Either to have Muffin's ear amputate in a surgical procedure called an ear ablation, or he would die from the infection we couldn't get rid of.

I'd been teaching Muffin sign language since we got him. It was probably one of the most heart-wrenching decisions I ever had to make in my life, but we chose the surgery. I didn't understand until after the surgery that the ear was so calcified that blood simply could not get to the ear and it literally was putrefying. We made the right choice.

When Muffin healed, the difference in him was astounding. The reduction in pain made him seem like a puppy!! But there was one HUGE ASTONISHING SIDE EFFECT!!!

The demodectic mange subsided totally. When that huge infection was removed from his system, the demodex went away because what we did day by day to boost his immune system fully kicked in.

Eventually when allergies flared again, the other ear was similarly affected, I noticed demodex began to re-appear. We had to make the same choice regarding the second ear. We chose the ear ablation again -- yes, Muffin the Intrepid became totally stone deaf. Literally there were no middle or inner ears. I will write more about this in another part of the website. He had ear flaps, but underneath there are no ears.

There was also NO MORE DEMODEX. Literally everything I had done for so long to boost his immune system totally paid off.

So eventually did he get bathed? (*Callie doing the Happy Dance*)

WHEN DIRTY!!!!!!!!!! Yahoooooooooooo

So, if your dog has had demodectic mange for a long, long time -- look to some secondary thing that is keeping the immune system drained. Suspect allergies. Treat for the allergies and see if the demodex doesn't lessen.

If your dog has chronic ear infections AND demodex, suspect that the ear infections may be keeping the demodex active. Feel free to email me. I can put your and your vet in touch with the allergist at the University of Florida at Gainesville. Dr. Marsalla has been invaluable to us in helping me learn to deal with dog allergies. It can be done and it may be what is causing your dog's ear infections and exacerbating demodex.

Where to obtain all you will need:

Most anything I use is gotten from a health store -- all the vitamins I use are human-quality vitamins rather than pet ones. For my choice, I want a high quality and I don't want "mixes" -- I want to select what to use and how much. You often find these vitamins I mention in pet vitamins but not "enough"

Everything I've used is available either in a health store. I always use good-quality human vitamins and supplements, and I use them separately, rather than simply something like a "fishoil capsule". Why? Because I want to know specifically what is in each thing. Just because it is for a dog doesn't mean that the dog might not be allergic to ONE ingredient (like cod, for example). So by separating things into individual items, I can control all of it -- if something isn't well tolerated I can elimate that ONE thing and find out.

Sources:

Wal-Mart seems to carry a surprisingly good brand of herbals. They also carry tea tree oil that is reasonable and consistent in quality. I like their vitamins although I can't get liquid, edible Vitamin E in bottles and I can't get 10,000 unit caps of Vitamin A. However, do not use their flax oil -- it's the wrong cold process method.

Leaves & Roots.com (http://www.leavesandroots.com) she's about the cheapest source for herbals I know of. You can buy herbs in bulk from her which means no silly little gel caps to empty. WAY cheaper. (Ever wonder who gets medicine and stuff into little capsules? Now you know why it's so expensive!!)

Tea Tree Oil -- The tea tree oil I use for soaks is also a health store item but you can also get it from Leaves & Roots. As I said, Wal-Mart also carries it now. Just get 100% tea tree oil -- don't bother with shampoos and conditioners with it in them. They are counter-productive for this -- you don't want other oils calling mites. Tea Tree oil is special.

The Solid Gold brand for the Sea Meal and flax oil has a store locator at http://www.solidgold.com However, if you buy flax oil from the health store, use a high quality one that is refrigerated!!!!!!! Don't bother with little flax oil 'capsules' -- there's not enough there and they are expensive. But do be cautious -- long term I found my dogs developed diarreha which is why I do recommend the Solid Gold flax oil so highly. It is FINE for human consumption (try it in your salad dressing - it's good..

About the only things I use NOT from a health store are:

OxyDex or Benzoyl Plus (benzoyl peroxide shampoo -- sometimes prescript, sometimes not). You can order them several places online. In a pinch you can get benzoyl peroxide face wash or bar soap that are human quality at your pharmacy. Oxy10 Face Wash is about $6 (Wal-Mart usually carries it). Fostex bar soap and PanOxyl bar soap also will work. BEWARE - the human stuff is much stronger. Rinse very well, and watch to see that it's well tolerated. It is far, far preferable to use the dog formulated shampoo. Dog skin is more sensitive than ours. If you absolutely must use the human stuff, it's better than nothing, but cut it with baby shampoo and make sure you use the tea tree oil and don't over-dry the skin.

Preventic Collar (some pet stores or a vet). Be sure it's amitraz in it -- not just any tick collar will work)

Mitaban (usually prescription) There are some states where you just can't get Mitaban -- a vet has to administer it. There is farm quality amitraz (brand name 'Taktic', just like 'Mitaban' is a brand name) but it would be very tricky to use. It's not something I'd advise. I honestly think you can do better with the benzoyl peroxide shampoo.

Dipping with Amitraz Dip

I am going to include the instructions for dipping on here as well. I know some vets are still using it. IF you dip at the SAME TIME you boost the immune system, it can help a lot. I honestly don't think it is warranted if you will try my above suggestions of the benzoyl peroxide baths and tea tree rinses, however, I'd rather have people have a good guide to dipping than guess and do it wrong.

Amitraz is very regulated in some areas, and periodically they take Mitaban off the market totally. Particular care in properly diluting it must be used. Taktic and Mitaban are totally different concentrations. However, I typically mixed up a smaller 'batch' of the Mitaban dip than the bottle made -- I would dilute it as prescribed but only mix up 1/4 the normal 'batch' and then sponge it on rather than just dumping it over the dog or standing them in a whole tub of it.

The tricky part isn’t in the application (you literally just sponge it on once it’s been properly diluted), but it’s incredibly important for extreme care to be exercised to be sure the animal doesn’t lick its skin either during the administration of the dip or afterward! Ingesting the dip orally will make the animal extremely sick. It is possible to administer the dip yourself, and sometimes it can be preferable in cases where the owner may be more careful than a vet technician might be. However, amitraz IS a very strong pharmaceutical.

please heed this strong warning before you use amitraz.

Be aware: according to both package directions and The Pill Book Guide to Medications for Your Dog and Cat, Dell Reference, 1998, “Human diabetics should use this product with extreme caution because of the effect on insulin and blood glucose. Humans taking MAOIs including drugs prescribed for depression, Parkinson’s Disease and migraines should use this product with caution.”

If you attempt to use amitraz dip on your dog do so in a well-ventilated room -- it can and WILL make the human woozy and sleepy.

Background -- If you and your vet have discussed "dipping" and you decide its benefits outweigh the potential risks, you probably know it is possible to have it done at the vet. I prefer to do it myself. My whole purpose for writing this is to give folks a step-by-step guide so they feel comfortable that they could do it themselves at home - thereby controlling the entire situation, stressing the animal far less and having the peace of mind that you'll get in knowing you did everything possible for this to be as easy on Poochie as is possible.

Benefits of Dipping

As I've already stated, I'd prefer to see you use the benzoyl peroxide bathing with the tea tree oil rinses, but if this is the choice you and your vet have made, know it's rugged stuff! But, I'm not going to elaborate the evils of amitraz dip! It does kill the mites! And it gives the animal time to build its immune system back up!

Disadvantages

It's a 'given' that dipping is "messy" and potentially dangerous if done carelessly.

-- Amitraz will take the color out of ANYTHING. Towels, your clothes, the furniture, etc. It will also melt plastic, so don't leave it setting in a plastic cup waiting to add it to the water!! Gee, can you guess how I found all this out???

-- If your dog tries to lick himself dry after the dip, he may ingest too much amitraz and suffer an adverse reaction. That's not to say that a dog that doesn't lick at all won't have an adverse reaction. That's going to be up to the individual animal and how badly affected the skin was

-- What's a "bad reaction" look like? My favorite reference book: THE PILL BOOK GUIDE TO MEDICATION FOR YOUR DOG AND CAT (Dell Reference Book) lists adverse reactions to amitraz as "depression, severely lowered body temperature, loss of coordination, and depressed heart rate", as well as "increased blood glucose levels. They also talk about severe toxicity for animals that have "ingested" the amitraz tick collars (which would be similar to ingesting the dip!!!)

-- Back when I first got Muffin, the first couple of times I dipped him when the skin was SO open and sore, he did throw up a couple of times and he had diarreha once in bed (I think he was sleeping so hard he didn't wake up quick enough to get out, but he was awake enough to move afterward). But I hasten to add, that was BEFORE I knew how absolutely totally critical it was to not let him slurp AT AL! In fact, that's what led me to that conclusion. (That and reading the package insert!!!)

-- It's not just the dog's health that is germane here. If YOU have diabetes, or are taking MAOI's, including drugs prescribed for depression, Parkinson's disease, migraines should be ultra cautious about using the Mitaban themselves!!! If any of those apply to you, please be careful!!

If you're concerned or alarmed about your dog's health after you've dipped him, then take him to the vet right now! There is an antidote for this stuff and the vet can administer it. That's the reason I'd never advise dipping when you can't get them TO a vet in haste. Also, I never do it in the evening because I don't want to go to sleep and not be able to WATCH him.

How Often to Dip

Most vets will say you need to dip them til the skin scrapings are 'negative' and then dip them twice more. This is a schedule you need to discuss with your own vet. But don't think this is just a "one time" thing. It isn't. As with any medicine, talk to your own vet and read the package insert.

Preparation

I don't have a basement (we're in Florida, folks!!!) and most dogs are way too big for the kitchen sink. This is most DEFINITELY not an 'outside' activity (you do NOT want to run cold water on them). By process of elimination, I use the bathtub with a hose sprayer attachment.

Before you start think about where you'll have the dog lie AFTER. We use Muffin's bed, but we line it with an old-but-clean white sheet and a couple of old towels. But the advantage is that we can move it from room to room so we can have mobility and still watch him. Constant monitoring is important - you need to keep them from licking and watch for any sign of adverse reaction/sickness.

Make sure there IS plenty of ventilation wherever you're going to do this. Both of you need fresh air to breathe

Equipment

Use a heavy 'rubber-type' dishpan to put into the bathtub to hold the dip and the dog.

To measure, actually use a syringe with the needle removed. It's marked in the right increments for measuring this and gets down into the bottle. When done, take the plunger out, wash and leave the pieces separate so they don't stick, and you can reuse almost infinitely

Sponge on the 'dip' with a plain old cellulose sponge. Choose something that will fit in your hand and that you can wring out single handedly - An old cotton washcloth is also just fine

Also, you will most definitely need rubber gloves. This stuff is designed to penetrate the skin - THEIRS, hopefully! NOT yours!

Many, many towels - one to wrap around him in the tub and then, have at least three towels ready next to his bed to cover him with. More on that later.

You'll also probably need a blanket to cover Poochie with. It's a side effect of the stuff. They get cold!! I don't care if it's the hottest day of summer!!!

Before I start, I get everyting measured out and ready. With Mitaban, my vet said 4 - 5 cups of warm water to 1/4 of that small [10.6 ml] bottle of Mitaban (or about 2.6 ml). This is the same "proportion" as the package directs, but because of the method he's taught me, it uses less "stuff" but it probably takes longer to do. I have NO experience with Taktic but be sure to use the correct dilution -- anything weaker won't kill mites and anything stronger would be dangerous. Rely on your vet to give you this proportion.

Actually Performing the Dip

Step 1 is a bath in benzoyl peroxide shampoo to open the pores.

After you've prepared the skin with the shampoo, the amitraz can get into the pores and "do its thing.

By the way, the description "dipping" is a total misnomer. You don't "dip the dog" IN anything. I think the idea was to dip a cup in the solution and pour it over the dog maybe? That is NOT what I do. I've decided pouring cupfuls over them increases the likelihood that they'll ingest it

Because of the toxic nature of this stuff, and because it's just kinda nasty to handle, please take advantage of some of the things I've discovered THE HARD WAY.

For example, in a normal bath, splashing is expected. You do NOT want this to splash - not in your eyes, nor the dogs! Also, since the bath is designed TO open the pores, Making a wet dog wait for you to gather the rest of the stuff together won't work.

Position the dishpan in front of the dog, add the amitraz you have measured and the warm (just pleasantly warm) water. Then stand the dog IN the dishpan (at least front or back feet). One hand on the animal to hold him still, the other filling the sponge with liquid and rubbing it all over the skin repeatedly til it's "gone" (i.e., most of it down the drain). Be thorough and slow. Gently massage with the sponge to make sure this gets all the way to the skin. Do the entire dog - NOT just what's sore looking

The whole purpose is to kill the mites on the skin and in the pores. Remember, you have opened the pores with the shampoo, so this is going right INTO the skin. That's a good thing, but he may start to show the effects of this quite quickly. Part of the reason to have him "stand" in it is so it is absorbed thru the feet (and additionally, it's usually the feet that are one of the most sore places). Have the dog "switch ends" half-way thru and turn around, so you can get his other side and the other two paws get a good soaking

DON'T LET HIM LICK. This is absolutely paramount!!! You don't want him to ingest ANY of this orally if you can possibly help it. Particularly when you sponge around the face, be thorough, but don't run it into the eyes or make the muzzle so "wet" feeling that he feels like he has to lick it off

The face, however, is often a primary target of the mite, so be kind of painstaking around the eyes, top of the head, under the chin, under the ears. On a long-eared breed do the inside and outside of the ear flaps. Each dog has its own sensitive spots, but it will go all over them and whatever you 'miss' today will be the next place it breaks out. Be super thorough in any "creases," the knees, base of the tail, between the toes, top of the back. Wherever the hair is thickest!!

It's going to feel like forever. (To you AND the dog.) But eventually you'll have no dip left. Don't encourage him to shake. Take him right to the bed you've prepared.

After the Dip

Don't towel him off. Just lie him down and put a towel UNDER his chin and wrap it around like a big bib. On top of that I put another towel over the top of him the opposite way. Then, usually I add a blanket to this mummified Muffin dog!!!

WHY?? Their first instinct is to lick. You gotta prevent this. The main purpose for the "mummy" routine is to keep that nose/mouth away from anything they can lick. Muffin used to look at me like "Mom!! What DID you do with my feets??" It's in their nature to try and dry themselves by licking it off. But a few good slurps will upset their stomach or make them vilely ill!!!

I can't stress enough how cold they may feel. I think partly it's the drug, partly it's because the pores have been so opened up and then they've been wet such a long time (what started as warm dip got cold a long time ago!) I even cover the top of Muffin's head when he trembles (remember, I told you THREE towels by the bed? That's what the extra one is for! And you just thought I mis-counted, didn't you!)

Amitraz' effects can be long-lasting -- you may find the dog simply becomes VERY cold-natured. Believe them -- take pity and let them wear a shirt or sweatshirt even inside. Muffin used to wear a t-shirt ALL THE TIME even here in Florida! He literally felt that cold bacl when he was being dipped in amitraz.

Normally a bath will make a dog rambunctious -- but this stuff will actually put them to sleep. That's a good thing tho. I keep near him and sort of watch him for hours (like so I can see him from the kitchen or where-ever I am). Muffin would sleep for anywhere from 2 to 6 hours

WHY am I nagging about being so vigilant?? Because I think the best way to prevent a bad reaction is to prevent them from ingesting this stuff by licking (does this sound like a broken record yet???)

In Conclusion

This is the process *I* use. It's at least giving you some pointers on how to minimize problems. I remember the first time I 'dipped' Muffin, I felt like I was going whitewater rafting without a life preserver. It was scarey and nobody told me "much" - so if nothing more, I hope this helps someone.