Dog Skin Diseases & Mange

Skin disease in dogs can be caused by a number of factors. Mange, a skin disease caused by mites, usually takes two forms: sarcoptic (scabies) or demodectic mange. Underlying health conditions, such as hereditary immune system disorders, are often a cause of skin diseases like mange and must be addressed in order to treat the skin condition.

  1. Types of Skin Disease

    • Skin disease can be caused by allergies, bacteria, fungi, parasites or hormonal changes, and a veterinarian will have to make an accurate diagnosis in order to prescribe the right treatment. A history of your dog's health and any symptom or changes in health will be noted by your vet, and physical exams, blood tests, skin scrapings and other tests may be needed to determine what is causing the problem.

    Causes of Mange

    • Mange is caused by mites, which are parasites that can live in skin and hair follicles. Mites are often transferred from a mother to her puppies, but most dogs will never be affected by the mites. This is not the case, however, if the dog has a genetic disorder such as a weakened immune system. In that case, the dog may be affected by mites and develop demodectic mange. Sarcoptic mange is highly contagious and can be passed between animals and also from dog to human, though sarcoptic mites prefer to live on dogs.

    Symptoms of Mange

    • The main symptoms of mange include itching, hair loss, lesions and red, scaly skin, often on the face, front limbs, chest and abdomen, but mange can affect any area of the dog's body. Symptoms can either be localized and clear up quickly, or generalized cases which take longer to treat. Contacting a veterinarian as soon as symptoms appear can help keep the condition from developing into a severe case of mange.

    Treating Mange

    • Mange can be treated by clipping the hair and using topical medications like lotions, dips and shampoos, but treatment will depend on whether the mange is localized or generalized. Often an underlying health condition is contributing to the skin disease and must be treated in order to prevent chronic mange. Secondary bacterial or yeast infections also may occur with mange and will need to be treated as well.

    Preventing Skin Diseases and Mange

    • Dogs with chronic and generalized mange should not be bred to avoid passing on the immune system condition that allows dogs to develop the skin disease. Maintaining good health and a strong immune system is also helpful when it comes to preventing mange and other skin diseases. If a pet is affected by mange or another skin disease, keep the animal isolated from others.