The Demodex mite, which is present on, but not harmful to, most dogs, sometimes causes a disease called demodectic mange--commonly known as red mange--in dogs with compromised immune systems. Signs of the disease include red, scaly patches of skin that sometimes become filled with pus from secondary bacterial infections. Treatments for red mange do not always work because they do not always address the dog's underlying health symptoms. Still, treating red mange can be effective for some dogs if repeated until their immune systems recover, and so it is worth trying.
Things You'll Need
- Medication containing Amitraz
- Hair clippers
- Degreasing shampoo
- Water
- Towel
- Sponge
Instructions
Obtain a firm diagnosis of demodectic mange from your veterinarian. She will diagnose the mange by looking at your dog's skin scrapings under a microscope and identifying an abnormally high number of Demodex mites. The veterinarian will then likely prescribe a medication containing Amitraz for treatment. She might also prescribe antibiotics to treat the pustular form of the mange.
Clip the hair from the affected areas on your dog, then clean with a degreasing shampoo. Thoroughly rinse the areas with water and dry them with a towel.
Dip a sponge into your Amitraz solution and wash the affected areas with it. Allow the medication to air-dry.
Repeat this process every two weeks. Your veterinarian will want to periodically examine skin scrapings from your dog during this time. Treatments can be stopped when your vet finds no live mites in the scrapings.
Include antibiotics in your treatments as instructed by your veterinarian. These will only be necessary in cases of pustular red mange.