Canine mange can be a very distressing situation. Dogs will constantly itch or scratch to relieve the discomfort created by mites on their skin. Prescribed medication administered by a veterinarian will easily get rid of any mites associated with mange, but home remedies are available for pet owners whose dog breed is sensitive to certain drugs or who wish to use alternatives to the chemical components.
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Borax
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A solution consisting of the detergent borax is a popular home remedy for canine mange. The solution consists of borax mixed with peroxide at a ratio of around 2 cups peroxide to 1/2 cup borax. The solution is poured on the dog's skin and allowed to dry. With daily treatments, the eggs of the mange-related mites will die off and the dog should be mange-free within a few days. An alternative to borax is sodium perborate.
Petroleum Jelly
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Petroleum jelly as a treatment for mange holds two benefits. It soothes the dog's itching by moisturizing and softening the waxy, hard deposits around the areas where eggs have been laid on the dog's skin. It also effectively smothers and kills the mites and eggs. The petroleum jelly should be left on for a few hours without washing it off. This treatment can be messy and is best done outdoors.
Dietary Modifications
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A diet heavy with leafy vegetables and vitamin supplements such as vitamin E, C and fish oil have been shown to improve mange and overall skin conditions for dogs. Veterinarians recommend using this diet modification in addition to other treatments as this particular remedy will not necessarily kill the actual mites causing the mange. It will, however, make the skin irritation more tolerable and speed up the healing process once the mites are gone.
Therapeutic Oils
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Lavender oil, almond oil and neem oil can be an effective topical treatment for mange. The three oils can be combined at a ratio of around nine parts almond oil to one part each of lavender oil and neem oil, as too much of the latter two can be irritating to the skin. The mixture should be applied twice a day to effectively get rid of the mites. Tea tree oil alone can be another beneficial oil to use and should be applied twice daily.
Other Oils and Grease
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Although extremely messy, most oils or grease found in the ordinary kitchen can be used as a remedy for mange. A few drops of cooking oil on the infected area will have similar effects as the petroleum jelly but will need to be reapplied multiple times daily to achieve the same result. Some pet owners have also successfully treated their dogs using bacon grease on the mange several times daily for a few weeks.
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