Mange is a condition in dogs, caused by the overabundance of a certain mite, that causes hair loss and occasional scaly skin lesions, While this mite is present externally on all fur-bearing animals, a compromised immune system or other illness in the host (your bulldog, for example) is a prime condition to encourage this mite to overpopulate and cause demodectic mange.
Bulldogs are particularly susceptible to mange. Fortunately, with their short coats, they are also relatively easy to treat. Young bulldogs recover faster than adults.
Things You'll Need
- Anti-bacterial soap
- Warm water
- Towels
- Mitaban
- Ester-C
- Dog vitamins
- Leash
Instructions
Confirm the diagnosis with your veterinarian. It is impossible to know if your bulldog has mange without a microscope and a trained eye. Your vet will do a skin scraping of one of the bare spots on your bulldog and see if the demodex mites are present in abundance.
Wash your bulldog with anti-bacterial soap and plenty of warm water once a week until the missing hair grows back. Make sure to get the soap into all her skin wrinkles. Dry off your bulldog with a dry towel; again, be sure to dry the area in her skin wrinkles.
Apply Mitaban (if it has been prescribed by your veterinarian). Work the anti-demodectic mite dip thoroughly into your bulldog's skin, including into his skin folds.
Boost your bulldog's immune system by giving him a daily vitamin and a capsule of Ester-C in his food once a day. (Ester-C is a type of vitamin C that does not come from a citrus source, which makes it safe for canine consumption.) A compromised immune system may make your pet vulnerable to demodectic mange.
Give your bulldog special time. Take him for a walk, or play with him and his favorite toy. Demodectic mange is not contagious, so love him and pet him as much or more than you usually do. Not only will the extra love and exercise help his immune system, it will let him know that you still love him, even if he looks awful.