Mange in dogs is a condition caused by parasitic mites that feed off of the dog's blood. The type of mite infestation a dog is suffering from needs to be identified for proper treatment, and a pet owner should never try to treat a dog's mange condition through home remedies. Veterinarians must be consulted for this treatment, and the dog's environment as well as other pets in the home may require treatment too.
Things You'll Need
- Veterinarian prescribed medication
Instructions
Take your dog to a veterinarian to identify what type of mange your dog has. The three basic types of mange in dogs (sarcoptic mange, demodex and walking dandruff) all require different forms of targeted treatments. Your veterinarian will perform a skin scraping of the dog's skin, examine the scraping under a microscope to determine what type of mange is infecting the dog and then prescribe a medicated dip or shampoo, which will kill the mites.
Shampoo or dip your dog in the prescribed medication immediately. Follow the directions exactly (some shampoos or dips must be left on the skin for 5 to 10 minutes) or all of the mites may not be killed. Follow the schedule of shampoos and dips as well (such as every three days, every day or once a week) to ensure that any new hatching mange mites have been killed.
Treat the rest of the home and other pets in the home if your veterinarian recommends this step in the treatment plan (not all mange mites are contagious). All of the dog's bedding areas should be washed thoroughly in hot water and completely dried. Carpets should be cleaned (preferably by a professional) and all hardwood or tile floors need to be vacuumed and cleaned. Any furniture the dog had access to should be vacuumed as well. Outside sleeping areas such as dog houses or outdoor doggy beds need to be washed down and dried, too.
Watch for any symptoms or signs of reoccurring mange infections. Take your dog to the veterinarian again if symptoms appear, and use the prescribed medication to quickly kill any new mite populations before they have a chance to reproduce and spread.