Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease that can cause intense itching, hair loss and infections in dogs. To ensure you know the signs and symptoms of sarcoptic mange so you can seek treatment promptly, it’s important to know its signs and symptoms.
Your veterinarian can diagnose sarcoptic mange by taking several skin scrapings and examining them under a microscope. This helps them identify mites or their eggs, which is crucial in making an accurate diagnosis.
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Symptoms
Sarcoptic mange is a skin disease that causes intense itching and crusting of your dog’s coat. If left untreated, it may lead to hair loss as well as lesions on his skin.
It’s a common skin disorder that can affect dogs living close to other dogs or in the same environment as wild foxes. Unfortunately, it’s highly contagious – both from dog to dog and human to human.
Sarcoptic mange typically begins on the ears, armpits, chest and belly; however, in some cases the itching may be more intense elsewhere.
Dogs commonly suffer from this skin condition caused by mites living deep inside a dog’s fur. It can be caused by an compromised immune system, hereditary factors or parasites and is most prevalent among puppies and older dogs.
Diagnosis
Your veterinarian typically diagnoses sarcoptic mange through a combination of clinical signs and diagnostic testing. The most prominent symptom is severe itching that begins on the ears flaps, elbows and abdomen of the dog.
Sarcoptic mange is typically diagnosed through a skin scraping or cytology test that looks for mite eggs, mite fecal material and mite eggs on the scraped skin sample. Unfortunately, only 10% to 50% of the time this evidence can be detected.
Another method for diagnosing sarcoptic mange is performing a skin biopsy. This requires taking a small piece of infected skin and examining it under a microscope.
Once a skin biopsy confirms sarcoptic mange, your veterinarian can begin treatment. If the diagnosis is uncertain, additional diagnostic testing may be recommended to rule out other potential causes of similar symptoms such as flea allergy dermatitis. If your dog does indeed suffer from sarcoptic mange, treatment will likely reduce itching and speed up healing of the affected areas.
Treatment
Sarcoptic mange can be treated with a range of products, both topical and oral. Examples include fluralaner (Bravecto), sarolaner (Simparica), and afoxolaner (NexGard).
Treatment typically occurs once or twice per week for two to four weeks, after which your dog should be free of mites.
To diagnose sarcoptic mange, your veterinarian will take skin samples from several areas and examine them under a microscope. If mites are identified, this confirms the diagnosis and your veterinarian can begin treatment right away.
In certain cases, a blood test may be recommended. This test looks for antibodies to sarcoptic mange mites which may be activated by exposure. Unfortunately, it takes up to four weeks before these antibodies can be detected.
Prevention
Sarcoptic mange is highly contagious and can spread to other dogs through direct contact with an infected canine. If your pup has this condition, it’s essential that they receive appropriate medical treatment and the environment be disinfected before any other dogs come visit them.
Sarcoptic mange is characterized by intense itching and crusting skin, especially on the legs, elbows, and ankles. Additionally, hair loss may occur as well as red, scabby skin.
In severe cases, secondary bacterial and yeast infections may develop. Your vet will provide the appropriate treatment for these conditions.
Sarcoptic mange requires the use of a systemic miticide with sustained activity to eliminate the mites. This should be administered for the full 21 days recommended by your veterinarian to guarantee complete cure of the infection.
Dogs diagnosed with sarcoptic mange can be treated at their local vet or at a specialty animal hospital. It’s essential that all dogs remain on medication until the condition has completely cleared up; otherwise, reinfestation may occur.
