Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Possible demodectic mange.

Species: Dog
Breed: Boxer
Age: 6-12 months
We live in Bangladesh an are unable to obtian decent vet care for my dog. I am positive she has mange and it seems to be getting worse. I have had 2 so called vets to the house to see Chica. The first gave me Amitraz Dip Concentrate along with flee and tick powder. I would soak Chica with a watered down solution of the Amitraz once a week. After the 2nd week she had a siezure which I read was a possible side effect. I called the 2nd Vet who came and said he could give Chica a shot once a week for 3 weeks and that would take care of the mange and to also brush her and apply olive oil to the spots. The mange still persists and seems to be getting worse. What can we do? Can you assist? I can send photos or do a video via Skype. Please advise.

Thanks,
Dan


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I am sorry to hear that you are having this frustrating problem with Chica. I'd love to see if I can help out as much as I can.

There are two types of mange - sarcoptic and demodectic. Usually dogs with sarcoptic mange will be the most itchy behind the elbows and the hocks and the ears. Dogs with demodex can have bald patches anywhere although the face is the most common. These patches are not itchy unless the dog has generalized demodex in which case the patches get infected. Often generalized demodex will affect the feet.

Sarcoptic mange can usually be eradicated with treatment. However, demodex sometimes needs lifelong treatment. From what you have described it sounds like they are treating for sarcoptic mange. The injection may be ivermectin which is usually good at treating sarcoptic mange.

Where I practice I use a product called Revolution to treat sarcoptic mange and it works extremely well. It is a prescription product so I don't know if it is available in Bangladesh.

It's possible that there is something else going on as well. There could be a skin infection or allergies or even a fungal infection.

I'd love to see some pictures. I can't officially make a diagnosis online but I can give you my opinion. You can email pictures to ****@***** and I will see them. I will be heading offline shortly but will be back on later and I'll see if I can add some more information for you.

Dr. Marie.


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

demodectic mange


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Thank you for the excellent pictures! I have posted one of them here with your question in case it may help others. Chica is a real cutie. :)

If this is mange then it looks more like demodectic mange than sarcoptic mange. Demodex is usually quite easy to diagnose with a skin scraping (all that is needed is a scalpel blade, mineral oil and a microscope - so it should be easy to get a diagnosis.)

Unfortunately if we are seeing this many patches of demodex it is likely what is called generalized demodex as opposed to localized. Generalized demodex can be a lifelong condition.

The shot that the vets are giving is likely ivermectin. Ivermectin is usually effective against demodex. However, I have not heard of giving it by injection to take care of demodex. (It will usually treat sarcoptic mange by injection but not demodectic mange.) Just to be sure I did some research for you and there are only 3 treatments for generalized demodex that are recognized to work.

The first is the amitraz dips but as you discovered they can have some toxic side effects. The second is either milbemycin or moxidectin which are found in some heartworm medicines but need to be given daily and would be extremely expensive, and the last is ivermectin given orally. The ivermectin has to be given daily in order to be effective.

It is also possible that what she has is a bacterial skin infection or even a fungal skin infection. If this were my case I would likely be giving her oral antibiotics for a few weeks as well.

I really hope she feels better soon!

Dr. Marie.



Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Tylosin responsive diarrhea. In another posting on this site you mention giving tylosin daily in "tiny amounts"... (9433 views)

Ear mites? My cat has been scratching at it's ear and itching it. I think he has ear mites. I... (12485 views)

Introducing kittens. Hi Dr. Marie, My name is Lauren, and I'm from Australia - I hope I haven't woken... (9493 views)

Cat with asthma. My Abby was diagnosed with a respiratory problem similar to asthma and was... (10927 views)

Heavy breathing in dog. My dog seems to be panting and breathing heavily quite often, almost all the time,... (17902 views)

Cat is shedding a lot. I have noticed a dramatic increase in the amount of hair Abby loses every time I... (8472 views)

Dog won't gain weight. Our boy, Zidane, was born May 19, 2009, which makes Zidane almost 18 months old. He... (16630 views)

Dog has heart failure. Hello, I am considering adopting a special needs dog. He is 3 and has a grade 3... (9086 views)

Homeopathic seizure control. I have adopted a dog Jack aged 7. He has seizures which last about 3-5 minutes and... (9391 views)

Dog ate grapes. My dog ate 3 grapes! My son gave them to him about 2-3 hours ago. Are grapes... (15490 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.