Getting Underneath the Skin of Dog Mange

  • Added:
    May 24, 2013
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Mange is a range of dog skin problems that affect the overall well being of your canine. What causes dog mange is several species of parasitic mites that are transferred from dog to dog upon close contact with infected animals. There are two main types of dog mange – sarcoptic mange and democectic mange.

Sarcoptic Mange

Sarcoptic mange is a type of dog mange that is transferred from one host dog to another dog. The more brutal definition of sarcoptic mange is termed as being canine scabies.

The parasite that causes this type of dog mange is light in colour, oval shaped and contributes to the ill health of your dog by burrowing into its skin, resulting in intense itching and an allergic reaction in your dog which often results in hair loss.

The resultant hair loss in a dog will initially be most noticeable around the ears and elbows, whilst the incessant need of the dog to bite and scratch at infected areas can quickly lead to skin damage.

Demodectic Mange

Demodectic mange, also commonly referred to as red mange, is another type of dog mange. However, the key difference between demodectic mange and sarcoptic mange is that this type of dog mange is naturally passed on from the mother to the pup during the first days of a pup’s life.

The majority of dogs are capable of living in complete harmony with their demodectic mange mites but if a dog is elderly or suffering from a weakened immune system then this can lead to more serious health problems with these kinds of mites.

Demodectic dog mange can also be subdivided into two major other identifiable categories which consist of localised and generalised mange.

Localised Demodectic Mange

Localised demodectic mange mites in dogs inhabit two or three areas of the animal. This tends to result in scaly patches of skin or bald patches in isolated areas. It is worth bearing in mind that the localised form of demodectic mange is a very common occurrence in puppies and that in nine out of ten cases the ailment is resolved without the need for any form of treatment as a result of the puppies burgeoning immune system.

Generalised Demodectic Mange

Generalised demodectic mange tends to affect larger areas of a dog’s skin and can spread across the course of a dog’s entire body causing a variety of dog skin problems. Dogs with demodectic mange can develop secondary bacterial infections due to the continual need to itch and bite the affected area so as to alleviate the pain.

Symptoms of Mange

Symptoms of dog mange depend on what type of mite in inhabiting the animal. Demodectic mange mites will tend to cause dog skin problems such as bald spots, hair loss and scabbing as a result of secondary bacterial infections.

The major symptoms of sarcoptic mange in dogs include a continual and almost frantic, need to itch the affected areas. Your dog may also appear to be restless as a result of its inability to itch certain areas of its body. Sarcoptic dog mange is also characterised by hair loss, with a dog’s ears, elbows and face being the areas that are most prone to this particular strain of infection.

If you are looking for a treatment for dog mange then you can purchase pharmaceutical formulated products online and seek the advice of online specialists.

Author's Profile

Richard Hawkins is a frequent contributor of content for Perfect Pet Skin; he has written many articles pertaining to all things regarding animal skin and coat conditions but especially on such subjects as dog mange and skin conditions in dogs and caring for some of these conditions.


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