Mange is one of the most common skin conditions a dog can face. These conditions are far more common than most people expect, with some dogs living with them for almost their entire lives. Of course, though, many people wrongly assume that mange will only impact dogs that aren’t looked after properly.
In reality, mange can hit any dog, and this makes it crucial that owners are aware of the challenges that can come with it. To give you a head start when it comes to solving mange problems, this post will be exploring this condition, giving you the chance to start making a difference for your dog.
What Is Mange?
Mange is a skin condition that can impact a wide variety of different animals, though it is most strongly associated with non-human mammals, like dogs. The condition itself is caused by parasitic mites that can get into your dog’s coat, biting their skin and causing an uncomfortable rash. These mites are able to burrow under a dog’s skin to lay their eggs.
There are two main types of mange in dogs: demodectic and sarcoptic. Demodectic mange isn’t contagious, and won’t cause issues for other dogs, but sarcoptic is extremely contagious. This means that you have to be very careful not to infect other dogs with this parasite when your pooch starts to suffer with it. They can even pass these mites onto humans, though they will usually die off fast more quickly on a host like this.
Mange can come with a variety of symptoms, with scratching being the earliest most owners will see. This will often be followed by large patches of redness on your dog’s skin, hair loss, infections, and emaciation in extreme cases. It can be hard to tell the difference between fleas and mange, and this means that you have to work very hard to make sure that you’re giving your dog the right treatment to overcome this.
Treating Mange
Any sort of skin condition needs to be taken seriously when it comes to your dog. While these animals appear to be hardy, they will often suffer in silence, and you have to look for the signs of problems if you’re ever going to be able to work on them. Once you notice mange in your dog, it will be time to start looking at ways to treat this condition.
As a dog owner, it’s usually best to leave this sort of work to the experts. Vets will be able to help you to understand what causes mange and how it can be helped, while also having access to strong medication that will help to solve the problem for good. You can find some of the steps that most vets will take when they are dealing with mange below. Of course, it makes sense to let the vet know that your dog has mange so that they can avoid having other mammals around you.
Hair Clipping
One of the reasons that these mites will struggle to live on a human is thanks to their reliance on hair and fur. Clipping a patch of your dog’s fur around their mange can make it much harder for the mites to survive, helping to kill them off naturally. Alongside this, having your dog’s skin open to the air will make it easier for it to heal properly.
Baths
Following giving your dog a haircut, it will be time to start thinking about bathing them. There are loads of shampoo products on the market that are designed to provide relief with conditions like mange. You will need to bathe your dog at least once a week while they have mange, ensuring that they are as clean as possible.
Killing the Mites
Taking an active approach when trying to remove the mites from your dog always makes sense. There are loads of poisons and other products on the market that can make it easier to kill these mites without putting your dog through major discomfort.
As mentioned above, it always makes sense to look for a professional when your dog is dealing with mange. Even when very severe, conditions like this can usually be solved fairly quickly when you take the right action. Your dog will thank you for acting quickly when you notice mange, with your response directly impacting their experience with it.
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