Sarcoptic Mange-Illustration

This is a contagious disease affecting dogs, fox, etc. In our area of the country it appears to be increasing in frequency. It is seen in dogs of all ages and breeds. In multiple dog households, more than one dog usually shows signs.

Signs develop approximately 2-6 weeks after exposure to a carrier. Pets that go outside may brush against a tree or plant that a wild carrier contacted. Other sources are pets that are boarded, go to day care facilities, dog parks, groomed, or exposure at an animal hospital.

Sarcoptic mange is zoonotic-(contagious to people). Humans that come in close contact with an affected dog may develop an itchy rash on their arms, chest, or abdomen. Human lesions are usually transient and should resolve spontaneously after the affected dogs have been treated.

Clinical signs show a pet that is intensely itchy. Skin lesions include ear margin scaling, lesions around the eyes, and trunk of the body. There is poor response to anti-inflammatory drugs.

Differential diagnosis included, flea allergic dermatitis, food allergy, contact dermatitis, demodicosis, yeast infection, and primary skin infection.

Diagnosis is made by identification of the mite on skin scraping. False negative scrapings are common as the mite is difficult to find on skin scraping. We recommend treating all pets if there is a high index of suspicion even if scraping are negative.

Any dog with nonseasonal itching that responds poorly to anti-inflammatory therapy should be treated. We recommend either Ivermectin or the use of Pfizer’s new product Revolution, applied every two weeks for 3-6 treatments. All dogs in the household must be treated. Ivermectin should be NOT used in collies, shelties, English sheepdogs, Australian shepherds, and their crossbreeds because Ivermectin toxicity is more likely to occur in herding-type breeds. Other effective products used to treat the disease include lime-sulfur dips and mercaptomethyl phthamimide (Paramite Dip-VET KEM).