UPDATE:Pup losing hair

[circle c]

Well, my pit pup has sarcoptic mange, whic is good. It's not demodectic mange, so it's not genetic and it can be treated easily. She's going back to the vets office wed for her first treatment.

[Ayla]

Im glad you figured out what was wrong and can treat it. Good thing its not genetic.

[GermanShepherds]

Glad your Pit Pup is ok~

[mara]

So do you know what causes it?? I've never seen it. What is the treatment?

[quinstar]

Wow, big words. I don't really know what either of these are. Would you mind explaining them and the difference?

[Chopper]

he;s got a what??? wanna try using engish pretty please? or at least a pic to show what ur talking about?

[circle c]

Ok....both sarcoptic and demodectic mange is caused by microscopic mites.

Demodectic Mange AKA "Red Mange":
Demodectic mange is caused by a microscopic mite called Demodex canis. All dogs raised normally by their mothers possess this mite as mites are transferred from mother to pup via cuddling during the first few days of life. (After the pup is older it is unable to pick up demodex mites. Puppies raised by hand, do not ever get demodex mites.) For some reason, conditions change in certain dogs to allow demodex mites to "gain the upper hand;" the mites proliferate and can cause serious skin disease.

*Mites are not transmitted to people or other dogs except from mother dog to pup as described. Demodectic mange (unlike Sarcoptic mange) is not contagious.

*Mites live inside hair follicles -- a difficult place for miticides (chemicals that kill mites) to reach.

*Mites are a normal residents of dog skin; it is only in some individual dogs that mites cause problems.

DEMODICOSIS -- THE DISEASE ITSELF
Demodectic mange -- also called "demodicosis"-- has three forms:

FORM #1: LOCALIZED
Usually a red, scaly, well-circumscribed lesion on the face or forelegs is present. It generally goes away on its own. Goodwinol ointment, an insecticide, may be used daily to control localized demodicosis. Hair regrowth should be evident after about a month of treatment; however, some localized cases appear "destined" to become generalized and no treatment will prevent this from occurring.

When ointment is used, rubbing the medication on the area may break off the weaker hairs at the margin of the lesion. The lesion may thus appear to get larger at first. Antibacterial gels are also used against localized demodicosis and associated skin infections. Often it is best not to treat this condition and to simply allow it to resolve on its own. Enlarged lymph nodes are a bad sign -- often foretelling generalized mange.

FORM #2: GENERALIZED
The entire dog is affected with patchy fur, skin infections, bald, scaly skin. Most generalized demodicosis starts as localized demodicosis.
ADULT ONSET-- Most demodicosis occurs in young dogs. An older dog should not
get deodicosis unless it has an underlying problem with its immune system, possibly even cancer. A veterinarian should be consulted regarding possible primary diseases.
JUVENILE ONSET -- 30-50% of dogs under age 1 year recover spontaneously from generalized demodicosis without any form of treatment. Usually treatment is recommended, though, to facilitate recovery.

CAN THE PUP BE BRED LATER?
Sometimes the puppy with localized demodicosis was obtained for breeding purposes. The current recommendation is not to treat these puppies so that we can determine if the condition will stay localized and resolve or if it will generalize. If it stays localized and eventually resolves without treatment, the animal is still a candidate for breeding. If the condition generalizes to cover the entire body, the animal should be sterilized. If the condition receives treatment and resolves, we will never know how the disease would have gone in its natural state and will not know whether the pup is carrying the genetic predisposition for demodectic mange. In this case, it is best to be conservative and not take the chance of passing on genetic predisposition for this disease. Localized demodicosis is almost exclusively a "puppyhood" disease. When a puppy develops localized demodicosis the chance of the condition resolving is 90% unless there is a family history of demodicosis in related dogs. In this case, chance of spontaneous resolution drops to 50%. Occasionally an adult dog develops localized demodicosis. We currently do not have good understanding of the prognosis or significance of this condition in an adult dog.

Sarcoptic Mange AKA "Scabies":
Sarcoptic mange is the name for the skin disease caused by infection with the Sarcoptes scabei mite. Mites are not insects; instead they are more closely related to spiders. They are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Adult Sarcoptes scabei mites live 3-4 weeks in the host’s skin. After mating, the female burrows into the skin depositing 3-4 eggs in the tunnel behind her. The eggs hatch in 3-10 days producing a larva which, in turn, moves about on the skin surface eventually molting into a "nymphal" stage and finally into an adult. The adults move on the surface of the skin where they mate and the cycle begins again with the female burrowing and laying eggs.

APPEARANCE OF THE DISEASE
The motion of the mite in and on the skin is extremely itchy. Further, the presence of mites and their eggs generates a massive allergic response in the skin which is even more itchy.
Mites prefer hairless skin thus leaving the ear flaps, elbows and abdomen at highest risk for the red, scaley itchy skin that characterizes sarcoptic mange. It should be noted that this pattern of itching is similar to that found with airborne allergies (atopy) as well as with food allergies. Frequently, before attempting to sort out allergies, a veterinarian will simply treat a patient for sarcoptic mange as a precaution. It is very easy to be led down the wrong path (pursuing allergy aggressively) if one considers sarcoptic mange an unusual or unlikely possibility.

As the infection progresses, eventually most of the dog's body will be involved. Classically, though, the picture begins on the ears (especially the ear margins), the elbows, and abdomen.

The term "Scabies" refers to mite infestations by either Sarcoptes scabei or other mite species closely related to Sarcoptes scabei. While Sarcoptes scabei can infect humans and cats, it tends not to persist on these hosts. When people (including some veterinarians) refer to "sarcoptic mange" or "scabies" in the cat, they are usually referring to infection by Notoedres cati, a mite closely related to Sarcoptes scabei. In these feline cases, it would be more correct to refer to "Notoedric mange," though the treatment for both mites is the same. Notoedric mange, in cats, generally produces facial itching and scabbing

HOW THE INFECTION IS SPREAD
Sarcoptic mange mites are usually spread by direct contact from host to host. While mites can live off of a host for days to weeks depending on their life stage, they are only infective for 36 hours which means that environmental decontamination is generally not necessary.

Mite infections on humans are self-limiting (ie they go away on their own) as the mite is not able to complete its life cycle on the "wrong" host. The condition is extremely itchy, though, while it lasts. The mites are most active where skin is warm (in bed and where clothing is snug).

IF A SARCOPTIC MANGE ANIMAL IS PRESENT IN THE HOME,
IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO WASH ANY BEDDING IN
THE WASHING MACHINE (OR REPLACE WITH NEW BEDDING),
AND WASH ANY COLLARS OR HARNESSES

[mara]

Thanks for all the info Circle C.

[circle c]

no problemo

[Chopper]

o ok ty for explaining