Cure for Mange

Mange in dogs is the most common of all dog illnesses. The cause of mange in dogs is a small parasitic mite, which thrives on the skin of your dog. It leads to irritation, itching and inflammation of the area. The dog becomes very irritable and scratches himself. Excessive scratching may further lead to bacterial and fungal infections which may aggravate the problem. Moreover, mange in dogs is highly contagious, thus your pet can easily contract it or spread it. The dog may also pass it to humans, but the parasitic mite is incapable of thriving on human skin. The cure for mange is indeed available but the treatment is often long and exhausting for the pet as well as the owner.

The cure depends upon the particular type of mange your pet is suffering from. There are basically three types of mange in dogs, demodectic, cheyletiella and sarcoptic. Out of these, demodectic and sarcoptic are the most common forms of mange. Irrespective of the type of mange, there are some remedies on how to cure mange in dogs, which are effective for all types. But before going for these remedies you should try bathing your dog with disinfectant soap and water. This is the most natural cure for dog mange. If it does not work, you may go for any of the medications listed below.

Borax

Borax, when combined with hydrogen peroxide and water makes for the best cure. Mix 1 % hydrogen peroxide solution to water and add borax to this solution. Dissolve it well in the solution. Use this solution to bathe the dog, at least once a week. Do not use water again while giving him a bath. Also, avoid wiping him dry after the bath. It may take a month or two for the treatment to take full effect.

Ivermectin

Ivermectin is a topical cure for mange. It is commercially available under the brand name Revolution and is easily available in the vet supply shops. Ivermectin gets rid of all the ectoparasites in their various life stages. It is necessary to apply it once every 21 days. Ivermectin can be either given through the dog shampoo or injected under the skin. The first session itself gives satisfactory results. Ivermectin should be avoided for dogs that belong to Collie breed or have a Collie ancestor, as it produces hazardous side effects for this particular dog breed.

Dips

Dips are available in the form of various drugs and are mostly applied after shampooing the dog with benzoyl peroxide. These are generally organophosphate dips and are mostly effective against sarcoptic mange parasite. Amitraz, Mitaban, and lime sulfur (Lymdip) are some dips that can be successfully implemented against sarcoptic mange in dogs. The problem with these dips is that, they are highly toxic in nature and give out an offensive odor. Thus, your dog may resist it and also it may be hazardous for your own health. Therefore, it is necessary to apply these dips with extreme caution, especially around eyes and ears, where mites thrive the most.

The main problem with mange treatments for dogs is that, there is often a delay in diagnosis, as the symptoms of mange are more or less similar to dog allergies and other dog diseases. Moreover, it may take quite some time for any cure for mange to take full effect. Also, once cured there is no guarantee that it won't come back again, when the immune system of the dog is weakened in later life. Thus, proper hygiene and regular cleaning and check up are the only ways to keep mange at bay.