Most, if not all of the fur should grow back as well. Scar tissue doesn't develop often, but the rest of the dog's body should be covered in fur by the time the dog has been fully treated.
Demodectic mange can resolve on its own in mild cases. It usually takes 1-2 months for mild, localized infections to resolve spontaneously.
How long does it take a dog's hair to grow back after mange? Unless your dog develops scar tissue and skin damage from mange or other skin parasites, they should regrow their coat within four months after treating the infection. Dogs with short, single coats may take as little as six weeks to have a passable coat.
Curing a demodex problem can take weeks to months, but fortunately, most dogs respond well to treatment. Some dogs (especially those with an underlying illness) are slow to recover or suffer with recurring problems.
Generalized demodicosis affects the dog's entire body, with symptoms that include widespread skin lesions, scales, alopecia (hair loss), erythema (redness of the skin), lethargy, and poor appetite.
Androgenetic alopecia
It has been suggested that a chemical produced by the mites may trigger an inflammatory reaction that affects hair follicles. Although Demodex mites do not cause androgenetic alopecia, they may worsen the condition.
Does dog fur grow back after mange? Mange is an unfortunate condition that can easily spread between animals (and can even spread to humans depending on the type of mite causing the mange). Dog hair and fur will grow back after mange unless scar tissue has formed and the hair follicle is damaged.
If your dog has demodectic mange, you need to bathe twice a week, usually for several weeks. Canine herbalist Rita Hogan recommends neem shampoos for dogs with sarcoptic mange.
The total lifespan of a Demodex mite is several weeks. The dead mites decompose inside the hair follicles or sebaceous glands.
You can't wash or scrub all Demodex mites away. But you may be able to help prevent infestation by keeping your skin clean. This removes the extra oil and dead skin cells the mites eat.
You will likely need to shave your dog's fur down to get rid of some of the mites and mite eggs that are causing your dog's mange. This is almost always needed for Sarcoptic mange.
In fact, most dogs recover completely, especially if they are under 18 months when they are diagnosed with demodectic mange. And once healed, most dogs not acquire another infestation; as the dog's immune defenses are primed to eliminate any new demodex mites.
Left untreated, it will eventually cause all of the hair to fall out, and the skin will darken and succumb to secondary bacterial infections. This happens to a very small number of dogs with compromised immune systems and, as a result, will require monitoring and treatment their entire lives.
There are several 'spot-on' topical treatments, such as moxidectin + imidacloprid (Advantage Multi®, Advocate®) and topical fluralaner (Bravecto®). These medications are used 'off-label' for the treatment of demodicosis.
Among them, only Demodex mites are permanent ectoparasites of human and other mammalian pilosebaceous unit. A total of 140 species or subspecies have been identified worldwide in 11 orders of mammals including humans (1).
It will get worse before it gets better
First, you have to kill the mites. As the mites die, they release toxins, which turns into a nasty gel-like blob. You'll first need to remove this top layer of tiny gelatinous decaying toxins and microscopic mite corpses using our four-step process.
What is the life cycle of Demodex canis? The demodectic mite spends its entire life on the dog. Eggs are laid by a pregnant female, hatch, and then mature from larvae to nymphs to adults. The life cycle is believed to take 20-35 days.
At high concentrations, tea tree oil is a potent killer of Demodex mites. The problem is that solutions of 100% tea oil, or other high concentrations, are very irritating to the eye. So one approach is to thoroughly wipe the eyelashes and eyebrows with a diluted solution of tea tree oil, from 5% to 50%.
In two clinical studies, Soolantra (ivermectin 1%) cream was more effective than a vehicle cream (a topical cream without drug) starting at 4 weeks after the beginning of treatment. In one U.S. study, patients saw 27% fewer bumps and blemishes after 2 weeks, and up to 75% fewer symptoms after 12 weeks.
Dog mites may also continue to live in the environment, such as in their bed or in the carpet, after they or another dog have been contaminated.
NexGard® and NexGard SPECTRA® are highly effective options to treat mites on dogs. They treat and control Sarcoptes mites, Demodex mites and ear mites.
This type of demodex will affect larger areas of skin or possibly the entire body. Generalized demodex will many times cause secondary bacterial infections. These bacterial infections will cause intense itching and a foul odor.
Once properly diagnosed and medications prescribed and started, your dog's infection will begin to clear. Once his skin is healthy, his fur will begin to grow back. If you do not treat the infection, his skin will continue to be unhealthy and his fur will not grow back.
The most effective way to prevent the spread of sarcoptic mange is to keep the affected dog/cat away from anything that can't be easily and thoroughly decontaminated, either by cleaning with household disinfectant or running it through the washer and dryer on the hottest setting possible.
Once eliminated, most dogs do not acquire another infestation; the dog's immune defenses are primed to eliminate any new demodex mites. However, there are certain dogs that, because of genetic programming, do not produce the specific immune factors that will target the mites for destruction.