Demodectic mange is caused by a parasitic mite (Demodex canis or Demodex injal) that lives in the hair follicles of dogs.
And what is demodicosis? Demodex spp. are cigar shaped microscopic parasitic mites that live within the hair follicles of all dogs. These mites are passed to puppies from their mothers in the first few days of life, and then live within the hair follicles for the duration of animal's life without causing problems.
Demodex is caused by the Demodex canis, which is a parasite or mite that lives in the hair follicles of dogs. All dogs have these mites living on their skin but will not have a reaction to these mites unless their immune system is deficient. Demodex is most common in puppies and dogs that have immature immune systems.
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.
Demodex, a genus of tiny parasitic mites that live in or near hair follicles of mammals, are among the smallest of arthropods with two species Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis typically found on humans. Infestation with Demodex is common; prevalence in healthy adults varying between 23-100%.
Treatment for a mite infestation usually involves a cream, gel, lotion or wash containing an acaricide. An acaricide is a pesticide that kills ticks and mites. Your healthcare provider may recommend: Benzyl benzoate.
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.
Demodectic mange can resolve on its own in mild cases. It usually takes 1-2 months for mild, localized infections to resolve spontaneously.
Unfortunately, the condition is highly contagious amongst dogs, other animals and even humans. This means owners could catch the condition from their dog. And dogs can spread it between themselves and the mites can infest the home as they can live on furniture, carpet and bedding.
Several products are effective for treatment of demodicosis in dogs. Most recently, flea and tick preventatives in the isoxazoline class of drugs (including Nexgard®, Bravecto®, Credelio™, and Simparica ®) have successfully been utilized off-label for the treatment of demodicosis in dogs.
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.
Since about 90% of young dogs with demodex will resolve the problem on their own we do not recommend immediate treatment in these cases. If your pet is not uncomfortable and otherwise in good health we recommend a 4-week monitoring period to determine if it will resolve on its own or will require treatment.
Of all the treatment options investigated, tea tree oil has been shown to be the most promising option for killing Demodex mites (Liu 2010).
NexGard is a medicine used to treat infestations with fleas and ticks, as well as demodectic and sarcoptic mange (skin infestations caused by two different types of mites) in dogs.
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.
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.
Demodex mites are tiny and can't be seen without a microscope. Unless your dog's symptoms point obviously towards demodex mites, you vet will take a skin scraping (a small sample of your dog's skin) to confirm their diagnosis.
Demodectic mange is not contagious. It is a normal parasite that can grow uncontrolled due to a lacking immune system, therefore contact between a healthy dog and one with demodectic mange will not lead to transmission of the infection. Sarcoptic mange, however, is very contagious to other dogs as well as to humans.
Scabies mites do not survive more than 2-3 days away from human skin. Items such as bedding, clothing, and towels used by a person with scabies can be decontaminated by machine-washing in hot water and drying using the hot cycle or by dry-cleaning.
Mange is most commonly caused by the sarcoptic mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, or a closely related mite species like Notoedres. This type of mange is called scabies. Your dog can catch these parasites from another animal or from contaminated bedding and give them to you.
Direct contact or eggs present in dust as well as contact with infected towels, blankets, or sponges are the possible routes of Demodex spp. infection described in the literature [13, 14]. The use of facial creams or eyeliners has been considered as a potential route of Demodex spp.
Temperatures below 0 degrees C and above 37 degrees C are harmful to the mites. The lethal temperature is 54 degrees C, and the effective temperature that kills Demodex mites is 58 degrees C.
It might give you the creepy-crawlies, but you almost certainly have tiny mites living in the pores of your face right now. They're known as Demodex or eyelash mites, and just about every adult human alive has a population living on them. The mostly transparent critters are too small to see with the naked eye.
An apple cider vinegar bath can help get rid of the mange mites. Mix ½ cup of apple cider vinegar with ½ cup of Borax and warm water. Be sure the Borax is fully dissolved before sponging the mixture on your dog's skin and coat. Also make sure your dog does not lick the mixture, as ingesting Borax can be harmful.