Demodectic Mange

Question
Kristen,
I have a biology degree so you did not lose me with your well worded description of Demodectic Mange.   You will be pleased to know that all my dogs began eating Canidae dog food yesterday.  I got the Lamb and Rice. It was enjoyed by all. I was fortunate to find that a dog breeder 10 miles from my home sales it make it available to other dog lovers!  My "Spanky" is Half Plott Hound and Half Pit Bull.
He is going to make a great agility champion! He is neutered. He is 9 months old and weighs 50lbs.
"Spanky" underwent yesterday his first Traditional Treatment: Bath and Dip. I've read about treatment methods from the following site http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_demodectic_mange.html
I am also aware of Immunoregulin.
So I will look forward to the amount of supplements he needs and how much since now he is on a great feed. And your thoughts of follow up to "dipping"
Kind regards,
Georgiana Norcross
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Oh! please give me your suggestions of beneficial supplements to help "Spanky" recover from his demodectic mange.
Kind regards,
Georgiana Norcross
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Hi Kristen,
You kindly answered my question a couple of days ago so now I am back.  My Christmas puppy was just diagnosed with Demodectic Mange.  So I am going to be changing food from Purina One, which when I told my Vet, she went off on me.
Said there was nothing wrong with it unless your dog is allergic.  Well it seems obvious to me my "Spanky" is going to need something better! Also is there any benefit to giving him a supplement "Juice Plus" for dogs as well as improving his food source.  You well prepared me for reading dog food labels, but not "Juice Plus" for dogs.
Kind regards,
Georgiana Norcross
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Hello, again, Georgiana. I'm sorry that your vet 'went off on' you. That's very unprofessional, and if it were me, I'd consider switching vets if something as little as you saying you are going to change foods causes such a problem. *eek!*  On the other hand, vets know little about canine nutrition, so if that's the only problem you've ever had with your vet, you might let it slide.

I am familiar with Juice Plus for humans, but not so much in the product made for dogs and cats. However, I don't think it's something that is necessary, if it is the same as Juice Plus for humans. Dogs and cats do not have a dietary NEED for fruits and veggies, and do fine without them, providing their diet is complete and balanced. Me, personally? I wouldn't bother with it.

How has your vet recommended you go about treating the Demodex? I can give you suggestions about that as well if you like. There are several supplements you can give that will help with his recovery.


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Demodectic mange occurs when the immune system is suppressed, which allows demodex mites to breed & get out of control, thus causing the loss of hair and sometimes skin infections as well. Demodex mites live on all dogs that were nursed by their mothers as puppies, and we even have a type of demodex mite that lives in our eyebrows! In a normal, healthy dog, the dog's immune system keeps the mites in check. When the immune system is stressed, either by exposure to a virus, vaccinations, or from genetics, demodectic mange can occur, basically because the immune system is 'too busy' to deal with the mites. I hope I haven't lost you!

What you can do, in conjunction to the treatment your vet is recommending, is give your dog vitamins that will help boost his immune system and allow his body to help heal itself. I am going to tell you which vitamins to give, but in order to tell you how *much* to give, I need to know the breed and size of your dog. Also, I'd like to know what treatment your vet is using.



Vitamins/Supplements to give your dog to boost his immune system:

* Ester C
* B-complex (NOT high potency)
* Zinc (preferably chelated)
* Vitamin E
* Fish oil (NOT liver oil)
* Probiotics (Acidophilus/lactobacillus), or PLAIN yogurt with active cultures. Probiotics are preferred, since dairy feeds yeast, but if you cannot get probiotics, you can use plain yogurt with active cultures.



And as you know, putting him on a high quality food with few (or no) grains, yeast, or carbohydrates will also help, since demodex mites feed on systemic yeast, and systemic yeast feeds on the yeast and sugars (from carbs) that the dog eats. If you eliminate sugars and yeast from your dog's diet, the systemic yeast will die off, and therefore, so will the mites. Some things that keep the blood sugar low include meat, bones, and green leafy veggies (not root veggies). Try to avoid feeding foods with any sweeteners in them, including honey and molasses.


During the course of his treatment, he *may* develop a yeast infection of the skin or ears, as his body rids itself of the excess yeast. This is normal and will go away. Putting a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in his water will help with this. You can also put a solution of vinegar & water on his skin or use it to clean his ears with.

It goes without saying that he should NOT be given ANY vaccinations until he is completely well. Make this clear to your vet. If she protests, tell her that it says right on the vials that the vaccines are to be given only to healthy animals, and a dog with demodex is not a healthy animal.

Demodex cannot be spread to humans or other dogs.

Answer
Half plott and half pit bull, eh? I'd LOVE to see pictures of him if you have any! That sounds like a wonderfully adorable combination! My e-mail address is blueridgerescue @ gmail.com if you would like to send pictures.

I'm not a big fan of the Mitaban dips, as they are extremely hard on the dog's body. Some vets refuse to do them, but they are effective, and have been done for decades. The more 'modern' treatment of demodectic mange is the use of Ivermectin 1%, which is the active ingredient in Heartgard, but for treatment of demodex, is given at much higher doses. Certain breeds, such as collies, can be sensitive to ivermectin, so it should not be given to them, but it works quite well in other breeds. It is given orally to dogs, but is marketed as an injectable for cattle. One brand name is Ivomec, which is sold in places like Tractor Supply Co. It is not quite as harsh on the dog's body as the dips.

You can use the vitamins from K-Mart or Wal-Mart's vitamin section for humans. Here are the 'dosages' for the vitamins and supplements for your dog:

* Ester-C (calcium ascorbate)  - 1 tablet daily
* B-complex (again, NOT high potency!) - 1 tablet daily
* Zinc - 1 tablet every 2-3 days
* Vitamin E - 400 I/U daily (as d-alpha tocopherol, NOT dl-alpha tocopherol, which is synthetic)
* Fish oil - 1000mg per 30 pounds of dog's body weight
* Probiotics - 1 teaspoon daily