help...sarcoptic mange...

tazwaz

hi all,
before i start i must say that i really am a responsible dog owner and have no idea how this has happened to my poor dog. please please please dont give out to me as i feel guilty enough, i just need a bit of advice from you.

my dog is regularly dosed with stronghold (every 6 weeks), he was done 5 weeks ago. he was staying with a friend of mine for a few days last weekend as i was out of the country and he had a great weekend running in the woods, swimming etc. when he came home he had a few crusts on his eyes, ears and legs. i brought him to the vet and she diagnosed sarcoptic mange. she gave him a dose of stronghold and i must do it in 3 weeks time again. is there anything else i can do to help him? shampoos etc? he hasnt been as itchy the last 2 days but still i want to do all i can to relieve it completely.
also is this contagious to humans, i know it is to other dogs.

whitser

no shame in your dog getting mange. it could happen a bishop. mine got it a few years back. i got a wash of the vet and had to wash them and the kennells out weekly for ,i think 4 or 5 weeks. very strong stuff the wash, had to use rubber gloves and classes.
im not sure if strong hold will shift mange once its established, i thought it was more of a preventitive. the wash i used had to be diluted with water 1 part to 140. i would defo prefer the wash to the stronghold,just my poinion.
it is contagious to humans, scabies we call it.

Noopti

whitser wrote: »

it is contagious to humans, scabies we call it.

Pretty sure this is not entirely correct. I was of the understanding that the parasites can be transferred to humans and they will cause similar discomfort but that they cannot reproduce on humans and will die soon after.

Although someone may correct me on this.

whitser

google disagrees with you on that one.

Noopti

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_sarcoptic_mange.html

While Sarcoptes scabei can infect humans and cats, it tends not to persist on these hosts.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/mange1.html

Fortunately scabies in humans is self-limiting, that is the mite can burrow under the skin and cause itching, but cannot complete its life cycle on humans and dies within a few weeks.

http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dsmange.html

The dog species of sarcoptic mange can TEMPORARILY infect humans. Usually
the itchiness from this lasts about three weeks, or less. The mite can't
live in humans, so it dies. If the dog remains in the household and remains
infected it can continue to give its owners new mites, though -- so the
itching can last longer because there is a constant new supply of mites.

I never said you were entirely incorrect, it was just that your statement that it is contagious can lead people to think it will infect and live successfully on humans, and this is not the case. I just wanted to clarify that. That is, if you get the mites from your dog you don't necessarily need treatment yourself (unless for simple relief), as once the dog is cleared, any mites transferred to humans will die off.

Edit: And also you said it is called Scabies, but human scabies is different to sarcoptic mange in that it can reproduce on humans.

looserock

Don't know much about this type of mange, but what I do know is ALUDEX wash would nearly kill yourself never mind a few mites.

Be careful with that stuff, never have it near anything pregnant, human especially or children in general.

whitser

Noopti wrote: »

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_sarcoptic_mange.html

While Sarcoptes scabei can infect humans and cats, it tends not to persist on these hosts.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/mange1.html

Fortunately scabies in humans is self-limiting, that is the mite can burrow under the skin and cause itching, but cannot complete its life cycle on humans and dies within a few weeks.

http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dsmange.html

The dog species of sarcoptic mange can TEMPORARILY infect humans. Usually
the itchiness from this lasts about three weeks, or less. The mite can't
live in humans, so it dies. If the dog remains in the household and remains
infected it can continue to give its owners new mites, though -- so the
itching can last longer because there is a constant new supply of mites.

I never said you were entirely incorrect, it was just that your statement that it is contagious can lead people to think it will infect and live successfully on humans, and this is not the case. I just wanted to clarify that. That is, if you get the mites from your dog you don't necessarily need treatment yourself (unless for simple relief), as once the dog is cleared, any mites transferred to humans will die off.

Edit: And also you said it is called Scabies, but human scabies is different to sarcoptic mange in that it can reproduce on humans.

grand so.

tazwaz

thanks guys,
he hasnt itched all day, just a bit of licking.
went to the chemist this eve and explained the situation. she reckoned the mites are dead now cause of the no itching and she gave me a herbal shampoo to use so as not to irritate his skin further, hopefully this will get rid of the dry stuff coming off him. i also got a coconut oil i have to rub into him and that should soften the crusts.

its good to know the worst that should happen me is a bit of itching, thanks a mil