Demodex Mange

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

01 Apr 2009 05:37 PM

Just thinking about microscopic creepy crawlies makes me itchy all over! But when my dog Lally was having her most recent allergy attack, one of the causes I feared was demodex mange.

Demodex is a skin infection caused by a microscopic mite. Symptoms can include:

• Red, itchy skin
• Bald, weepy patches -- especially around the eyes and mouth
• Lesions on legs and body
• Leathery skin
• Thick ear discharge (especially in cats)

With Lally's itching -- especially around the eyes -- maybe you can see why I was concerned.

The demodex mite is fairly common -- most dogs and cats carry the mites in small numbers. Different types of mite infect dogs, cats, and even humans, so the disease can't be passed from one species to another. The long, thing, eight-legged mites can only be seen with a microscope; between sixty and 240 mites can live in an inch of skin.

Healthy pets don't usually have a problem with demodex mites. But when the mite population gets above a certain level, the itching begins. Too much scratching can encourage the formation of secondary infections (usually bacterial infections).

Pets with poor immune system function are most at risk for demodex mange.

Which other pets are prone to demodex mite infections?

• Dogs are more likely to develop demodex mange than cats.
• Puppies and young dogs are more like than adult dogs to develop problems.
• Animals that are stressed or physically ill. This can suppress the immune system, allowing mites to get out of control. Stresses can include being in heat, pregnancy, parasites, cancer, thyroid disease, diabetes, emotional stress, and even taking steroids.

Some breeds are also more likely to develop demodex than others. Cat breeds who are prone to demodex mange include Siamese and Burmese. Dog breeds who are prone to demodex mange include boxers, bull terriers, bulldogs, pit bulls, Dobermans, pointers, shepherds, collies, dachshunds, Great Danes, sheepdogs, Shar-Pei, shih-tzus, and pugs.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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