Replied by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 07/03/2015
Theresa
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
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Hey Mara!
I feel for your poor staffy baby :-(
In your shoes I would treat my dog with Ted's Mange remedy; I would NOT use the dips from the vet, but would treat the entire dog with Ted's remedy, and also stand my dog in tubs of the remedy to soak his paws. Teds remedy does not sting - at least not in my experience when using it on my own dogs when I had cuts and open sores on my arms and hands.
Did your vet confirm the mange with a skin scraping? 3 years old is a bit old for demodectic mange, however it well could be sarcoptic mange which is also contagious to humans. Be sure you wash doggie bedding daily and clean the house daily to remove any chance of reinfestation if it is sarcoptic mange.
Demodex in a 3 year old is associated with an underlying undiagnosed health issue; consider testing the thyroid to make sure it is functioning properly. There is a particular form of demodex- pododemodicosis - that is known to be very difficult to heal -but again demodex is associated with the teenage dog and usually not the adult dog unless there is an underlying health condition feeding the demodex. A contact dermatitis that is associated with allergies from pollens or grasses or diet will also cause the dog to chew his paws to the point of bleeding.
Dogs with mange need a calm, supportive environment; consider lavender in a topical salve for the paws.
If this were my dog I would not hesitate to use antibiotics to get the infection out of the paws, but also consider colloidal silver or turmeric. Also consider soaking the paws in epsom salt baths to draw out infection. If he will tolerate it, I would make a salve from coconut oil and turmeric and slather it all over the paws, put on a plastic baggie and then a sock on each paw and gently bandage and leave on over night. You might find a wound salve at the Farm and Fleet type store in the horse section that would work as well that would also be economical.
If your boy does have an allergy, the steroid shot can help keep it at bay, or daily steroids - however turmeric and quercetin may help, also colostrum to help build up the immune system. Adding local honey- made from bees who obtain nectar from the same pollens that your boy may be reacting to - add this to his food am and pm and long term can have a desensitizing effect.
My approach would be to utilize the western approach - steroid and antibiotic for short term control - along with alternative, using health supplements and Ted's remedies to get on top of the condition long term. ACV can help by alkalizing the system but you may also consider adding baking soda to the water. The ACV will help topically with balancing the PH which when out of wack can cause itchy skin.