Director - ARF ON (Canada) on 08/30/2006:
Sarcoptic Mange and Demodectic Mange are two very different things when it comes to treatment. Sarcoptic, the contagious mange that is on the skin surface, is generally easily and most effectively treated with "Revolution". Although not a holistic option it is quick, easy and most importantly for the dog - painless. What concerns me about some of the suggestions is that when the skin is raw and sore, adding solutions cause PAIN i.e. VINEGAR. When treating any creature for a physical ailment one must always keep in mind the behavioral impact of a treatment. If your touch brings pain, particularly when your dog isn't well and needs you most, you are doing harm behaviorally.
DEMODEX is something our rescue groups encounters almost daily. We have had over twenty cases of it just within the past few months. It is an internal disorder reaction to the mites that EVERY dog has and can be combated and we have found rarely with a reoccurrence, by combining modern medicine with holistic practices.
"Mitaban" is not available in Canada so we have never used it. The most recent demodex case we brought in was completely bald except for a tuft of fur on the back of her neck. 95% of her coat was gone, she was covered in folds of demodex wrinkles, and open oozing infected sores all over her body from itching. She now, 3 months later, has a beautiful coat, wonderful temperament, and will go up for adoption in a month's time.
Combining the prescribed medication (which may be different in the U.S. than in Canada - ivermectin) with a daily diet of : 2 tsp seakelp, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 capsule vitamin E, 2 tsp pure purred pumpkin....mix with high quality WHEAT FREE kibble.
Keep the dog's stress LOW, keep their immune system HIGH, and demodex can be a problem of the past for your canine. More information can be requested from www.arfontario.com, a volunteer rescue group.
Rose (Goodyear, AZ) on 03/12/2006:
Readers are confused about which mange is which. The "Red Mange" is from a mite that lives and breeds in the hair follicle, meaning this mite is below the skin surface. So unless a treatment is actually attacking the hair follicle itself it's not going to do any good. If a surface treatment does work, then it shouldn't be thought of as the Red Mange.
Also, once the dog has been declared mange free, meaning 0 living mites from a skin scraping, there is not a possible re infestation from those mites living in certain places. If a re infestation occurs, the treatment was not successful. Your dog is sick again because not all the mites were killed during treatment, not because you forgot to throw its bedding in the washer. I had to take my Buddy to the vet due to a secondary skin infection that almost took his life. I questioned the need to clean to prevent a reoccurrence and that was what I was told by the vet and it makes sense.
That particular mite is a mite they are born with but due to any number of reasons, poor diet, stress, sickness and so on, their bodies can't fight off that natural occurring mite and the mites go crazy. While the latest treatment is not cheap and trust me, I really can't afford it but I'll make due somehow, it is not a toxic dip or repeated shampoo's. It is a liquid you add to their food and it kills the mites from the inside and that is the best way to attack this particular mite.
Jan B (NJ) on 03/01/2004:
topical -red vinegar (acedic acid 5%) & lime juice(citric acid) full strength (lesser w/ open sores) w/ internal supplements garlic,digestive enzimes,caprylic acid(aminos acids from coconut !) cured skin fungus that mimics mange, swollen cracked paws, yellow crusts w/ flaking, that resemble cold sores on face, ears, tail and rabies shot location.. ' It's been 6 wks and went from sulfodine, to vicks, to sulfur w/ turpentine, and it helped a while, but didn't really help, until i started using the garlic supplements internally (about 125 mg. per 4-5 lb. of body wt. 2 X a day., (some dogs are sensitive w/ the runs) along w/ human grade enzymes from mason natural brand, i think i got from pathmark or walmart, hartz brand vitamins,about a 1/4 tab per 4-5 lb body wt. ( i do want to mention that i read niacinamide is lacking when there are skin ailments), which i noticed that none of the dry foods have it ! nor do the vitamins.. i did have some nekton-"s" bird vitamins that had it, so i started that ,just a pinch on the tongue daily, oh, and a 1/8 tsp of kelp in the food.watch for iodine allergy though !& crypilic acid called caprylin from synergy plus brand, because it is the yeast overgrowth that can show itself with skin ailments such as these, but until we get rid of the yeast overgrowth, the skin ailments will be sure to reappear.. it is the underlying culprit, that causes such misery for us and our pets !! that can cause all kinds of external ailments & allergies ! its important to know the ph though ,through morning urine & ph paper. it should be around neutral or just below (so i've read) w/ 7 being neutral ..i did start giving chicken w/ skin (roticery cooked not fried, because my snoop dog lost weight (bony) and wasn't absorbing nutrition)..along w/ a little canned food & dry- the wellness brand,& natures variety raw instinct i use, but i hear alot of benefit from raw foods.. natures variety has it.. i haven't tried yet, but it states that it takes 6 hrs for our dogs to digest dry and cooked canned foods, but just about half that w/ raw foods.. but my breeder said purina pro plan( more oils to protect the skin she said) but i think less grain is better..(cause they turn into sugar in the gut ,and that feeds the yeast.. no good ! boy oh boy what a trip its been !! the cracks finally started to heal, i didn't think it would ever get better, i do want to mention i used externally- np.27 for atheletes foot 2X wk.also, no liking, and that did seem to ease the cracks & sore spots between & on his paw pads! also miconozole creme for yeast infects. it keeps skin soft & is very soothing! i'm sure you girls know, for down below..!! i think i would have died w/ out it !!making sure they don't lick it.. sooooo good luck to all of you who are trying your darndest to help your pet get well w/ out alot of expense.i think i've covered it all .. good luck ... !! sincerely , jan b. there is one think i want to mention ( ha ha,) phytoplankton the newest green food, kind of like kelp,but kind of expensive.. i do want to try that myself...tcfn.
