Ted's Borax & Peroxide Mange Treatment for Dogs

| Modified on Dec 04, 2023
Borax for Mange

Learn to combat dog mange with Ted's acclaimed home remedy, first shared on Earth Clinic in 2002. Utilizing borax and hydrogen peroxide, this trusted solution effectively targets both demodectic and sarcoptic mange, providing relief to canines and their owners for two decades.

Easy Homemade Mange Solution

Ingredients:

  • Borax (Twenty Mule Team Borax recommended)
  • 3% Hydrogen Peroxide

Where to Buy:

Borax is readily available in the US and globally, often in the laundry section. Hydrogen peroxide can be found in any pharmacy or grocery store.

Pre-Bath Preparation:

Bathe your dog with a pet-friendly, pH-balanced shampoo like Dermabenss. Remember to rinse twice to remove all traces of shampoo.

Step-by-Step Guide to Preparing the Mixture

  • Dissolve Borax: Add 3 heaping tablespoons of borax to a bucket with 2 cups of hot water. Stir until fully dissolved.
  • Mix in Peroxide: Combine with 2 cups of warm water, then add 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
  • Post-Bath Application: After a thorough rinse post-shampoo, apply the mixture to your dog's fur, avoiding sensitive areas like the eyes. Do not rinse off; allow your pet to air dry.

Important Note:

Never substitute boric acid for borax, as it is toxic to pets.

Application Instructions

  • Saturate the Fur: Use a cup to pour the solution over your dog, covering all areas.
  • Face Application: Use your hands to apply the solution around the face, being careful with the eyes.
  • Skin Contact: Work the solution into the skin, but avoid rubbing on sore or raw areas.
  • Drying: Let your dog dry naturally, preferably in sunlight or a warm room.

Treatment Schedule

  • Week 1: Treat every other day.
  • Week 2: Treat every three days.
  • Weeks 3-6: Move to weekly treatments.
  • Weeks 6-12: Continue with bi-weekly treatments.

Improvements are typically observed after one or two sessions, but full recovery can take one to two months.

Maintaining a Mange-Free Environment

  • Laundry: Wash bedding and towels with borax on treatment days.
  • Other Pets: Give preventive borax baths to avoid mite transfer.
  • Cleaning: Regularly disinfect floors and sleeping areas with a borax solution.

Understanding the Treatment

The borax bath blends hydrogen peroxide and borax in water, creating an antiseptic that targets mites effectively. While borax acts as a mite-killer, hydrogen peroxide cleanses the skin, aiding in your pet's recovery from mange.

Borax for Mange Video

Watch Earth Clinic's popular instructional YouTube video on dog mange treatment, detailing how to create and apply Ted's mange solution here. The video also provides helpful tips to speed up recovery.

Mange Cure Photos

Click here to see the photos and remarkable recoveries from mange using Ted's Borax and Peroxide cure!

Using a Hair Dryer

After a borax bath, allow your dog to air dry in a warm room or in the sun on a warm day following the mange treatment. If your dog is shivering uncontrollably, you may use a hair dryer to warm them up. Ideally, wait half an hour before using the hair dryer to allow the solution time to penetrate.

Caring for Senior Dogs with Mange: Keeping Them Warm

Senior dogs are more sensitive to the cold, and their body temperature can drop during baths. It’s essential to keep them comfortable and warm throughout the bathing process. Here are some tips to ensure your older dog stays warm while treating mange:

Warm Bathing Tips:

  • Choose a Warm Location: On sunny days, bathe your senior dog in a spot where the sunlight is strong to keep them warm naturally. Alternatively, opt for a warm and cozy bathroom.
  • Controlled Room Temperature: After the bath, dry your dog in a room that’s been pre-warmed. This helps prevent any chill that could make them uncomfortable.
  • Winter Baths: If you live in a colder region, it’s best to avoid outdoor baths during the winter months unless it’s notably warm outside.

During the Bath:

  • Portable Heater Use: Position a small portable heater safely in the bathroom while you bathe your older dog. This extra heat source can prevent them from getting too cold and help maintain a steady body temperature.

After Bath Care:

  • Avoid Unnecessary Exposure: Don’t let your dog go outside right after their bath if it’s cold. Ensure they are completely dry and warm before venturing out, especially in cooler weather.

By taking these extra steps to ensure warmth, you’ll provide a more comfortable experience for your senior dog as they undergo mange treatment.

Summary: Understanding Ted's Natural Remedy for Dog Mange

Ted's remedy for dog mange is a well-regarded home treatment that targets demodectic and sarcoptic mange in canines. This remedy, which harnesses the natural properties of borax and hydrogen peroxide, is praised for being both effective and safe for your dog's skin.

Essential Points About Ted's Mange Cure:

  • Natural Ingredients: The cure utilizes a borax and hydrogen peroxide solution, which is non-toxic and gentle on your pet's skin.
  • Healing Timeline: Recovery from mange using this treatment can span from a few weeks to a couple of months, but you're likely to notice improvement promptly after the initial applications.
  • Preventative Measures: The solution not only treats the condition but also acts as a disinfectant in your dog's living space, aiding in preventing future mange outbreaks.
  • Overall Health: Following the recommended treatment plan will set your dog on a path back to health and comfort.

For a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of this treatment, continue reading for real-world success stories from Earth Clinic users who have seen significant results with Ted's mange cure for their pets.

Related Links:

Cat Mange Natural Treatment
Home Remedies for Dogs with Mange
Photos of Mange Dogs Cured with Ted's Remedies




Borax and Peroxide User Reviews

256 User Reviews
5 star (208) 
  81%
4 star (15) 
  6%
3 star (13) 
  5%
1 star (16) 
  6%
(4) 
  2%

Posted by Chris Scientific (NYC) on 02/19/2023
★★★★★

1,000th Comment. By the way, Ted's borax and peroxide bath for mange helped me heal my dog in 2011. In the process, the neem oil/carrier oil rub was invented that helped others along the way. Peace to Ted.


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by LKH (North Carolina) on 01/27/2022
★★★★★

Hi, I have been using this borax and peroxide treatment on my dog for a about a year now… It is the only thing in this world that helps! …but I haven't done the every other day baths until now. I am really determined this time ..I have shaved most of the hair completely off my dog..it's a game changer.. you can see the problem areas more clearly….you are not expending energy going thru a full haired 80 lb labrador dog..which believe me will wear you out every other day.

I also have used the borax water recipe on all our animals for about 5 years now both dogs and cats and they all are very healthy. Our lab is the only one that has the demodectic mange..He is 9 yrs old.

Replied by Paula
(TX)
02/12/2023

Unfortunately, when pets get older their immune systems do not function as well as they used to, just like humans. When the immune system is compromised demodex mites can grow out of control. Use Davis Sulfur Benz shampoo to open your dogs pores, then do Ted's Remedy. It will work on you, too!

Replied by Wendy
(Sarasota Florida)
06/23/2023

Could someone let me know if it is safe to use the borax hydrogen peroxide spray on my dog for black spots and itchiness? Nothing seems to help. I have a miniature, short haired dachshund and he has little black spots starting on his chest. The doctor prescribed a CHG MOUSSE . I would appreciate the recipe for the spray please help.🙏🙏🙏


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by MDS (Canada) on 10/14/2021
★★★☆☆

I'm several weeks into this treatment with my dogs and not seeing any difference yet. I've washed them each time before I treated them. Put the treatment in a spray bottle and parted the fur to spray their skin and then work it in more with my fingers. My poor black boarder collie is turning orange from drying in the sun! I'll keep at just cause I don't know what else to do but at this point I'm skeptical.

Replied by Joanne
(New Orleans)
10/19/2021

Time to take your dog to the vet

Replied by MissM
(New York)
10/21/2021

Get PetMd shampoo or similar if you are in Canada. I used it for mites that I caught outside. Good for humans and pets. It's unscented and gets deep into skin and hair follicle. You can dissolve borax into it. The Sulphur and benzoyl kill and dry out mites. FYI these mites like oils, it's food to them so do not put conditioner on dog or anything like that. If it's severe you may have to get ivermectin. My mites got severe, and had to dose with ivermectin two does three weeks apart and use shampoo in between. Pet MD - Benzoyl Peroxide Medicated Shampoo for Dogs and Cats - Effective for Skin Conditions, Dandruff, Itch Relief, Acne and Folliculitis Relief of Scaling and Itching from Dermatitis, Skin Infections, and Follicular Plugging to Stop Scratcting and Pain. Medicated Shampoo for Relieving Dry Itchy and Irritated Skin. Peroxide, Micronized Sulfur and Salicylic Acid for Powerful Cleaning and Degreasing. Soap and Paraben Free. Contains Skin Moisturizers and Deodorizers to Effectively Remove Scales and Oils from the Coat, Leaving your Dog or Cat Fresh, Clean and Happy.

Replied by MissM
(NY)
10/22/2021

Forgot to mention as well as Pet Md shampoo you can get Nustorck Sulphur ointment, it comes in massive tube. You can add more Sulphur to the shampoo, and then use it as a treatment. Now it's Sulphur and pine in an oil base and it's a bit smelly, but it works on all kinds of animal and human skin afflictions.

Replied by Margaret
(NYC)
03/27/2022

Response To MDS Canada

Spray bottle? You didn't follow the instructions. Your pet has to be completely saturated with the borax/peroxide/H2O mixture. Gggeezzz! No wonder it's not working for you.

George
(Florida)
02/02/2023

This is not the " original " article . The first one from several years back did indeed have a " spray bottle " option . I know it did because I read it, used it. Just FYI before you poke fun at people.


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Melissa Cruz (Parker Az ) on 09/16/2020
★★★★☆

Shih tzu caught sarcoptic mange from another family member's dog. Been using this for 1 week so far and keeping dog isolated. He doesn't have sores, not itching much at all. How long would you say to give until he's not contagious anymore? I feel bad keeping him apart but I don't want to go thru this again as we're all healing from scabies from it.

Replied by Bob.
(USA)
02/16/2021

I found this on YouTube from a person in a foreign country somewhere in Asia I think.

Just cover the dog in regular cooking oil - Vegetable oil - This is only temporary and external but the dogs do like to lick it.

What it does is starve the mites of oxygen so they die very rapidly, the person did show images of stray dogs improvement in just a few days that would rival any other treatment & is cheap, can be done anywhere cooking oil is available.

For the itching 2 methods. 100% Unrefined coconut oil, they use this on orangutans for itching as non toxic.

MMS just mix a very small dose, I use 3-6 drops in a quart spray bottle for my own dry itchy allergic to something skin and it takes care of it right away, in fact it`s the best thing I have used so far, it also speeds wound healing & cuts out the sting from minor cuts, scrapes. Ps. DMSO also speeds wound healing I have found this out on my own, so maybe try with any sores, cuts, but it night burn a little so dab with water if this occurs or mix with water then apply.

Tess
(Pennsylvania)
11/13/2022

Sorry - what's MMS?

EC: MMS = Miracle Mineral Supplement

Replied by Deborah
(High point, nc)
10/09/2022

Just to be clear, you cannot catch scabies from a dog with mange. Research it and you will find this accurate. Thank you.

Paula
(South Texas)
02/12/2023

Deborah, High Point, NC, You absolutely can catch scabies from a dog, it is called sarcoptic mange in veterinary medicine. I have discovered that although it is claimed that demodex are host specific, my small dog and I shared demodex brevis. It is called an accidental host. They cannot feed or breed on her but they get all over her [driving her crazy, too] and when we go to bed, they crawl back on me. They can stay alive on her for several days. I am immunocompromised from RA and steroid treatments. I can no longer take biologics because they caused me to go into septic shock 3 times. [Rheumatologists forget to mention the fatal infections that pop up when on biologics] I barely survived each time which has given me a wtf? now attitude about the mites. I know for sure that Ted's Remedy works from working in veterinary medicine. I use lime sulfur dip for dogs after I use sulfur benz dog shampoo on myself. I have to treat myself and my environment constantly because the little bastards love immunocompromised people on cortocosteroids. Love to all!

Vee
(Nj)
10/28/2023
★★★★★

Sarcoptic mange is highly contagious to pets and People, it is also extremely hard to cure and control. The borax formula is the best solution, but you have do it exactly as it says and don't stop early because they WILL come right back. I would also suggest ivermectin in addition. Most vets refuse to acknowledge this condition because it is almost impossible to diagnose, trust me I've been through this. If anyone thinks it's not contagious you need to research it completely! Demodectic mange is the one that is not contagious, there is a big difference between the two.

scott
(New York)
11/29/2023

Not true. I did get mange from the dog. Ask someone who knows, not "the internet" way too much false info.

Replied by Katzie
(Cancun, Mexico)
12/04/2023

Scott is right - you most certainly can! I did. I was wondering why my eyes would mysteriously water at night, enough to take tissues to bed. I put it down to makeup remover or something. This went on for a few days only. THEN, I noticed my eyes and the area around it looked old, really old!! (just like mange! ). It was shocking to age 20+ years overnight!!! So I did the borax/h.p. treatment on myself and it worked. I must not have washed my hands enough after treating or petting my dogs. Anyways, YES. YOU. CAN. catch mange from a dog! It was one of the weirdest things that ever happened to me.


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Linda (San Francisco) on 05/29/2020

Is this treatment (Ted's Borax Mange Cure) safe for cats? Thanks!

EC: Yes! We have a page on it!


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Mim H. (Northern Illinois) on 10/12/2019
★★★★★

I used Ted's borax remedy and after the second treatment, my doxie is back. Happy and so comfortable with his horrible belly sores almost gone. Winter is coming and I am glad that I will be up to the weekly bath by Thanksgiving and hopefully by January will have finished the 12 weeks. Thank you again for this treatment as the vet just pushes that disgusting medication. My dog thanks you as well!!


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Kathleen Christian (Portland, Oregon) on 07/03/2019
★★★★★

Hello,

about six years ago I adooted my Dad's four year old golden retriever, Belle. Dad had cancer and about the last six months of his life began doing things that didnt really make sense. Belle was the light of his life! But in his illness what he thought was spoiling her and giving her the best was resulting in horrible conditions. Her right ear was constantly swollen and inflamed with yeast infections. Her eyes had yellow and green discharge, she was very overweight and her coat was patched from her biting, chewing and licking her skin. He kept taking her to his vet who kept prescribing antibiotics and steroids, but as soon as the round was finished would go back to back with prescriptions. None of it was helping her. After Dad passed I took Belle home with me. I had a 13-year (but looked and acted like a puppy) old mini schnauzer, Samson, who I adored. Within a month of bringing home Bella, Samson quit eating and was getting so thin. Took them both to my vet who informed me that Samson had a large tumor in his front chest that was suffocating him. He also had a pkethora of medicine for Belle and wanted to give her steroids. I was feeding them both Nutro dry kibble and he shamed me and insisted I buy the Vetrinarian Science Diet he sold. ( after that I studied up on how bad that formula is and that the vets get kickbacks for each sale) so, I eventually was able to get him to release both dogs records, went home and started my journey in the internet. My little buddy Samson had to be put to sleep which to this day was the hardest thing ever. I had someone come to my home to do it and the minute shec came through the door and sat on the carpet with us, he sat up in her lap and new. He had the look of relief. I miss him still and that was six years ago. So, Bella. What to do about my poor 'Princepessa'. Ted saved her (and me) First, I put her in a limited ingredient diet, Acana lamb and rice. Dad was deeding her 2 juice injected chicken breasts a say along with whatever else he thought she woukd like....tuna cat food, potatoes, milk bones...etc.

So I cut out all chicken and to minimize sugar (due to her constant yeast infections) no potatoes, limited grain. Treats were and still are either Wet Noses berry buscuits or Mud bay no grain no chicken treats, Trader Joes Salmon jerkey. I would put ACV in ger water, food and use it as a rinse in her bath. I gave her Organic whole milk bulgarian yogurt in the morning. She lost about 25 lbs which was a great start. Was happy as can be but her ears and skin were terrible mess and stinky. I tried topicals, oil of oregano ( that didnt go over well!) Coconut oil, she would hust lick it off and the scratch and chew herself raw. The cone of shame..no go.... Dr. Ted's mange recipe was our saving grace. after work every other evening I began the routine faithfully. Unfortunately it was winter so it was hard for me to let her drip dry for 30 minutes before trying to do a little warm blow dry, but she was so sweet about it. We bonded. I think anxiety from the loss of my Dad, moving to a new home where I was gone all day and loosing her buddy Samson definitely exasperated her nerves and immunities, but I was on a mission! This was a long process, so please be dedicated and patient. Something else I did to help with the chewing whenever I not home...I took an old t-shirt of mine that I wore to sleep one night, put her front legs thru the arms, her head thru the neck, pulled it ove her back and yummy and cut holes for her back legs! This held the shirt over the area she would lick and chew at. After I would fet dressed each morning I would say, 'now let's get Bella's 'pretty dres's on'. She would get so excited. Once in a while I would take a pair if old drawstring sweat pants, cut them into shorts and put those on tucking in the shirt. Slowly but surely she began healing. As her wounds became smaller from the borax baths I would rub some coconut oil into them for anti-bacterial protection and to encourage the healing process. Her smell began to go away. Her right ear was still a BIG challenge. Betadine solution in a cotton pad, then I would spray colloidal silver.

At night I would rub with coconut oil. She new the routine and would lay in her left side as soon as she saw the cotton and coconut oil. All she knew is I was was trying to help her and she was thankful. And I was and am sooo thankful that she trusts me so much! One other thing, you know the all to familiar 'frito feet' smell? Try this, I take a cotton pad, dip it in brown Listerine and rub it in her paws. After a couple times if that...no more frito feet! Repeat as necessary which shouldnt need to be often if your buddy isnt suffering from an underlying larger yeast issue! Cheap and very effective! Belle is a beautiful happy, healthy 10 year old who looks and acts (physically) much younger than that! Everybody in the neighborhood loves her and counts in her smile as they go to work or come home. When they no we're iutsise, they come out to let her....I feel like the Pied Piper! And now...her diet: AM:-1 cup dry kibble (Acana singles, lamb and rice) with three pumps Grizzly Pollock Oil brand Omega 3 Fatty Acids and about a quarter cup water. Swish it around in the bowl and she loves it! PM: 1 cup same dry kibble and one heaping tablespoon of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filler!) Treats remain the same as above with occasional fresh apple or banana and pnut butter. Her coat is like silk! Ted's remedy worked like a miracle after trying so many other things that didnt work.

I highly encourage and endorse using this method for your pet...and remember, patience and commitment! This brought us both so close to one another after our losses. Belle (a.k.a. Princepessa) is my best friend and faithful companion!


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Barb (Duluth, MN) on 02/02/2019
★★★★★

We are 1 week into Ted's mange treatment and what a difference. I started treating drinking water at the same time due to how bad the mange got. To prevent scratching, I cut of a pair of tights for socks and used medical tape to keep them on and then put a pair of mittens over socks. I also cut tight waist band off to make a fabric shield for middle of my pom's body. And then I covered him in a child's onesie after he dried again to prevent scratching. His hair is starting to grow back and he is so much more comfortable now. Will update each week.


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Walter's Mama (Henderson, Nv) on 12/17/2018
★★★★★

When we adopted our dog Walter 4 years ago he came to us with Demodex mange. We used Ted's cure and it was a godsend, he got immediate relief from his itching and the mange eventually cleared up. Now a few years down the road he has come into contact with dog lice. I really don't want to use any of the chemical things suggested by the vet and I'm curious if anyone knows if this treatment would also work on dog lice?


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Ellise (Canada) on 07/16/2018
★★★★☆

Hello,

My 2 year old Staffy has had mange for about 3 months now, she is losing hair all over her body in little amounts. I started the Borax Mange Remedy treatment last week, and so far, she's been much calmer, and scratches less. The only thing that I have noticed is that it seems like her skin is very dry, and she's seemingly losing more hair (could it be because of the frequent use of shampoo?) after her baths.

Do I have to shampoo her EVERY time I do the treatment? Let me know! Thank you.

Replied by Kinga
(Tinley Park, Il)
07/17/2018
★★★★★

Yes, shampoo the dog first before the borax bath. Rinse well. Then do the borax, water and hydrogen peroxide 1% mix. Pour over a dog for 10 minutes all over in a bath. I was rinsing mine with small plastic container I had since it was easier in a bathtub. I did that for good 10 minutes - all over. Then leave the solution on the dog, I carry mine outside so he can shake it all over.

Don't worry if his hair coming out ever more and skin is ultra dry - that is normal. Mange is dying off the skin. You will notice that after few baths the skin turns like black or so. That is normal - skin will return into its pink color after you stop with baths in 2-3 months.

1. Very important - clean the floors, house, dogs bed, leash, brushes, anything he has contact with - hot water and borax. That will kill all the mites, larves and anything you have on the floor. (it is not visible with naked eye but it is there). Keep the dog in one clean area - and was the floor with hot water and borax every other day. He have to be in ultra clean place. No riding in a car either - there are mites there (if we was in your card before).

2. Another important part of treatment is giving your dog a water mixed with borax for internal clean. 1 liter of water and 1/8 of teaspoon of borax. Mix it. Give it to him as a water. I gave mine after a walk since he never wanted to drink but when we came back and he was thirsty - either that or no other water. He drink it. You will notice that his energy is back, eats better with time. Don't worry if he puke at first after the water with borax. That is normal. Mine chow-chow did not but I read that some dogs do. The idea here is to kill mites internally since they are digging tunnels deep in a skin and lay new eggs. They mix with dogs blood internally and that is why it is so hard to get rid of them. Adding borax to his water will do the job...you will notice in 1-2 days or so. Energy comes back to the dog, he wants to eat and live. When mites overtake dogs body they drain blood and energy out of him, that is why he is so skinny and weak.

3. Do not use any lotions, oils, anything moist on his skin. Mites - LOVE THAT - don't do it. The idea is that borax will dry off the skin and those nasty parasites with them. It does work for sure.

4. Mine chow chow is mite free for 6 years now. I did good treatment once for 4 months and I kept him in one area, cleaned house with borax (floors, sheets - anything he might have been - (don't use it on the leather, I destroyed my purse by accident when I swiped with borax, I taught that mites might be on it since he smell something there all the time).

5. Follow the steps and mange does not return. 100% truth here - my dog is healthy, red hair grew back, black crust on his skin went way (after so many borax baths)- I only wash him when I see he scratches a bit because I worry that he might pick up a thick or something. I do the borax bath and he stops scratching.

Replied by Rose
(Fowler, Ca)
07/24/2018

Do I have to shampoo my dog every time I use the Borax & Peroxide treatment?

Replied by Theresa
(Mpls., Mn)
07/26/2018

Hey Rose,

If your dog is clean, you don't need to shampoo.


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Meredith J. (Louisiana) on 06/27/2018 1 posts
★★★★★

When we got Loki he had a few tiny red bumps on his belly and he had a faint odor. We automatically thought fleas and he needed a bath. We gave him a bath in Dawn and picked a few fleas but not many and the odor returned a few hours later. As the days rolled by the bumps got worse and became rough. Loki's odor became more pungent and he started itching a lot. Found out that Loki had mange. I came across Ted's Remedy!!! Very affordable, convenient, easy and our pup loved the frequent attention from both of his fav peeps. This really works. Thanks.


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Josie (Manalapan) on 06/19/2018
★★★★★

Borax, HydroPerxide, Water solution:

Bye Bye expensive sprays, shampoos, and ointment. This is all I need to treat my mini French poodle baby. On the very first day of treatment - I noticed a big improvement. I wonder why none of her vets (she had three and no one ever made her condition any better) did not recommend this formula. It's been three weeks and the itching, watery eyes, bad temper - all gone. She is happy!! I am happy too!!


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Jax (Sanford, Nc) on 06/16/2018
★★★★★

This is a great site. I just discovered you by accident. I have every bug on earth here, snakes, poison oak/poison ivy. My poor animals have been getting mange for the first time. My pigs got it and one dog it because she kept laying in the mite fabric the pigs laid in. I had it in plastic bags off the floor to take to laundromat. I have been bathing her in a tea-tree/oatmeal shampoo.


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Nikki (Austin, Tx) on 06/12/2018
★★★☆☆

Hi,

I have a 10 week old Border Collie with Demodectic mange on her face. We have been applying the borax hydrogen peroxide mixture every other day this past week and just finished her fourth treatment. After the second treatment it seemed to be getting worse. She started getting face bumps all over her face. They are now swollen and bleeding. I read that it was due to the mites dying and causing an infection under the skin. Is this normal? Should I continue with the same course of action?

Here are the instructions for mixture we have been using. Everything has been completely dissolved before to her body: Add 3 heaping tablespoons borax to a clean bucket. Add 2 cups of hot water. Stir vigorously with your hand to dissolve all the borax granules. Add 2 cups of warm water. Mix again. Add 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Mix well.

Thanks for your help.

Replied by Theresa
(Mpls., Mn)
06/12/2018

Hey Nikki,

If you are painting the solution on and letting it dry, it may not be penetrating properly. You might use a soft rag or sponge to sop up the solution and keep wetting it and reapplying it again and again to the areas you are treating for a full 30 minutes. If this were my dog I would consider dipping the entire dog and not just the face.

It sounds as if there are secondary skin infections. You can use an over the counter triple antibiotic ointment for people, or you might also consider colloidal silver as well [can be taken orally as well as applied topically].

Healing will take time. Expect to see results in 2 weeks, not 2 days.

You might also consider adding a Pet tab vitamin or human vitamin C [500mg 2xday with food].

Is your puppy otherwise health and happy and bouncy? If NOT then consider a vet visit, and check for internal parasites. If this were my puppy and the vet wanted to use Ivermectin or any other miticide to combat the mites I would decline that service and hold off to let Ted's remedy work, however I might consider taking/paying for any antibiotics the vet had to offer as they might be more effective for dogs than the human triple antibiotic. JMHO!

Replied by Nikki
(Austin, Tx)
06/13/2018

I bathed her in a homemade gentle shampoo then towel dried her, then soaked her whole body in the borax solution... including her face. I then let her run around outside and dry naturally. Just over the course of the last week (with 4 treatments every other day) her face has gotten whelps all over it. She has lost most of the hair on her face. And now she's scratching like crazy. I ordered some iodine shampoo and some dinovite. Her energy is great. Her sister from the same litter is fine and both of them are the same in activity level.

So when you say to leave it on for 30 mins.... do I resoak her several times? Is it normal for it to get worse? I read that it could be due to the dead mites decaying under the skins surface causing an infection. Should I just stay the course?

Thx

Replied by Theresa
(Mpls., Mn)
06/14/2018

Hey Nikki,

You want the area you are treating to be exposed to the wet, active solution for [ideally] 30 minutes. How you accomplish that is up to you. You could have a wash cloth sopping wet with the solution on her face, and re-wet it frequently while holding it on her face for the 30 minutes - that would be one way. I have a plastic tub and I just made up a huge batch of the solution and put my puppy in the tub so she was immersed up to her neck, and then used a sponge to drizzle the solution on her head. The solution does not irritate the eyes, so if it gets in the eyes it will not hurt. If you have treated every other day, you likely can space it out a bit as it sounds, from the reaction, that you have interrupted the mite life cycle. The decaying mites ITCH - the scratching allows infection to set in - so you might try treating the infected areas with the topical antibiotic or colloidal silver. Lavender essential oil, a few drops mixed into coconut oil or calendula cream may be soothing in addition to the antibiotic cream. If her energy level is normal that is good news; a lethargic puppy means infection is going deeper which might mean a vet visit. Feeding good groceries is essential, and boosting her immune system with vitamin C is a good idea as well. It may be difficult to distract her from the itchy face, but try with things like a good chew or natural bone. I get beef neck bones at the supermarket and bake them at 350 for half an hour or so, so the meat is roasted on the outside but the bone is not cooked on the inside - and that will keep a puppy busy for a few hours.


Borax and Peroxide User Reviews
Posted by Wendy (Portland, Or) on 03/02/2018
★★★★★

I used the Borax and Peroxide, but it still didn't completely get rid of it. So I added some melted down Coconut Oil. Put my dog in her throughly scrubbed / clean kennel until she was completely dry. Although I kept her in an area away from my sofa's, etc for a few days because her coat was still oily. It worked like a charm. She's not miserable anymore.



NEXT