Mange is one of the most unpleasant skin conditions in dogs and cats. Mange can quickly spread out of control and can lead to excessive itching and grooming. Find out more in this paper.

1. TheWaronMange:
Tacklingnastypetskinconditions
http://www.perfectpetskin.co.uk/dogs/

2. The War on Mange – Tackling Nasty Pet Skin Conditions
Mange is one of the most unpleasant skin conditions in dogs and cats. This is caused by an
infestation of parasitic mites that bury down into the fur and latch onto the skin or hair follicles.
Mange can quickly spread out of control and can lead to excessive itching and grooming. This leads
to hair loss and raw, irritated skin and so does need to be treated quickly and effectively.
Demodectic Mange
This is also known as red mange and typically
only affects those pets with a compromised
immune system. It is caused by the demodex
mite which naturally occurs on a dog’s skin.
However if the immune system has been
weakened these mites can quickly spread and
get out of control. The good news is that
demodectic mange can be treated easily with
specialised dog shampoos. However if left
untreated it can put severe stress on pet
health and could be life threatening. Most
dogs are immune to this type of mange though
and so there is no need to isolate those pets suffering from it.
Sarcoptic Mange
This is also known as canine scabies and is
caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei canis mite. It
is highly contagious and pets with this
condition should be isolated from other
animals to prevent cross-infection. Parasitical
treatments will need to be used on affected
animals and also on their bedding and any
areas in the home they have been
habituating.
There are several different types of parasitical
treatments that can prove effective against
sarcoptic mange. You can buy some specialist
shampoo and cleaning treatments over-the-
counter from pet health suppliers online. This
is a fast and easy way to treat minor cases of sarcoptic mange. For more severe cases you may need
to speak to your vet for slightly stronger prescription-only oral or injected treatments against this
condition.

3. Spotting the Signs of Mange
Common dog skin condition symptoms include excessive licking, scratching and biting. This leads to
dry, irritated skin and hair loss. These symptoms can apply to a number of conditions from allergic
reactions to flea bites through to poor nutrition. However mange also has additional symptoms
which make it easier to identify including:
 Skin Crusting – the first signs of mange are typically
crusting on the skin which forms in the ear and elbow
regions. This is a result of excessive scratching caused by
the irritation of the mites burrowing into the skin in these
areas.
 Pedal-Pinna Reflex – this is common in dogs with
sarcoptic mange. This reaction is triggered when you
gently manipulate and scratch a dog’s ears. Dogs with
mange will in 95% of cases react to this gentle
manipulation by automatically moving their legs in a
scratching motion. This is because the mites causing the
mange generally clump together around the ear region
making this particularly itchy and sensitive.
Stock up on treatments for mange online now at specialist pet
health suppliers. This is a fast and easy way to find fast and
effective treatments for unpleasant skin conditions in dogs.
Treatment
Once identified, use a suitable antifungal shampoo such as DermOpt dog shampoo to bathe the dog
twice a week to start with, reducing the frequency once the dog begins to show an improvement,
which is usually within 2-3 weeks. The itching usually lessens after the initial bath with DermOpt
Shampoo, and continues to reduce as the dog obtains relief from the soothing effect of the
shampoo.

4. Contact Details:
Perfect Pet Skin
90 West Drive
Highfields Caldecote
Cambridge
CB23 7NY
Tel: 01223 967 117
Email: neville@perfectpetskin.co.uk
Web: www.perfectpetskin.co.uk