DEMODEX

"Demodex" it's such a scary word..  Try saying it, make sure you use a deep voice...  Scary, huh?  I have heard it called "Red Mange" and/or "Puppy Mange".  I searched all over to find out why it was given the name Red Mange and found nothing.  I assume the it comes from those untreated dogs whose skin turns bright red from scratching and infection.  It is a microscopic mite that infects the skin dogs and cats.  It is one of the most common skin problems in puppies.  My newest family member "Cherry" had demodex when we got her from the animal shelter.

Cherry is a 6 month old black large breed mix.  We got Cherry back in May from the local animal shelter, she was the cutest-ganglest puppy I've ever seen.   But then of course being one of my pets she developed a little problem(animals see me and say, she'll fix us lets go to her house!).  She started getting very small patches of hair loss.  At first it looked like she had just scrapped herself on something.  But then the areas started getting bigger and there was suddenly 3 areas of hair loss instead of one.  These areas were not red or itchy.  The skin was very smooth and it didn't seem to bother Cherry at all.  Being the smart Veterinarian that I am I instantly assumed it was Demodex!  LOL!



Cherry when we got her in May



Cherry today! 6 months old!

I took Cherry up to the clinic for a skin scraping to diagnosis Demodex.  These mites live in the hair follicles, so a fairly deep scraping is needed to find them.  The skin scraping is then put on a slide and looked at under the microscope.  This is a drawing of the mite.

This mite is not contagious from dog to dog.  All dogs raised normally from their mom possess this mite.  It is passed from the mom to the pups in the first few days of life.  When the pup is about 1 week old it develops and natural immunity to the mite, which allows them to live together in harmony.  There are several instances when the mites begin to proliferate and can cause serous skin problems.  In Cherry's case I think her young age and the stress associated with being at the shelter suppressed her immune system.  An underdeveloped immune system is often the cause of demodex in puppies.  Demodex can also occur in older dogs.  Some of the cases I've seen occur because of; stressed immune systems,  organ dysfunction,  or dogs that have chronic skin conditions with extended steroid use. 

There are several treatment options available.  Everything from medication by mouth, to dipping, to topical drops.  It is really up to your veterinarian and their protocols.  One thing that will determine treatment is the extent of infection.  Cherry had a very mild localized infection.  But, I have seen dogs that have mites from their heads to their tails.  These poor dogs often have secondary bacterial and yeast infections.  This is called generalized demodex, it is usually very itchy.

Most dogs respond very well to treatment, especially the puppies.  The adult dogs with generalized demodex are the ones that are often hard to clear up.  In these dogs, Demodex is usually secondary to a more serious problem.  Many skin problems can look the same so make sure you take your dog in for appropriate testing and treatment at your veterinarian.  

Here are some pictures I found online.  The first is a very, very severe case of Demodex.  The second is just a drawing but it shows where the mite actually lives.  Very informative!