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Demodectic Mange in Shar Pei

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Did you know that all dogs have mites living in their skin?  Sounds gross, right?  Don’t worry.  This is normal.  In a healthy animal, both the parasite and the host can co-exist with no problems.  The immune system is the control board that keeps the amount of mites to a minimum and maintains the balance of healthy living.  But what happens when your beloved companion gets sick or stressed?  During these times, the immune system can become impaired and the number of mites can multiply.

Demodectic mange is caused by the demodex mite.  One of the symptoms of demodectic mange is hair loss in a circular pattern.  It is usually located on the head and in some cases on the trunk.  This type of demodectic mange is referred to as localized or juvenile demodex.  After the immune system is replenished, the patches of hair loss will grow back into place.

What happens if the immune system cannot handle the large numbers of mites?  Generalized demodex takes place when large numbers of mites become too big of a problem for the immune system to handle.  Dogs with generalized demodex have a faulty immune system and it is recommended that they not be bred.

Treatment for demodectic mange consists of Mitaban dips once every two weeks or Invermectin, a medicine given orally or injected.  Mitaban is an extremely toxic chemical and precautions should be taken before and after dips for humans as well as dogs.  Invermectin is considered to be less toxic to the dogs system but both methods should always be done with veterinary supervision.