Any dog can get mange, it doesn’t matter what breed they are or even how old they are.
There is actually 2 types of mange in dogs; sarcoptic mange is the mange we refer to mostly and it is the most common and highly contagious!
The other kind of mange is passed between mum and puppies and called demodectic mange.
You can find out about both types of mange below; including what it is, how does it dogs, how to treat mange and who can develop it.
You can skip to the parts you are most interested in by using the links below – there are two sets of links, one for sacoptic (common) mange and one for the rarer demodectic mange.
Sarcoptic (common) mange post links:
- What is mange?
- What do skin mites look like?
- What do skin mites do?
- How do mites and mange affect my dog?
- Which dog breeds can get mange?
- How do dogs get mange?
- How can I tell if it’s mange?
- Can I catch mange from my dog?
- Can other dogs catch mange from my dog?
- How do I treat mange?
Demodectic (rarer) mange post links:
- What is demodectic mange?
- How do dogs get demodectic mange?
- How do mites and mage affect my dog?
- Which dog breeds can get demodectic mange?
- Can other dogs catch mange from my dog?
- Can I catch mange from my dog?
- How do you treat demodectic mange?
- Can you prevent demodectic mange?
What is mange?
Mange is a type of skin disease caused by skin mites.
There are two different types of mange: the common mange is sarcoptic mange, the more rare mange condition is called demodectic mange.
What do the skin mites look like?
The mites are tiny, spider-like and can only be seen under a microscope. Not helpful to us dog owners! We can’t see the mites – only the result of them after some time has passed.
What do the skin mites do?
The mites burrow under the dog’s skin and lay their eggs there (gross), 3-10 days later the eggs hatch into larvae, they move around on the poor dog’s skin making (them really itchy and irritable) until they mature into egg-laying adults. Then the cycle starts again.
Adult mites can live up to 3-4 weeks!
How do mites and mange affect my dog?
The symptoms of mange causes your poor pal to suffer from crazy intense itching, which drives your dog mad and causes them to end up with patchy fur, damaged skin and even bloody sores and scabs from constant manic itching. They will probably get pretty peed off too.
Mites like to make their home on hairless skin, so mostly start attacking around the eyes, ears, under the legs (armpits) and their belly.
What does mange look like?
The skin will get itchy, red, inflamed and may have a rash-like appearance. The skin can get crusty and the hair will start to fall out.
It will then get worse due to the dog scratching and biting. Your dog might get sores from scratching so much – which also may become infected and need antibiotics from your vet.
I have heard that lymph nodes can become infected and swell if left too long – which will also need vet treatment.
Which dog breeds can get mange?
ANY. Like I said above, any dog can get mange at any point of their life no matter what breed they are.
How do dogs get mange?
Sarcoptic mange (canine scabies) is the main form of mange we all think of as ‘mange’. It’s really contagious and so easy peasy to pass between dogs!
It can be shared in a similar way to the dreaded fleas; direct contact between dogs, shared bedding and any shared pet clothing.
Dogs have been known to catch mange from infected urban foxes but it’s incredibly rare as they don’t meet very often!!
How can I tell if it’s mange?
Diagnosing mange is quite difficult according to the Blue Cross website. Blood tests and skin scrapes can be unreliable according to vets, so mange is diagnosed by symptoms.
The problem with this for vets is that they have to try and rule out other types of skin irritations and allergies before actually diagnosing mange.
The problem with this for the dogs and owners is that the poor dog has to suffer with the intense itching and sores until the symptoms are obvious enough for us to notice and the vet has tried medications.
Can I catch mange from my dog?
Yes, you can. I know this isn’t the answer you wanted but it is the answer BUT there is a bright side! The mites that cause the mange can’t live on us mere humans so the infection dies off pretty soon.
The mites only live on animals, so if you have other pets keep them away and clean areas/bedding etc. If your dog does get mange though, try to keep them off furniture, your bedding, away from children’s things and also avoid close contact!
No more cuddles for a while!! 🙁
Can other dogs catch mange from my dog?
Yes, like I said earlier in this post, mange is contagious so will pass from dog to dog very easily.
If one of your dogs has mange, treat the other dogs in the house too – and maybe warn any close furry friends to be on the safe side.
How do I treat mange?
Take your dog to the vets and they will prescribe some medication for them, possibly antibiotics if an infection has set in on the scabs or sores.
Keep them off your bedding, furniture and no more close contact or cuddles till they are treated. Treat your other dogs too, just to be on the safe side.
You could also try some natural remedies to help kill the mites, ease the itching and soothe the skin.
Natural Dog Mange Remedy: Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar has antiseptic and antibacterial properties according to Wag. It can be added to your dog’s food and water, you can also give them an apple cider vinegar bath.
If adding the apple cider vinegar to their food or water, only add one teaspoon for dogs weighing under 30lbs or one tablespoon for dogs over 30lbs to either their food or water – not both.
If you want to give your dog an apple cider vinegar bath, you will also need borax. You can buy both borax and apple cider vinegar on Amazon.
Mix half a cup of borax with half a cup of apple cider vinegar and warm water, making sure the borax has dissolved completely before using it. Then sponge it all over your dog’s coat, but keep it away from eyes, ears and the mouth! Don’t let them lick or drink it either as the mixture is harmful to dogs! Once they have finished in the bath, you can just let them air dry, rather than towel drying.
You can also make this apple cider vinegar and borax mixture and put it into a spray bottle to use on smaller dogs, dogs who don’t like having a bath or just to concentrate on certain patches.
Natural Dog Mange Remedy: Olive Oil
Apparently, putting olive oil onto your dog’s skin can help soothe the itching and irritated skin. It might also help get rid of the mange mites.
Natural Dog Mange Remedy: Honey
Honey is good for pretty much everything, but did you know it could also help getting rid of your dog’s mange?
Honey is antiseptic and antioxidant so can help heal your dog’s sore skin and build their immunity at the same time. Honey can also help remove nasty bacteria and dirt from the affected skin. Just add the honey directly to the affected areas to help soothe.
Natural Dog Mange Remedy: Supplements & Vitamins
You can buy vitamins and supplements for pretty much everything for your dog now, you could try some Omega Fish Oil Capsules which help with itchy skin, promotes healthy skin & fur and also boosts their immune systems. Omega Fish supplements for dogs can be bought from most good pet shops and also online from Amazon.
I just want to add that we have never had a dog with mange (I’ve probably jinxed us now…) so I can’t say for sure how well these natural mange remedies will work, though I have read about using honey, olive oil and apple cider vinegar in lots of places online. If it’s not going to hurt your dog then it may be worth a try.
To find out more about demodectic mange (the rarer type of mange) that affects mum dogs and her puppies, continue reading below. Demodectic mange can still affect adult dogs, so read on to arm yourself with the information to keep an eye out for it!
What is demodectic mange?
Demodectic mange is another form of mange, but rarer than the common sarcoptic mange mentioned above. It can be called the ‘red mange’.
The mites are tiny, microscopic spider-like creatures that burrow under the dogs skin and lay eggs – the same as sarcoptic mange mites (described above).
How do dogs get demodectic mange?
Most dogs have the demodectic mites in small numbers and it is passed from mum to her pups. Most of the time the skin disease stays dormant so the pups are healthy and show no signs of this type of mange.
In rarer cases though, the skin disease could start up on the poor pup – usually if they have immune system problems or a lower immune system.
How do mites and mange affect my dog?
This poor pup has an extreme case of demodectic mange! It just breaks your heart to see!
The symptoms of demodectic mange can appear in three different ways in mum and her pups: localised, generalised and demodectic pododermatitis.
- Localised: Your pup can get small, scaly patches on their face.
- Generalised: The itchy, scaly patches appear all over the body.
- Demodectic pododermatitis: The problem is on the paws – making it harder to diagnose and treat.
The itching can cause patches of scabs and sores and also become infected. The pup or mum may start to smell bad from the infection of the open wounds made from scratching and biting.
Localised demodectic mange is very common in puppies but still needs a vet to take a closer look.
Generalised demodectic mange usually affects dogs under 18 months old that have an immunity defect. Most of the time they recover fine and develop an immunity to the mites.
If an adult dog develops generalised demodectic mange, it could be a sign that your dog has developed an immunity problem and certainly needs a vet check to rule out other problems (and treat the mange).
Demodectic pododermatitis (mange on the paws) is more prone in Old English Sheepdogs and Shar Peis.
What dog breeds get demodectic mange?
All breeds can get it. It’s passed from mum to pups.
Most dogs have a small amount of demodectic mites on them and have an immunity and it causes no issues because they are dormant.
Demodectic pododermatitis (mange on the paws) is more prone in Old English Sheepdogs and Shar Peis.
It can also cause bacterial infections and go deep into the tissue of the poor dogs paws! Ouch!!
Can other dogs catch mange from my dog?
No. Demodectic mange is passed on from mum to her pups.
Demodectic mange is mostly dormant but can become active if the puppy has a lower immune system.
Can I catch demodectic mange from my dog?
No. As far as the vet world knows, it isn’t contagious to other animals or humans.
How do you treat demodectic mange?
Same as with anything else, get the dog to the vets and they will diagnose demodectic mange. How they treat the mange depends on the type and how bad it is.
They will probably treat it with creams, medicated baths and possibly medicines such as antibiotics.
Try to keep areas and bedding clean, keep the dogs off the furniture and be careful of cuddles if they are having treatments such as ointments and creams. You can’t catch demodectic mange but you can be smeared with cream!!
When dogs under 18 months old get demodectic mange the chances are very good for them to improve their immune systems and be cured of the skin disease completely.
Dogs over 18 months old who develop demodectic mange are harder to treat and may not be completely cured. They can live a comfortable life though with ongoing treatment from your vet.
You could also try some natural remedies to help kill the mites, ease the itching and soothe the skin.
Natural Dog Mange Remedy: Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar has antiseptic and antibacterial properties according to Wag. It can be added to your dog’s food and water, you can also give them an apple cider vinegar bath.
If adding the apple cider vinegar to their food or water, only add one teaspoon for dogs weighing under 30lbs or one tablespoon for dogs over 30lbs to either their food or water – not both.
If you want to give your dog an apple cider vinegar bath, you will also need borax. You can buy both borax and apple cider vinegar on Amazon.
Mix half a cup of borax with half a cup of apple cider vinegar and warm water, making sure the borax has dissolved completely before using it. Then sponge it all over your dog’s coat, but keep it away from eyes, ears and the mouth! Don’t let them lick or drink it either as the mixture is harmful to dogs! Once they have finished in the bath, you can just let them air dry, rather than towel drying.
You can also make this apple cider vinegar and borax mixture and put it into a spray bottle to use on smaller dogs, dogs who don’t like having a bath or just to concentrate on certain patches.
Natural Dog Mange Remedy: Olive Oil
Apparently, putting olive oil onto your dog’s skin can help soothe the itching and irritated skin. It might also help get rid of the mange mites.
Natural Dog Mange Remedy: Honey
Honey is good for pretty much everything, but did you know it could also help getting rid of your dog’s mange?
Honey is antiseptic and antioxidant so can help heal your dog’s sore skin and build their immunity at the same time. Honey can also help remove nasty bacteria and dirt from the affected skin. Just add the honey directly to the affected areas to help soothe.
Natural Dog Mange Remedy: Supplements & Vitamins
You can buy vitamins and supplements for pretty much everything for your dog now, you could try some Omega Fish Oil Capsules which help with itchy skin, promotes healthy skin & fur and also boosts their immune systems. Omega Fish supplements for dogs can be bought from most good pet shops and also online from Amazon.
I just want to add that we have never had a dog with mange (I’ve probably jinxed us now…) so I can’t say for sure how well these natural mange remedies will work, though I have read about using honey, olive oil and apple cider vinegar in lots of places online. If it’s not going to hurt your dog then it may be worth a try.
Can you prevent demodectic mange?
According to the Blue Cross, keeping your pup/dog in good health can help prevent demodectic mange. This will help the dog have a better immune system to be able fight the mites off.
Keeping up to date on flea and worming treatments can also help.
Stress and hormone changes can affect immune systems too, so neutering may help too.
Now you know what mange is
Now you know what both types of mange are, how mange affects your poor dog and how to treat mange.
You can help your dog fight the irritating skin disease known to us all as mange by having a healthy diet, lifestyle and a good knowledge of what this common problem looks like and how to treat it.
Hopefully, this post will have given you the information you need to help your furry friends to be mange free!
