Canine demodicosis treatment symptoms causes

Demodicosis is a skin disease that affects dogs, and it is due to infection of hair follicles by a parasite. This parasite is a microscopic mite called Demodex canis. It has a peculiar elongated shape. As with scabies in humans, it burrows to lay its eggs, and it is this activity that causes severe itching in dogs.

It mainly affects young dogs, which are contaminated during the first few months of life through contact with the mother during lactation. Many dogs are infested with this parasite without any clinical signs. 85% of healthy dogs are carriers of this parasite. Only a few dogs show clinical signs because these dogs have an inefficient or deficient immune system. The disease occurs in puppies between three and twelve months old. Sometimes older dogs have the disease as the result of an immune deficiency, or secondary to another disease (endocrinopathy, tumour involvement). Certain breeds are predisposed to this parasitic disease. The skin lesions during Demodicosis show as circumscribed hair loss. There is also often dander (dandruff). Sometimes demodicosis is complicated by the appearance of a secondary bacterial infection of the skin or significant dermal inflammation.

The infected dog has lesions on its limbs and on the face around the eyes. There is also a form called disseminated depilations through the seborrhoea coupled with a strong skin odour. This is basically where the hair falls out almost evenly throughout the body but at a slower rate. In general, there is often no evidence of itching. Sometimes it is the hair loss that is the only symptoms that are easily identified by the owners.

The severe form occurs when dry demodicosis is complicated by a bacterial skin infection. What is known as a deep pyoderma, whose main source of infection by staphylococci (nasty bacteria). The skin becomes covered with oozing and crusting or boils both unsightly and irritating to the dog. There are also severe itching and hyperkeratosis (thickening of the skin). Sometimes the disease is so serious that it affects the general condition of the animal. The dog becomes depressed, emaciated and dehydrated.

Treatments?
To completely get rid of the parasite, veterinary practitioners prescribe tablets that have active ingredients against Demodex. The dog should also be given baths in chemicals that have acaricides for destroying the Demodex mite, which is often a lotion diluted in water.

The baths should be given once every two weeks until recovery. Whatever the type of treatment performed, the length of it is still very long and expensive. It takes between 2 and 4 months for complete healing. Regular checks should be done by performing skin scrapings. The treatment can be stopped if they do not observe more than two parasites on scrapings performed at weekly intervals. Recurrences are uncommon (10% of cases). Bitches in heat or pregnant may have a recurrence. It should be prevented from breeding to prevent them from transmitting the parasite to puppies.

In case of a strong skin infection the vet must also perform antibiotic therapy. The infected skin may become difficult to overcome by conventional treatments. The dog ends up being saturated with antibiotics and the immune system weakens, which creates a vicious circle.

By implementing a protocol of several natural medicines, such as a magnesium treatment, it can help the antibiotics, immune system and pills do their job. They will all complement each other.