Scabies in dogs appears due to infection with scabies mites. An intolerable itching in an animal causes a lot of trouble for both the dog and its owner. The animal becomes restless, constantly scratching itself, which leads to hair loss and scratching. Depending on the causative agent of the disease, scabies in dogs can be:
- sarcoptoid (caused by the tick Sarcoptes canis);
- demodectic (pathogen - tick Demodex Folliculorum).
Sarcoptosis is most severely tolerated by dogs, as it is caused by a tick living inside the skin of the animal. A tick-borne tick is introduced into the epidermis, gnaws numerous strokes in the skin, while it is almost impossible to notice the parasite with the naked eye.
Dog scabies appeared: symptoms
You can notice the first signs by the state of the coat on the dog’s head. Small vesicles appear on the ears, eyebrows, upper part of the nose, which cause severe itching. The animal is constantly itching, tearing apart its skin. At the place of combing, wool falls out, abrasions and dried scabs appear. In advanced forms, scabies in dogs is manifested in the form of bald patches and festering wounds.
Favorite places for colonies of ticks are on the ankles, ears and paws. A veterinarian can diagnose the disease by taking a scraping and examining it under a microscope. If scabies in dogs is confirmed, treatment should be carried out immediately. It is believed that sarcoptosis can be cured in several procedures, while the treatment of demodicosis is lengthy and costly, not always successful.
How to treat scabies?
Scabies mites are transmitted from sick dogs to healthy animals (cats and dogs), as well as humans. Therefore, for the effective treatment of sarcoptosis, a sick animal is isolated, the hair is cut from the affected areas and the dog is thoroughly washed. Subcutaneous injections and skin treatment with drug emulsions are usually prescribed.
Emulsions based on kalbofos, dicresil, butox or diazinone are effective. The dosage and concentration are determined by the veterinarian depending on the weight and age of the animal. The use of “Dekt” or “Demos” preparations brings a positive effect, the rubbing of which is carried out every 3-4 days. This treatment is designed for 5 procedures. It is worth noting that the housing where the infected pet was located is thoroughly disinfected with chlorophos, the litter is washed in a soap solution, and then treated with acaricides.
Preventative measures
Prevention comes down to periodic inspection of the skin of the pet. Dog communication with stray animals should also be excluded. It is worth noting that infection can occur without direct contact, as adult ticks survive in a warm, humid environment for up to 2 weeks, in a dry climate they can survive up to 3 days.
If you notice itch dogs on the site, then temporarily change the place of walking your pet. Veterinarians believe that scabies mites often appear in animals with reduced immunity, so avoid fleas and helminthic infestations. Tick mites can also migrate to humans, so be careful when contacting a sick animal.