There are three types of mange:
- NOTOEDRIC MANGE
Highly contagious disease of cats and kittens.
- OTODECTIC MANGE
These mites are common cause of external ear infections especially in cats and dogs. Commonly found in the ear canal.
Clinical signs include head shaking, ear shaking, continual ear scratching and ear droop, pruritus at times is seen, dark brown cerumen accumulation in the ear. Can lead to the perforation of the tympanic membrane.
- SARCOPTIC MANGE (canine scabies)
Highly contagious disease of dogs found worldwide. These mites attack only specific hosts but can infest humans and animals that come across them. They spend almost the entire life cycle on the host. Female mites burrow tunnels underneath the skin layers to lay eggs. They are transmitted to other dogs by direct contact.
Transmission through indirect contact is also possible.
Clinical Signs
Hypersensitivity to mite products occur leading to pruritus and itchiness. This will lead to papular skin eruptions due to self trauma (itchiness) developing thick skin crusts.
Secondary bacterial and yeast infection may occur starting on the ventral abdomen, chest, ears, elbows and hocks and if untreated becomes generalized.
Long term ill dogs develop seborrhea, severe skin thickening with fold formation and crust build up. Animals lose weight and lymph nodes are swollen.
Such dogs may eventually die.
Treatment
The most effective mode of treatment involves hair clipping, a series of topical seborrheic shampoo and acaricide treatment seven days apart. A few systemic injections are also carried out.
Diagnosis
At our facility we diagnose based on the history of severe pruritus and itchiness of sudden onset. We also perform a deep skin scrapping and faecal test where we identify the parasites and eggs.
