Ugh, Flea dermatitis, or even worse Demodex...

[Ldavis24]

We aren't sure which, we have an appointment for the end of next week and poor puppy is not a happy camper...

Anyone else ever dealt with Demodex in an adult dog? Our dog's symptoms are tough to figure right now because it could be Demodex or it could be Flea Dermatitis (yes we have flea issues, yay...)

Doogy has been losing hair, but that could be primarily to the intense licking she is doing. I'm crossing my fingers it is not Demodex because if it is, the new question becomes why is her immune system so weak that the mites were able to take over...Thats a scary proposition in itself..

I am so much more hopeful it is just flea allergies. We can deal with that even if it is a PITA...

Right now I am watching my poor dog, scratch and bite the heck out of her bum and stomach. She is causing scabs and we are about 1 day away from having to put an E-collar on her just to keep her from tearing up her skin completely...

..If you have dealt with either, did you use any home remedies to help your dog? Demodex I don't have much hope for being treated without just doing what the vet describes (repeated medicated dips, weekly...pricey sigh)..

Flea dermatitis, I am not sure how to proceed with that one. If anyone has experience with either, please share! I want to be well armed with knowledge for the vet appointment.

[Mirzam]

I am sorry about your poor doggy. 

To improve your dog's overall health, I would look to a diet change to raw feeding if you are not already feeding this way. I would also avoid all chemicals, including vaccinations from now on. As for natural remedies, if it is the fleas, then I would try garlic water (whole garlic seeped overnight and added to drinking water, whole garlic cloves also work, DE and an animal flower essence combo called Pests made by Pegasus Products which worked in a couple of days to see the fleas off our dog.

[lonegirl]

Have you had skin scrapings done? Have you brought her in for a skin workup? The last time I saw mitaban dips being done for mange was more than 5 years ago....now we use Interceptor or Ivermectin....and in mild cases we do nothing.  Unlike sarcoptic mange it is not contagious. 

[lonegirl]

Originally Posted by Mirzam 

I am sorry about your poor doggy. 

To improve your dog's overall health, I would look to a diet change to raw feeding if you are not already feeding this way. I would also avoid all chemicals, including vaccinations from now on. As for natural remedies, if it is the fleas, then I would try garlic water (whole garlic seeped overnight and added to drinking water, whole garlic cloves also work, DE and an animal flower essence combo called Pests made by Pegasus Products which worked in a couple of days to see the fleas off our dog.

Garlic is toxic to dogs.  Both garlic and onions can cause hemolytic anemia.
 

[Ldavis24]

Originally Posted by lonegirl 

Have you had skin scrapings done? Have you brought her in for a skin workup? The last time I saw mitaban dips being done for mange was more than 5 years ago....now we use Interceptor or Ivermectin....and in mild cases we do nothing.  Unlike sarcoptic mange it is not contagious. 

We are going in for skin scraping end of week..

I have worked through pretty much all of the possible causes and symptoms. I was fairly convinced it was flea dermatitis until her feet became affected, a classic symptom of Demodex issues.

Her overall symptoms are unfortunately a textbook case of Demodex overpopulation. It is not a localized infection, which I know can generally clear up on their own.

It is the much more serious generalized style of infestation. She has over 5 specific areas that are being affected. Underbelly, all four legs inside and out, in the pads of her feet (very sensitive one her left rear foot) on her chest and on her rump. They are all spreading outwards, interestingly enough while the face is usually the first affected area, nothing has really touched her face yet except on the lower part of her jaw...

I am positive it is not sarcoptic mange, I have seen that first hand and this is definitely not it.

As far as treatment goes, I know that Ivermectin is generally the preferred treatment, although it carries many risks with it. I know that specific breeds (collies, shelties etc.) CANNOT be treated with it...

I actually read about a solution of Borax and a small amount of hydrogen peroxide mixed in water and bathed with once a week is an effective treatment but I am extremely leery of using any home treatment I found online.

As far as diet we are putting her on a high quality grain free diet (will eventually switch to raw but not this moment) and we will be upping her immune system as best we can. 

my biggest concern is due to her age, this isn't just the general puppy demodex issues that are generally easier to manage, I may call her "my puppy" but she is actually an adult dog, I should get out of that habit of calling her a puppy. Her immune system must be weakened in some way for this to have happened at her age, adding in the fact that it is generalized and not localized and my head is spinning with the fear of underlying causes of the demodex.

Ok sorry for the novel. This is stressing me out so much, the thought of weekly vet trips is scary for her and scary for us because of the expense that we are going to have to deal with. I will pay whatever it takes I just don't know if we can afford it.

Time to sell the kid!

[lonegirl]

All the best!

Mitaban is horrible to use.  You will not have to use it but the veterinary staff will.  Part of the reason most hospitals I have worked at in the past few years have switched from it (or used it as a last resort) is because it is not exactly the safest things for us to be exposed to.  Back when I was first doing them (back 15 yrs) I would have to wear long disposable gloves (up to my shoulders)  mask, goggles and a gown.  You aren't supposed to breath the fumes....lol as you are sponge bathing a dog. The dog air dries and then must then stay quiet for 24hours.  http://www.pfizercanen.naccvp.com/?m=product_view&id=1198300

[Ldavis24]

Originally Posted by lonegirl 

All the best!

Mitaban is horrible to use.  You will not have to use it but the veterinary staff will.  Part of the reason most hospitals I have worked at in the past few years have switched from it (or used it as a last resort) is because it is not exactly the safest things for us to be exposed to.  Back when I was first doing them (back 15 yrs) I would have to wear long disposable gloves (up to my shoulders)  mask, goggles and a gown.  You aren't supposed to breath the fumes....lol as you are sponge bathing a dog. The dog air dries and then must then stay quiet for 24hours.  http://www.pfizercanen.naccvp.com/?m=product_view&id=1198300

yeah I have heard it is pretty awful..However I do believe Mitaban production has been discontinued, I read that somewhere in my obsessive googling. So the preferred treatment is something else now, I am not sure what and if it is really bad they do the oral Ivermectin...Either way for a dog who pees herself and has to be carried inside the vet's office this is not going to be a pleasant experience for her. Rescue Remedy can only help her panic so much.

[Arduinna]

We have one dog that has allergies that caused extreme itching and scratching, loss of hair as a result and darkened skin on the underbelly, legs and feet. Four years ago we put him on raw (and then all our dogs), had a full work up at the vet to rule out thyroid issues ect, used antihistimines, regular baths with Malaseb medicated shampoo and sprayed him with Micro-tek. But we knew that his problem was not fleas, because we didn't have fleas in the 10+ years we lived in that area. All those measures greatly improved his symptoms very quickly. Since we moved out of state he gets occasional itchiness but never anywhere near what it was.