Lawrie has sarcoptic mange (fox mange) :-(

We appear to have caught it early, but would like to know if anyone can recommend *supplements* or anything that we can give her to help her recover her coat/skin condition?

Leigh - what about this "fit and fertile" that has had alot of mention with regards to coat?

I would normally say give her a cuddle for me but I'll pass this time thanks ;)

Sara :)

this may be of interest
http://www.bobgrass.co.uk/about.html

Hi leigh, sorry to hear about your pup's mange, I don't really know of any supplements other than the usual fish oils, I actually feed my dogs an oily fish (whole & fresh & raw) once a week instead of giving supplements as in 'tabs or capsules'. Can I ask a question - does 'stronghold' (I don't use it) prevent mange being picked up, as well as being used as a treatment?? My vet told me its used as a treatment as well as preventing fleas, and earmites and is a wormer too!! We have a lot of foxes around here and my lot always have there heads stuck somewhere they shouldn't and eat fox poo whenever they get the chance! julie:)

Hiya, Stronghold is the only thing on the market that will prevent your animals getting sarcoptic mange and yes, it is also a treatment for SM, Flea's,mites and a wormer to boot. It is a spot-on treatment.

I could really kick myself, because I have foxes living behind my kennels and when they were ill a few months ago, both my vet and the Fox Project recommended that we use Stronghold as a precaution. It's one of those things you *mean* to do and never quite get round to it. That will teach me, won't it :rolleyes:

If you have foxes around, then it would be a wise precaution :-)

my six month old pup was losing fur in patches on shoulder and top of head there's no flaky skin as you normaly see with mange but i took her to the vets and they put her on a 3 month treatment of stronghold it's meant for fleas i believe but it treats some of the mange mites and ringworm the vet told me if this does'nt work he will take some skin scrapes, dont know if this helps you, but good luck!!

Thank you Sara :-)

bringing to the top for the benefit of new members

Homeopathic Cures?

We understand that there is an alternative homeopathic remedy for sarcoptic mange (sulphur and/or arsenicum alb) Does anyone know if it would be advisable to use this along side the Stronghold *cure* that the vet has given us? And if we were to use it, what dosage for a 17 week old, 32lb puppy?

Leigh,
I have a booklet called Homeopathy for Pets by George MacLeod and it says either of these for mange, so maybe try one and if that doesn't work the other. In the book it says to try one for a week and then the other. As far as I know size makes no difference to dose.
Hope this helps
Anne

Anne, does it say what the dose should be?
Also, would you happen to know what the difference between *c* and *m* is in dosage? Is *c* a higher or lower dose than *m*?

Thank you for the info :-)

Leigh,
Usually has dosage on bottle, sometimes a loading dose ie 1 dose every hour for 3/4 hours then less often usually 1 tablet =1 dose.
Don't know about *c* and *m* have heard of *c* as in 30c or 6c which is potency, book recommends 6c for home treatment of pets
Anne

Hi Leigh, Ask your vet if he can still get hold of some stuff called"Dab it on" its strong, but it does work and very quickly. The other alternative is Benzol Benzoate ( from the chemist) which I fouind worked really well

Hi Phil, thank you for the info. I will make some enquiries :-)

the benzol stuff is brilliant used it years ago on a rescue lab forgot all about that an old remedy

Mattie, you and I and the others of "beyond teEnage years" have some good old remedies up our sleeves!! ;)

Problem is remembering 'em

Leigh I expect you know that you or a member of your family can catch it too, seems the mite is not fussy. Gosh that sounds rude, ment it will infect almost any living creature. Your dogs coat and skin should recover as soon as you have killed the mite off, I would be worried in case the foxes had any other infections but I don't supose you can move them on, lucky you don't keep birds. Ja:)kie

HI Leigh,

A dilute solution of tea tree and lavender oil should help with the itching and reduce the risk of secondary skin infection from any sores

it's the manky malathion that you will have to bathe yourself in to prevent yourself getting it. I have had to use it .. Yuck

Theresa

Hi, having had this problem in the past I would use Bob Grasses skin cure on any patches and Stronghold every 28 days and although I dont like using predisolone if the pup is scratching wildly it may be worth giving a small dose to help prevent secondries. If the pup still has mange 2 weeks after the second Stroghold dose then consider giving Ivomec injections - its the only thing that cleared it in some of my dogs - though this was before the invention of Stronghold. Sadly 2 did not respond to treatment - and after 18 months of treatment I sadly had to give up and have them pts. It was one of the worst days of my life - both were out of the same bitch - my first big winner - the only bitch puppies she had. Ivomec must never be given to sheepdog type breeds, which may include GSD's. I strongly suggest that if anyone KNOWS they have foxes living nearby to use Stronghold on a regular basis for every dog. To be honest I tried every homeopathic/alternative remedy going and nothing worked except the Stronghold or Ivermectin - but not to be used together I dont think - one or the other. Also, although you can get itchy wrists and arms from the mite bites, dog/fox mites cant live/reproduce on us. It is dreadfully contagious - affected dogs must be completely isolated from any others straight away and kept apart for at least two weeks after symptoms subside. I do hope your baby recovers quickly Leigh- lets hope it is one of the ones that will respond to treatment quickly.

Hi WL, thank you for your help. I am very sorry to hear about your puppies :-( I have no previous experience of sarcoptic mange (apart from in foxes) but have seem Demodectic Mange at it's worst :-( Thank god she doesn't have that.

She is her normal *whirling dervish* self today :rolleyes: so it looks like the Stronghold and/or the sulphur have got to grips with the mite (touch wood). Piriton also seems to have got the itching under control. Now we just have to make sure it has gone and doesn't come back :rolleyes: Shame we can't do that for the damn foxes I am sorely tempted to invite my neighbours who insist on feeding foxes, to come and see Lawrie and have a cuddle!

HI westie lover,

I was interested to see that fox/dog mites cannot live or reproduce in humans, I thought that sarcoptic mange caused scabies in humans?

theresa

Hi nougatti, I am not 100% certain about the dog/human mange/scabies, but thats what my vet told me - ( he who is never wrong!) I tend to agree as although at first I was bitten on the insides of the wrists it only lasted a few days, apparantly they can only live a few days on us and then die. I was constantly exposed to them for over a year and never got scabies. I dont know how an allergic type of person would manage - one that may get exema/asthma might suffer more?

My vet also told us not to worry about catching it :-) I was itching like mad on my arms, between my wrists and my elbows for roughly 24 hours, but took piriton and that helped greatly. My daughter had a couple of bites on her hands and my husband on his neck :rolleyes: but they went as quickly as they appeared :-)

I do suffer from eczema and was concerned that I might have a *problem* especially if I needed to treat myself, but so far it hasn't been a problem.

Hi Jackie, yes we have all been itching like crazy, but luckily that seems to have passed now :-)

Theresa thank you for the suggestions.
Malathion? Where can you get that?

isn't Malathion a head lice (closely related to mange bugs) treatment? therefore available from chemists?
Luckily never had to use it myself but it rings a bell from when I worked at Boots :)

here you go Leigh malathion

and here

Thank you Sara :-)

ps: I'll email you later

Leigh, I didn't know you could use Piriton on dogs, out of interest, how much would you give to a 10 kilo dog and for how long ? Hope you dont mind me asking. Here's hoping for a quick recovery for your puppy, Stronghold hasn't failed me yet, we have lots of foxes around here too and I dont have to worry now. When we had our 2 outbreaks of sarcops the first time, not all of them got it - some are definately more susceptable to catching it. The one that got it first, first time round was the same one that got it first, second time round. She also took the longest to get clear of it, the ones that were pts got it next. Puppies I think are generally more susceptable. After two outbreaks, one of them never got it, even though she was kennelled with the one that caught it first, I am sure she had more natural immunity. Stronghold was not available during the first outbreak and I had a miserable time coping with 9 dogs with it. They had a Vet Kem bath one week and an ivomec injection the next, for months. The second outbreak they were all treated with Stronghold and by the time they were due their third monthly squirt, they were all clear. Marvelous stuff!!

My vet recommended Piriton for my GSP that has an immune problem. I always carry some tablets on me incase he should get stung or something. I believe quite a few dog owners use it if their dogs have allergies and need to use an anti-histamine? I was not told by my vet to use it on Lawrie, but thought I would try it and see if we could alleviate her itching and it did work :-) I have given her half a tablet and if necessary, repeated it later in the day. With a larger dog, I give a whole tablet.

I'm not aware of any problems with giving piriton (apart from OD) but check with your vet first before you use it :-)

And be aware that you must not let your dog:
Drink alcohol,
Drive,
Operate machinery, as it can make them drowsy :D :P

sharpei folk usually carry piroton in their show bags too, as if they got stung on the muzzle with the extra padding they have already around their face it could cause major problems----leigh, cant you still get aludex-i know you cant get alugan, but im sure i got aludex not that long ago,i like to keep things in incase my hubbys gundogs carry something nasty back---and give it to my pei :(

You worry so much about them Dizzy Ken :D reckons he is lucky not to get dipped as well lol Mari

Diz, what is aludex?

leigh, its a dip, its really strong and youve to wear gloves. but if youve a few dogs with problems you can dunk them in the same tub-bit like sheep dipping,

Aludex is a bathing agent that your dog/puppy is bathed in (although it is not licensed to bath puppie's under 12 week's old)...Usually your vet will do this treatment for you if I am correct...

Gaynor

Oh Leigh how horrid the idea of having them on you as well, can't spray yourself with Stronhold, or can you. Hope things improve all round soon Ja:)kie

Leigh my father inlaw told me at the weekend that if you get in touch with the Fox protection league,that they will supply some stuff to put on bread
this you can leave out for the foxes to try and cure thier Mange

Hi Karl, thanx for that :-)
I have had dealings with the S.E Fox Project people recently, because our foxes had lungworm and they were very helpful and provided a treatment for it.

It was the FP that recommended 'Stronghold' for my dogs and if I had half a brain, I would have gone out and got some straight away :rolleyes: I'm not sure that Lawrie caught it from our resident foxes, but I am keeping an eye out for them and if they have got mange, then I will pick up the phone and give the Fox Project a call ... although it is more tempting to pick up a rifle!

My thoughts exactly Leigh!!! I wonder what it is that the FP people put on the bread to give to mangey foxes? Thanks for the info about Piriton.

Jam or marmite .... sorry,sorry,sorry .. but it's true :D

Ok sensible head on now :D

Have a look at the info provided by the National Fox Welfare Society. I found the whole site very interesting :-)

No Nutella? ;) :P :D

Would that be hamster jam & if the dont eat it tulips grow
because you always get (tulips from hamster jam) ;) :d

OK, I have a question... is STRONGHOLD anything like Ivomec?? We have been told not to use Ivomec on our Aussies and it apparently isnt recommended for other collie-type breeds either. Apparently they are at high risk of having adverse reactions to it. Has anyone else heard of this and is Stronghold safe for collie types? Thanks.
QT

Oh and maybe they are given those foxes vegimite... My S.African husband swears it'll put hair on your chest! :D

Hi QT, I used Stronghold on my Aussie and it was fine.Ivomec is not recommended for any collie type dog, but I think its only the odd one that has a bad reaction, but better safe than sorry

"Ivomec is a trade name for the drug Ivermectin, which is licensed for use on large animals and other species to treat skin infections and parasites.
It is NOT recommended for use in dogs, and the manufacturers go to great lengths to tell vets not to use it on collie type dogs, as it can have particularly disastrous consequences, even coma and death." Ivomec Warning

<<although it is more tempting to pick up a rifle!>>

Or frying pan :)

ROTFL@Christine :D

Ref: Stronghold .. For Information:

Pfizer says:

Revolution (selamectin) is the first medicine for cats and dogs to treat external parasites, gastrointestinal worms, and heartworms. Revolution was launched in the U.S. in 1999 and in 2000 in Europe under the tradename Stronghold.

"What are the possible side effects of Revolution?"

Like all medicines, Revolution has some side effects. The most common is hair loss at the site of application with or without inflammation (redness, flaking) in cats. Other side effects reported in cats and dogs include vomiting, diarrhea with or without blood, anorexia (decreased appetite), lethargy (sluggishness), salivation, rapid breathing, pruritus (itching), urticaria (welts, hives), erythema (skin redness), ataxia (incoordination), fever and rare instances of death. There have also been rare reports of seizures in dogs. If you have additional questions about possible side effects, talk to your veterinarian. As listed at September 2002

The Stronghold leaflet that I have in front of me forgets to mention most of the above side effects.

mmm, Leigh I couldn't find that on my "blurb" either I have used Stronghold regularly, on Westies who are more prone to allergies/dermatitis than many other breeds and have not noticed any side effects. I would not hesitate to use it on a dog with mange. When my dogs had the ivermectin jabs at the vets ( before Stronghold was available) I was told to stay in the car park for 40 mins to check that there was no allergic reaction to it. Eventually the vet gave me drawn up syringes to give to the dogs myself at home and I did have one reactor - she had had a couple of jabs of it previously and was perfectly OK and then had a severe allergic reaction ( anaphalactic shock) after the third one . Luckily the vet had given me some prednisolone-I gave her two tablets and she recovered almost immediately, but if I hadn't had them the consequences could have been bad-she would almost certainly would have died. Perhaps when you give Stronghold one should have a few preds at home,just in case. I guess that because mange can be so hard to eradicate that the drugs used have to be pretty strong and there is always a risk. I suppose thats why ivermectin is still not licenced for dog use - because there are some severe reactors. My vet never offered ivermectin (I dont think they are strictly allowed to, for dogs), but when I asked him to give it, after I heard about its success with another owners dogs, he was prepared to give it as long as I signed a disclaimer. It really is a last resort. How is your baby doing Leigh - any improvement yet? I do hope so. :-)

Hi Leigh, its so confusing, you want to do whats best for your dogs so follow the vets advice , and then find out the drugs involved have so many side effects!!! Its the same with the annual boosters, we have warnings where I live about the seal distemper, and avoiding dead seals washed up, being careful at the beaches etc, I thought it was a different strain of distemper that the seals got? - according to my vet, and the posters put up in all the vets and pet shops etc, dogs can catch it from the dead seals! So a couple of people who haven't had their dogs vaccinated, and have used nosodes have now gone and got their dogs vaccinated - Its so hard to know what to do for the best. I know dogs that have nearly died after owners have used frontline on them! But if you didn't use the products, vaccinate etc, and something happens - you feel awful! Hope your pup is better - itchiness is one of the side effects? - how are you supposed to know if pup is itchy from mange or having a side effect from using stronghold!!:( Actually I have just remembered, I have used frontline in the past, and when Stronghold was relatively new, and my vet had just started stocking it, he asking me if I wanted to try - I think I had just got Mauser , I could be muddled (usually am!) he had worms, and he wanted me to try it and tell him if it got rid of the worms!! I stuck to what I used in the past - we don't live that far from Pfizer - makes you wonder, doesn't it!! julie:)