I'm a bit confused, some of you may remember a thread I made a while ago about concerns of my dogs getting fox mange.

Well I got some stronghold off of the vet and thought I had left it too late. My rottie started losing hair around the front of his neck, under where his collar is. He has scratched occasionally, but definitely not obsessivly or for long - no more than an average dog has a bit of a scratch now and again. I've noticed too that I am finding top coat hair on my flooring but he doesn't have any other bare patches, although under his arms and belly don't have a lot of hair anyway.

Firstly I am wondering if this is actually fox mange, my other dog is being treated too but she has had no hair loss and no bald patches, not obsessivly scratching either. The symptoms I have read about seem to imply that they scratch around the ears, elbows, chest/stomach etc - which doesn't match up with the rottie.

Secondly, if a dog owner meets my dogs, without there own, could they pass it on to their own dogs? If it is fox mange? I've also had to stop walking the dogs at my local rescue and miss it :(

I'm just confused as to if it is what he has, how I'm supposed to know when it's gone, and if I can walk the dogs at the rescue again anytime soon!

Fox mange is pretty contagious but can be diagnosed by a vet doing a skin scraping and checking under a microscope, so not all that difficult or expensive to do.

Did your Vet do a skin scrape to find out what sort of mange it was?  There are different types of mange. Sarcoptic, demodectic, and cheyletiella mange. 

fox mange can only spread by direct contact. Its highly unlikely to be picked up from an area a fox has been.

information about fox mange.

Thanks for the replies...but I know all that :D I've spent the last few nights Reading up on it. I asked the vets not long after I bought it about the scraping and they told me they generally didn't bother with sarcoptic mange as it wasn't very reliable, so a negative  result wouldn't mean he didn't have it. They don't even want me going to the vets to weigh him as it's so contagous too.

From everything I have read it appears that it smells, scabs up then pigmant turns black, has hair loss around the legs, belly, ears and eyes... none of these my boy has. And as I say he has had not had obsessive scratching.

Because I've read so much over the weekend I'm starting to wonder if it may be a deficiency in vit a instead?

My gsd even though I am treating for it doesn't appear to have picked it up, yet she is the one who was in direct contact with the dog who does have fox mange.

Basically because of this I was concerned and bought stronghold as protection, but because of neck hair loss presumed I was too late.

I'm not sure what I am supposed to do if my vets don't want me down there, or when it has cleared up, if he actually has it.

Could anyone explain the symptoms theirselves if they have come into contact, do all dogs infected with it get scabs and sore skin from scratching so much?

Thank you :)

> My rottie started losing hair around the front of his neck,

> I am finding top coat hair on my flooring but he doesn't have any other bare patches, although under his arms and belly don't have a lot of hair anyway.
>

Probably wrong idea but could it be thyroid deficiency as that causes hair loss, our old girl had very minor hair loss, didn't think of it being significant till she had spleen removal surgery and 4/5 months later she still had not grown hair back on her belly. She had no other symptoms of a problem apart from that but blood tests showed she needed Soloxin.

I had sarcoptic mange in one of my dogs, it started on and in her ear, none of the other dogs showed any symptoms.   We had to treat all the dogs (even those without symptoms), skin scrapings do not always show the mite responsible, can be easily missed.   The fur drops out and the skin goes darker, usually goes quite red to start with, but you will not see these symptoms until the dog has had it for a while, initially they just scratch on and off.  It took over three months to clear it, using Stronghold monthly on all dogs, afterwards we found out that the new treatment is Stronghold fortnightly.  Eventually a skin scraping did pick up a mite.

She also had a small patch under her chin, another patch on the inside of her leg (only about the size of 20 pence pieces), a line alongside the side of her muzzle.   It is easily missed until the hair drops out, by that time they have had it a while.

The other dogs never did show any signs or symptoms, just the one dog, but all were treated.  We kept them away from other dogs during this time.

Thanks tatty-ead for this, this is what I am beginning to wonder. I have noticed that the fur growing back from when he was neutered is growing back ridiculously slow too, he had the op over 2 months ago but the area where he was shaved is still pretty much bald.

Thanks for this dogsdinner too :)

The hair loss is around the front of the neck only, it shows white skin, no soreness or redness at all, directly under his collar. The top coat I notice he is losing seems to come mainly from his back, if I grab a hand full and pull slightly quite a bit will come out, although he doesn't look bald at all. And this is what is confusing me, mange seems to affect the ears first and my little man isn't sore at all.

He hasn't scratched in any of the places - when he was it was just on his side, occasionally an ear scratch etc, but as I said nothing obsessive. Me being a worried mum though presumed it was mange as my other dog had been in contact, but she hasn't had any hair loss of scratching at all really.

They have been having stronghold every two weeks for 3 applications - the last was a week or two ago.

I have been waiting to speak to the vet again until his 3 months check up is due (very soon) as I couldn't afford a consultation fee right now after paying out 53 for the stronghold. I also begrudged paying out more money when his VIP cover gives him a free check up!

don't forget that it is the time of year when dogs have a big moult, mine all are, you can grab their fur and it comes out in handfuls, floats across the floors, up the doors, it is everywhere.

If your dogs have been treated, if it was fox mange, I would think that it would be well under control, but it just takes a long time for the fur to come back.

If you are still worried you must consult with your vet again, possibly by phone.

Absolutely :D I couldn't believe how much he started moulting and how much undercoat came out of a short haired dog! However this is his top coat I am finding on the laminate flooring.

I'm not worried in the sense he is ill - as he is still a crazy puppy lol, but after having a good read about I am now tempted to think it is either vitamin deficiencies (poor food) or as you say thyroid problems. It would add up with his post op shave not growing back too.

I also changed there food a month or so ago from JWB to wainrights (pets at home own) and am wondering if it could be lack of vitamins in his diet. I didn't want to change, but after a change in circumstances I really couldn't afford JWB for two dogs. I am on the hunt around for a better food at the moment, I have read that CJS? is supposed to be quite good.

But don't worry, I love my dogs too much to not consult a vet - as I say I am just waiting for his 3 month check to come round. I am tempted to phone them today too, but I know what they are like, and they will call me in, and will charge me, which seems pointless when he will be seen for free in just over a week.

It's just sarcoptic mange is seeming less and less likely the more I find out and I think I have been too quick to presume it was fox mange, although not a bad thing they have been treated anyway :)

Thanks for all your replies, very helpful :)

edit: one other thing which would tie in with vitamin deficiencies is I have caught him recently eating soil from our plant pots - I am sure I read somewhere recently this is a sign of something missing in his diet too.

> I have read that CJS? is supposed to be quite good.
>

Quite a few CD'ers use it, and write ups have been very good.

I think it was probably on these forums jeansw that I first heard about CJS :D

I'll have to read up again and see which is the best type for my breeds. I have noticed an increase in poop since changing them to wainrights too. Can't say I am impressed with it, funny how the people at pets at home tried to convince me it was practically the same as JWB.

> However this is his top coat I am finding on the laminate flooring.

It is quite normal for them to drop the top coat, once that goes then they look their worse :)

Yes, it does sound as though the new change of food has not helped, I have not used CJS myself as others have said it seems to suit many dogs.  Possibly just get a small bag to start and see how it goes.   The other food that is recommended a lot here is Arden Grange, but it may be a little pricey.

> one other thing which would tie in with vitamin deficiencies is I have caught him recently eating soil from our plant pots - I am sure I read somewhere recently this is a sign of something missing in his diet too.

Do not know if that is the cause, all mine eat soil, regularly, big clumps of grass with the soil/mud still attached.   They have a good quality food, have never been able to stop it, have tried adding different nutrients to see if is makes a difference, but it never has - they still eat it.

>

I didn't realise this, part of why I have been worrying. My GSD has a very long top coat, virtually never see it falling out, she only looses the undercoat.

My rottie in comparison lost a lot of undercoat and now a lot of top coat. Yet he doesn't look like he is losing hair, just noticed the huge amount around the house lol.

I'm amazed at how much hair he has, even though it's such a short coat!

I've just got back from the vets, they said to bring him down and the nurse would have a quick look. They don't think it is sarcoptic mange and have booked me in to see the skin specialist vet on friday - but they seem to think it may just be his collar rubbing the fur away lol. I also mentioned the food change and they have said it isn't that uncommon for dogs to have their fur effected if they are not happy on it.

Luckily I pointed out his 3 month check was due soon so they have just moved it forward and I wont have to pay extra for a consultation!

Thanks everyone :)