its my first experience of mange and ive had dogs for all my life-vet has given me Advocate

how long does this take to work?
i read giving them apple cider vinegar will help ease the scratching- any other ideas,also Sudocream for the bald patches

and lastly so as not to have to see them suffer again,is there any preventative  that i should be now continuing,

(i feel ashamed they got mange but recently there seem to be more badgers and foxes in the area,i presume its contact with them,or charging around in the undergrowth where they have been- they are springer spaniels btw!)

I use ACV daily in the food as a preventative, apparently it keeps the skin acidic and 'things' can't live in/on the skin.  Also garlic daily.

Having owned a dog with Demodex ( red mange ) we went through all sorts of treatments including Advocate, and to no real effect at all :(  in the end I got sick of faffing about and the vet umming and arrrhing and did my own research and more or less demanded he let me try Ivermectin ( cattle injection given orally daily ) he agreed and within 3 days the inflammation that was caused by secondary infection completely went, and the hair began to grow back, I was amazed and so pleased that my dog was finally on the mend and not suffering anymore.

ACV can also be applied direct to the skin either neat or diluted. It's one of those things to have around with many uses.

p.s the use of Ivermectin is controversial, and should NEVER be used in any collie or mixed collie breeds....! I know many that have used it on dogs and not had problems with it and they also use it regular/monthly as a wormer.  I used it again several months ago after a dog I brought in from another breeder was scratting, then my own dogs started 2 weeks later, no fleas on them as they are all treated for that, Started them on a course and they all cleared up within the week.  I can't say what it was, some kind of burring mite due to there reaction possibly mange ( sarcoptic as the was a rash also ) the new dog brought something !

It should be only ever used under the direction of a vet, which I sought in the first instance, and the second spoke to them about it and was given some more.  ( was 4 years ago we treated the dog for Demodex )

My dogs are out on moorlands everyday and I guess are at risk at picking alsorts of mites/crawlies up from the wildlife, that's why I started with the ACV.

thanks,like i said i feel self conscious and ashamed they got mites but its good to know it happens to other people if you know what i mean and id rather they had an active interesting outdoorsey type lifestyle rather than being on an extendible lead walking round the park every day,so thats the price i guess of having fun!