calliecritturs
Posted : 12/8/2007 12:20:17 PM
If you will email me I have a long article that I did on 'mange' (both demodex and sarcoptic). chi's are *very* prone to demodex and this dog is the right age.
Demodex starts on the fact, spreads to near the ears/neck and then down the chest to the front paws, then the rear paws/legs and then all over the body.
1. Is the dog neutered?
2. Are they allowing it to be an indoor dog?
3. Do you notice a smell -- sort of a sickish sweet "ewww he needs a BATH" kind of smell?
4. Demodex tends to start as a tiny flakey patch -- but then it gets staph skin infection easily (and that's when they tend to call it 'red mange';).
You don't need to get meds from the vet altho it can be helpful for the vet to diagnose it. The stuff I've used successfully in the past is in the article. Altho essentially you have to use several things to win this one -- demodex is an immune problem (it's actually a genetic flaw in the immune system).
Because it's immune-related, you have to boost the immune system in order to get the body to respond properly to keep the mites under control. I've found herbals, as well as vitamins/supplements helpful.
However, initially you have to control it topically (that's only PART of it -- but getting rid of some of the mites helps the skin heal). Bathing in benzoyl peroxide shampoo with a final rinse IN tea tree works great. But you have to bathe like every other day. The benzoyl peroxide shampoo actually helps open the pores so you wash the mites down the drain. However the tea tree helps keep the coat conditioned so it doesn't over-dry AND, you're right -- it's an excellent anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, so it helps contain staph infection as well as helping repel the mites.
The other thing the article covers is avoiding the triggers that will worsen the demodex.
You don't say where you are located and often area and weather can contribute to effects of demodex.
I need your email to attach the article (I can't just email from here because I can't attach anything), so if you'll email me to
callie at critturs dot com
(no spaces, and use the puntuation and 'at' sign)
However, be forewarned, demodex LOVES to work with other problems --given that this pup had such a rough beginning it could be any number of other things contributing to it.
The regimen I've developed isn't expensive but it is WORK-INTENSIVE. So it depends on whether they are willing to spend some time on it. Holler if I can help.