# Experience with mites and young puppies?



## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

So it seems that the puppy I am considering has picked up mites from his mom! They live out in the country, and she has picked up something from the forest and brought it inside. The vet doesn't think it's sarcoptic mange, but has said the treatment needs to be similar to sarcoptic mange. The mother has had a couple of shots (I don't know of what, maybe Invicton or however you spell it) but the vet has said the puppy, who is 5 weeks tomorrow, cannot start treatment until he is 8 weeks! That's obviously a bummer because the little guy is already scratching, and also he wouldn't be able to come home until the mites were gone, which would delay socialization etc.

So my question is does anyone have experience in dealing with mites on very young puppies? My research suggests that Lime Dips can maybe be used, as well as some holistic products, but I thought I'd see if we had any experienced people here. The breeder won't go ahead with anything without the go ahead from the vet of course, but I wanted to give her some suggestions other than just waiting 3 weeks before starting anything... Thanks!


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## MericoX (Apr 19, 2009)

Could washing him in Dawn soap help? I've used it whenever I found fleas on the dogs (only twice in 6 years) and it helps to kill them and is gentle enough on young dogs.

Sorry... only mites I have had problems with are ear mites!


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## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

MericoX said:


> Could washing him in Dawn soap help?


Just don't ask anyone who works for Procter & Gamble (the manufacturers of Dawn dishwashing soap) My daughter was a customer service rep for them and she said they used to get calls about this all the time and they could never recommend washing a dog in Dawn - if something ever happened to the dog (detergent burns, allergies, etc.) they could be in big trouble! She got upset when her grandma used Tide on her carpet to get out a grape juice stain because Tide is not recommended for carpeting! :lol:


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

I do not know what kind of the mite your pup got : ((( , but I found this article worrisome. If he has demodectic mange - it is even more complicated it seems .
I am so sorry Cd : ((*sigh, why there always have to be some worry ????!!!!!

"_It is a bummer to have a puppy who had sarcoptic mange and then developed demodectic mange but there is probably no link between these events.

Sarcoptic mange (scabies) is a highly contagious mange that does not require any sort of immune suppression to infect dogs and can affect dogs of any age. It is relatively easy to treat and most dogs can readily be cleared of this mite infection.

Demodectic mange is also contagious, in that most dogs acquire the infection from their mother. The mite usually lives in relative harmony with the dog and it is assumed that most dogs have Demodex canis mites on their body. If the dog's immune system is competent the mites are suppressed and never achieve large enough numbers to cause damage. Sometimes, local areas of the skin are affected by hair loss (alopecia) and secondary bacterial infections are common. When there are a number of spots, or the spots have spread over large areas of the body and when these spots do not clear up without treatment in four to eight weeks, the dog is said to have generalized demodectic mange. Localized demodectic mange is thought to occur due to transient stress or a decrease in local immune function at the affected sites. Generalized demodectic mange is thought to be due to a specific deficiency in T-cells that suppress these mites. This is thought to be a hereditary condition but if the exact mechanism by which inheritance occurs is known, I am not aware of it.

The best way to tell if the condition is severe enough to warrant the assumption that it can be passed on to future generations is to wait and see if it clears up on its own. For this reason, we try not to treat demodectic mange until it is evident that it will not get better on its own. At least 80% of dogs will outgrow this condition. The dogs that do not get better and require treatment can usually be cured, or at least managed and controlled, in about 80% of cases -- so the risk of this being a life long infection is not so high that you should worry excessively about it at this time.

I am not aware of any evidence that there are benefits to immune system therapy, probably because this does appear to be a pretty specific defect in the immune system. The odds are very good that this will all turn out OK. If you intend to breed Indy, it is much better not to treat, in order to be sure of whether the problem is generalized demodectic mange. If you do not intend to breed Indy, it probably doesn't matter if you treat at the localized stage but amitraz dip, the only approved medication for demodecosis, has serious side effects, including causing death in up to 3% of patients treated with it. Considering that waiting to see what happens is successful therapy in 80% of dogs, taking this risk prematurely does not seem justified, to me."
_


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

My boxer mix had some sort of mange mite from her mother and it appeared in the summer for two years. All it took was a skin scrape to identify which is it, she got some meds, squirted it into her mouth and it hasn't come back for two years. Her hair loss was minimal, only a nickle sized spot on her shoulder and back and it came back once the meds were done with.

Not sure about puppies, but I think the mites are something that stays with them their whole life if it's a certain one?

Edit: Demodectic mange! That's what she had! (Has? No outbreaks for awhile)


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

wishpoo said:


> I do not know what kind of the mite your pup got : ((( , but I found this article worrisome. If he has demodectic mange - it is even more complicated it seems .
> I am so sorry Cd : ((*sigh, why there always have to be some worry ????!!!!!
> 
> The vet is determining the type over the week-end, but it is almost definitely not demodectic mange. From my understanding demodectic mange usually shows up on the puppy only (even though it is passed on from the mother) and is more of an immune deficiency problem than environmental. These mites they have are environmental and have been picked up from outside. The vet found a dead mite on the mother and is using that to determine the problem...
> ...


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## *tina* (Jan 3, 2010)

Midge had mange as a puppy, right after we brought her home from the humane society. She had a topical treatment, and I can't remember the name of it now, it was so long ago. It started with a W, that much I know. The vet should still do a skin scratch to figure out what the best treatment should be. In 7 years she's never had a re-occurance, even though I am pretty sure the vet said it could become a lifetime problem.


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

For anyone who is interested, the link below explains the different types of mange. Demodectic is usually found in puppies and has a hereditary/ immune component. It is not contagious from dog to dog and while it causes hair loss, it does not always cause intense itching. Sarcoptic is environmental and very contagious from dog to dog. It almost always causes severe itching and often hair loss.

While the vet thinks they do not have sarcoptic mange specifically, he does think the mite is similar in type to sarcoptic because so far 3 of the breeder's 4 dogs have it (the mom, the puppy and 1 other). None of the dogs has any hair loss or anything like that, they are just very itchy.

There is one other common type of mange mite called Chyletellia. My guess is that's the one they have. Of course, I think there are other types of mites outside of these 3 that she could have picked up I guess. I hope to know exactly what it is by Monday!

Dog Owner's Guide: Mange


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

Best of luck Cd  !!!!! 

I hope everything will turn out to be "nothing" to worry about ; ) !!!

I always panic LOL, and I would be looking at that "sample" myself under the microscope by now LMAO 

Maybe I should continue to admire poodles form a distance LMAO since it looks that I had incredible luck with my first spoo in all possible aspects LOL !!!

He was potty-trained by week 12, he had only one ear infection (one ear), had no odor, did not "mark" his territory , was not demanding in any way, had no digestive problems or any behavioral quirks, never had flees LMAO , no bloat, no anal glands problems, no allergies to human baby-shampoo, I mean nothing LOL ... It seems that 20 years ago pooldes were much sturdier breed *sigh 

Oh sorry for my rumble...

BEST OF LUCK !!!!!!!!!


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

Here is an article I found on a mite that it could be. If it was found on the body, more than likely it's either this or closely related. If a treatment used to kill fleas is all that's warranted, why not treat the puppy by bathing in Dawn or using diatomaceous earth?
Cheyletiella (Rabbit Fur) Mites in Dogs


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

wishpoo said:


> Best of luck Cd  !!!!!
> 
> I hope everything will turn out to be "nothing" to worry about ; ) !!!
> 
> ...


I hear you! It's one step forward, at least one if not two back! You're like my mom, she starts talking about allergies and lifelong issues and all sorts of other doom & gloom scenarios. She's a nurse and sees the worst of everything (she used to work Intensive Care and now Chemotherapy), so I figure they's why!

If it's just a skin mite that can be fixed with dips etc, I'm personally not too worried about it. I don't really want him having injections or other oral drugs though unless they're really required, which is why I'm trying to figure out other alternatives. I also really hate the idea of him being itchy for another 3 weeks before anything can be done about it.


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

Yeap : ((( - I am like your Mom and also with a reason...

One of the things I realized is that the saying "ignorance is a bliss" has a LOT of truth attached to it - I was always laughing at it before, but for the past couple of years I see how "not knowing" can make a life so much less complicated LMAO If one does not know what can happen - one has nothing to worry about in advance lol and deals with the "happening" only if happens and when it happens  ! I will start practicing Zen Buddhism , ha ha , I swear !!!!


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