Sarcoptic mange, or scabies, is one of several types of mange which may infect dogs. Canine scabies is noteworthy because of the fact that it is also a zoonotic disease which can easily be passed to people.
Symptoms of Canine Scabies or Sarcoptic Mange
Sarcoptic mange in dogs is caused by a mite which burrows into the skin. The mite is known as Sarcoptes scabiei and the name of the mite accounts for the fact that the disease is known as both sarcoptic mange and as scabies. Sarcoptic mange differs from other forms of mange in that other forms of mange are caused by other types of mites. For instance, demodectic mange is caused by a mite known as Demodex. Symptoms differ between different forms of mange as well.
Sarcoptic mange causes extreme prurutis (itchiness) in infected dogs. Lesions associated with scabies include:
- itchiness
- skin rash with reddened, irritated and inflamed skin
- scabs on skin, often numerous
- hair loss
Areas of the body most commonly affected by sarcoptic mange in dogs are:
- ears
- elbows
- hocks
- abdomen
- chest
Sarcoptic mange may affect any breed of dog and dogs of any age or sex may be infected as well. There is no seasonality associated with scabies in dogs.
Scabies is spread by direct contact from one animal to another. People as well as dogs can be infected with sarcoptic mange mites and can suffer from scabies.
Diagnosis of Canine Scabies
Due to the contagious nature of the disease, scabies is more common in dogs which commonly contact other dogs. Dogs which are more likely to be exposed to sarcoptic mange and the mite which is responsible for the disease are those that:
- roam unsupervised,
- are housed in boarding kennels or other kennel situations (shelters, humane societies, pet stores, etc), or
- frequently come into contact with other dogs through pet play groups or other situations in which pets are brought together .
Therefore, the history and life-style of a pet may provide clues that canine scabies should be considered as a potential cause for skin lesions.
Skin scrapings are the most commonly used diagnostic tool to diagnose most forms of mange in dogs. However, skin scrapings are notoriously unreliable for detecting sarcoptic mange due to the fact that sarcoptic mange mites may be present in low numbers and still cause severe disease.
Skin biopsy is another test which can sometimes be used to diagnose sarcoptic mange, but like skin scrapings, skin biopsies also can provide false negative results quite frequently.
Often, when scabies is suspected as a cause of itching and hair loss in dogs but cannot be confirmed through laboratory testing, a treatment trial may be recommended to rule out sarcoptic mange as the cause of the symptoms. Because treatment for canine scabies is generally reasonably successful, a 2-4 week course of treatment is usually long enough to determine whether sarcoptic mange is the cause of the skin lesions or not.
Treatment of Sarcoptic Mange in Dogs
Many treatment options are available for sarcoptic mange in dogs. Effective canine scabies treatments include:
- ivermectin (at higher dosages than those used for heartworm prevention)
- selamectin (Revolution®)
- moxidectin (Advantage Multi®)
- milbemycin oxime (Interceptor® or Sentinel®)
Previous to the usage of the above mentioned medications, dipping with amitraz was commonly used as a treatment for sarcoptic mange in dogs. Currently, dipping is not used often as it is a labor intensive treatment which provides little to no improvement and/or benefit over other available treatments.
When treating pets for sarcoptic mange, it is important to treat all dogs in the household.
Zoonotic Potential of Sarcoptic Mange
Sarcoptic mange, or scabies, is easily passed from pets to people, causing a skin rash which is generally quite itchy for those infected. Those persons exposed to dogs infected with sarcoptic mange should contact their physician to discuss the situation.
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