Demodecosis (subcutaneous tick) is a parasitic disease caused by the tick Demodex canis. Dogs are sick, less often horses, for a person the disease is not contagious. Cats sometimes become ill, but as a rule, they recover on their own, without treatment (although in some cases treatment is nevertheless necessary. But cats cannot be treated with ointments, since they lick them and can be poisoned). This type of tick is difficult to study, so today there are different opinions:
- the disease is transmitted from a sick dog through contact and through care items;
- the disease is not contagious (because healthy dogs also have ticks, but in small quantities) and arise due to weakened immunity, vitamin deficiency, and hereditary causes.
More often young, short-haired and thoroughbred dogs get sick. Improper, unbalanced nutrition can also provoke demodicosis in dogs. Treatment of demodicosis should be accompanied by improved nutrition and vitamin supplements.
Symptoms
There are several forms of damage:
- the scaly form is manifested by the appearance of bald spots, usually round, with slight redness and characteristic scaly scabs at the edges. It is accompanied by an ichorous odor (smell of fine wool). The coat around the lesion is dull and brittle;
- the pustular form is manifested by pustules, especially noticeable on the abdomen, where there is no hair;
- with a severe defeat, the disease can go into a generalized form, the dog loses weight, can become completely bald. A sick dog comb and gnaw the affected areas, which causes the risk of sepsis.
Fungal infections often join the underlying disease. Often other, infectious or helminth infections also provoke demodicosis in dogs. The treatment of demodicosis, in this case, must be carried out carefully, in case of an infectious disease it is better to do with external means, immunostimulants and immunomodulators are also suitable.
Treatment
How to treat demodicosis in dogs? It happens that upon seeing a dog that is half-bald and in barks, some "well-wishers" advise the owners to get rid of it (and if the dog is homeless, then just shoot it), motivating it with the fact that it can no longer be cured, and it can infect people. All this is not so. First, as mentioned above, a dog subcutaneous tick is not transmitted to humans (another tick, scabies, parasitizes in humans , it does not infect dogs). Secondly, in the 50s of the last century, when demodicosis was detected in dogs, the treatment, indeed, was not yet successful. But since then, new tools and methods have been developed, and today this disease is completely treatable. If these are small bald patches in a young, otherwise healthy dog (juvenile demodicosis in dogs), treatment may not be necessary. Often, small lesions at this age can go away on their own. But, nevertheless, it is better to contact a veterinarian in a timely manner, because it is difficult to treat a running disease (but do not despair, you can get rid of any form of demodicosis using modern means). It is advisable to do an analysis, since the symptoms of demodicosis can be confused, for example, with lichen or allergies. Similar symptoms are another disease, dermatomycosis in dogs.
For treatment, drugs containing ivermectin are administered subcutaneously or orally (by mouth), strictly observing the dosage by weight of the animal and following the instructions. These drugs, in addition to the subcutaneous tick, destroy other external parasites (fleas, ticks, etc.), as well as many types of worms. Since these drugs are quite toxic, it is advisable to give hepatoprotectors at the same time (to protect the liver). Please note: Ivermectin cannot be used for treating collie, sheltie, bobtail dogs and their crossbreeds. For external use, agents containing amit are effective. Using them, it is better to put a muzzle on the dog (so as not to lick it) for 20 minutes. Apit ointment also helps (especially if a fungal infection has joined). If there is a suspicion of demodicosis in dogs (even if the diagnosis is not specified), treatment can be started with this ointment, it relieves inflammation and is practically harmless.
It is good to additionally use immunostimulants and vitamins. For example, fosprenil, maxidine, gammavit (they are usually prescribed all together) or other similar means.