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A Look At Dog Scabies
July 2nd, 2009
Dogs develop a condition known as scabies when infested with mites. These mites are very contagious. Other animals and even humans can be affected.
These parasitic mites survive by feeding on material on the skin. Although they can sometimes be spotted crawling on the skin, they can also burrow beneath the surface. Keep reading to learn all about scabies in dogs.
Symptoms
The most prominent sign of this condition is severe itching. The affected area will itch so badly that your dog will bite and scratch at it constantly. This can lead to hair loss and crusting. It’s also common for secondary skin infections to develop.
Diagnosis
Medical history and visual symptoms are the basis of diagnosis for this disease. Your dog’s vet may also choose to do a skin scraping. The scraping will help determine if there are mites present. However, this can be an inaccurate method of diagnosis since these mites are commonly found on healthy dogs.
Treatment
Dogs with scabies will need to be bathed using a medicated shampoo. This medicated shampoo will need to be used every week for a month. It’s sometimes necessary to treat this disease for longer than a month. Therefore, it’s best to check with the vet again in a month or so. The vet will be able to determine if the condition has resolved.
Prevention
This type of mite infestation is highly contagious, as you should know by now. If you have other pets in your household, it’s a good idea to have them tested for mites. Since bedding and carpeting can harbor the mites, you will need to thoroughly clean them. The mites can easily reinfect your dog if you don’t clean these hiding areas.
Dogs can be affected by many illnesses in dogs. Fortunately, dog-illnesses.com provides a wealth of information on a range of these conditions. So, come by right now to become informed.
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