Mange is not just an aesthetically degrading condition for dogs; it corrodes the affected dog’s immune system, leaving him vulnerable to fatal disease, the risk of acquiring which is significantly higher in street dogs. Moreover, itching, which is a predominant symptom of mange in dogs, leads to painful sores. Therefore, when you choose to extend help to a street dog suffering from mange, you are literally saving an innocent living being from agony.
What is Mange?
Every dog tends to have a few mites on his skin, but his immune system is able to keep the parasites from causing any practical harm. However, the condition of mange leads to these mites multiplying unchecked and causing itching, lowered immunity, baldness and sores on a dog’s body. Puppies are much more likely to get mange than are adult dogs. The disease is also popularly referred to as canine scabies.
Check for These Symptoms:
- Bald spots and hair loss
- Sores and scabs
- Redness
- Fierce itching
Tips on Helping a Street Dog with Mange
- Look for the above-mentioned symptoms. The face, ears and muzzle area are most prone to catching mange.
- If reasonable, take the infested animal to a nearby vet for an examination, scrapping and medicine prescriptions.
- Else, you can yourself prepare a solution with 1% hydrogen peroxide diluted in water and a couple of tablespoons of borax, and rinse the dog with it for about a month every day.
- Also, over the counter drugs like Canex, Ivermectin and Goodwinol soothe the condition.
- Alongside the treatments for the disease, it will be of considerable help if you feed the suffering pooch. This will also make her trust you so that you can carry out the treatment without much resistance.
Are You at Risk of Getting Infected?
No. Mange causing mites cannot survive on human skin. However, they may get transferred on to your skin and cause short-lived and mild symptoms like a slightly itchy rash. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you wear protective gloves while trying to treat a doggie suffering from mange.
Extend help without hesitation, but do exercise basic caution in approaching unknown dogs – they may get aggressively defensive. It’s a good idea to approach with some food and a few gentle words!
If you have ever treated a stray dog, or even your own pet, for mange, please take a few moments to share your experience with us. We would love to spread as much information as we can get, about treating mange, among India’s dog-loving community.
17 Comments
Gatha Varma
Very informative article.
Feeding the dog definitely helps in gaining trust. You could also ask someone, who the stray is acquainted with, for help.
What I would like to add is that there’s a spray by Himalaya herbals. It goes by name Scavon spray. I used it on some puppies who had contracted mange from their mother. The product being herbal didn’t pose any risk to the kids and it’s pretty easy to use. Their condition improved within 3 days.
Just wait for the dog to get engrossed in eating and spray, it will get used to it.
huftblog
Thanks Gatha for your useful inputs. Gaining a dog’s trust is a must before trying to help him/ her!
Sampriti Datta
Treated a lot of dogs and pups with mange… It is really easy to treat mange. If spotted in the early stages, all you need in oral or injected Ivermectin and the dog’s system takes care of the rest, you won’t even need to rinse their coats or spray them. One shot of ivermectin relieves the itching a great deal. You can give Velcote or Nutricoat advanced as a supplement for the skin to heal faster.
It’s amazing how fast they recover and every dog feeder or who cares for strays should definitely give the treatment a try when faced with a mange ridden pup or dog.
huftblog
Thanks Sampriti, for your advice. We appreciate it!
Nirupama
Ivermectin works, where the animals have access to Vets. If that does not work, home remedy for those dogs that allow you to touch them…combination of the following ingredients in no particular proportion: Sulphur (available in all medical stores), turmeric powder (ordinary haldi that we use for cooking works very well), combination of coconut oil and neem oil. Mix all of these together and apply generously on the dog. The coconut oil will help in fur growing back. Neem oil has a glorious stink and tastes bitter, so the dogs don’t lick themselves and even if they do, they get their stomachs cleansed. Turmeric and sulphur help in treating the the mange. We treat street dogs with this combination and generous application of this every other day even produces excelllent results within two weeks. If you have a friend go with a friend. While on feeds the dog biscuits the other should rub the dog down with the mixture, much like stroking the dog or petting it, so that he/she has no idea that they are being treated.
huftblog
Your approach is really amazing. Feeding the dog while “stroking” the medicine is genius. Thanks for the tip!
Shiv Shankar Gunti
There is girl puppy near by my house just 4months old, due to the proper shelters as it is stray dog, no one would take care and I want to help that puppy, hair has gone and always she scratch skin. Could any one give guidance to treat that dog.
Pournima Gaikwad
Hi. Did you get the necessary help? Could you provide her pictures.
arpit rai
I have a male dog, I don’t know his age. He has been scratching him too much. Earlier it wasn’t that grave but recently I have observed he being biting himself, scratching himself near ear, face, belly, genitals. Also he has developed some patches which is looking like he has developed because of excessive scratching. Can you please help me on that? I feed him milk and bread/chapatis. Also parle G sometimes. I have seen several ticks on his body. I have removed 1-2 of them but can’t spot all. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f7f43cf3747937b930c608591f6f3225ae003f062505545b35ff67ccbab251c5.jpg
arpit rai
Also forgot to mention. He is stray.
Alt Erego
We are a group of five women living in an apartment complex in Gr Noida. Every day, we take turns, two at a time, going around feeding about 30 dogs living on the streets around our block. They are all BEAUTIFUL and so-o-o- o intelligent, it’s unbelievable. We have given them all names and they also recognise us as we go on our daily visits. Many of them have severe mange. We have started rubbing their sores with neem oil and til (sesame) oil mix. We are also planning to give them all neomac tablets with their food if the mange does not improve with our oil treatment. The only precaution we use is gloves and I’m wondering if that’s enough. It’s not practical to have a full bath when we get home since it’s after work in the evening and it’s winter time. We do change out of our clothes and shoes and have a body wash. Can someone advise if the disease can spread through dust/germs in our hair? Thanks.
Ananya Sinha
Yes it’s sufficient to wear gloves.
Additionally, it is recommended to wash hands with Betadine surgical scrub for 2 minutes, and apply Scaboma lotion post washing.
My pet indie dog had scabies, and this was prescribed to me by my doctor.
Mahesh Dewani
SIR I M DOG LOVER . RECENTLY LAST FEW DAYS I HAD WATCH FEMALE STREET DOG , SO HER EYES , RETINAL PORTION COVERED CLOUDY , SO I WANA HELP U , CAN U GUIDE ME WHAT I DO FOR STREET DOG
Mahesh Dewani
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6aed8cc96b0d9c7ff3a18c6152e4a8006648310ebe3697a4435b7d8abc98d0f6.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/61d51774288dca72592d9ad6a39c6cb1a0362511e31fe2a27d585fb6fa749c21.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8cb5c81e284a59a0e0f9e23e2dc024615e0889876b85478457b81c00b04ede59.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/93146963934406f4fd5a43404ce4647266f68eb6216fbe7128385079d9ec1b70.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2dcefc6cd53eb8bdde5a9862d678e793df1982d310dcaf775e1683b6cc902e60.png
Mahesh Dewani
PLZ SIR GUIDE ME WHAT I DO FOR STREET DOG
Don Don Santos
I crushed 1 whole garlic and mixed it with virgin coconut oil and massaged it onto the skin of a street dog I had rescued from the street. See how the dog looks like now https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/add4444103193007ad5e17e7b728795ce3cffd96b8c48f8d6cd6d28e141622de.png
Clevah
Every day? How long did it take to grow back hair?