Mange Demodex

Medical Terms: Fur mites (Lynxacarus radovsky), Grain mites, Housedust mites, MDR1 gene, Pododermatitis, Red poultry mites (Dermanyssus gallinae), Scabies mites (Sarcoptes scabiei), Skin scraping, T-cells, Walking dandruff mites (Cheyletiella)

What is Mange Demodex? Demodex is a red, itchy skin infection that is caused by a mite. The demodex mite lives on a particular host, so one form of demodex mite (Demodex canis) lives on dogs and another (Demodex cati) on cats. Humans have their own form of demodex mite.

The demodex mite is not rare—it is found in small numbers in the skin of most dogs and cats because the mites on their mothers normally travel to young pets shortly after birth. Thus, most healthy pets have demodex mites. The problem occurs when pets have an immune system that does not work normally and cannot keep the mite population controlled. The mites multiply and cause intense itching. Pets scratch and develop secondary bacterial infections with pus (pyodermatitis). The pet’s hair falls out and leaves bald, red, weepy, infected areas. The skin may become leathery.

Demodex mite description
Demodex mites are rather long and thin, like a cigar, and have 8 legs as adults. The mites live in hair follicles, which are pockets in the skin that hold the root of the hair. Several mites can be within one follicle. Because demodex mites are tiny—between 60 and 240 per inch—it takes a microscope to see them. Some mites are so well hidden that even with a microscope, they elude detection.

Other mites
In addition to demodex, other mites may infect dogs and cats:

• Scabies mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) tunnel into the skin and cause intense itching; they also infect people and other pets.
• Walking dandruff mites (Cheyletiella) are on the surface of the skin, usually on the back and can be itchy; they also infect people and other pets.
• Fur mites (Lynxacarus radovsky) are found on cats in Florida, Texas, and Hawaii.
• Red poultry mites (Dermanyssus gallinae) rarely infect pets but do infect birds.
• Grain mites do not live on pets but may cause allergies in people and pets.
• Housedust mites do not live on pets but are present in homes and may cause allergies in people and pets.

Who gets demodex mite infections?

• anxiety,
• estrus (being in heat),
• pregnancy,
• nursing puppies,
• intestinal worms,
• heartworms,
• infections, such as blastomycosis,
• cancer, such as lymphosarcoma,
• hypothyroid disease,
• diabetes,
• Cushing’s disease, and
• taking steroid medications, such as prednisone or prednisolone.

Dog breeds prone to demodex infections

Inherited tendency
Generally, the tendency to develop demodex is inherited so that dogs and cats who develop demodex should not be bred. The parents, siblings, and offspring of pets with demodex should not be bred either.  Occasional exceptions are made to this caveat for pets with normal immune systems that develop demodex infections because they are taking high doses of steroids.

Demodex infection most common in pets with poorly functioning immune systems
Demodex infections are often accompanied by other infections because demodex occurs in pets with poorly functioning immune systems. This occurs for two reasons:

• Usually pets with already weak immune systems develop demodex infections. These pets often have a genetic weakness in the group of white blood cells called T-cells. This is inherited and these pets can pass the tendency to develop demodex infection to their offspring.
• A demodex infection itself is able to suppress the pet’s immune system. The more mites a pet has, the more severely its immune system is suppressed.

Pets taking steroid medications are inclined to develop demodex infections because steroids also suppress the immune system.

The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians   Date Category Topic 01/26/12  Other  Itching,Odor,Oily Coat 10/28/11  Antibiotics/Anti-Infectives  Demodect Mange 07/21/11  Skin Care  Itchy Skin 02/05/11  Skin Care  Demodex 06/30/10  Other  Demodex Mange 05/17/10  Other  Demodectic Mange 04/23/10  Other  Demodectic Manage 02/10/10  Other  Mange Demodex On A Dachshund Thats Been On Prednisone For 6 Years 12/29/09  Other  Mange 12/29/09  Skin Care  Hair Loss 12/01/09  Skin Care  Mange 09/30/09  Pain/Inflammation  Mange 08/21/09  Skin Care  Mange 07/26/09  Skin Care  Domodex 06/30/09  Other  Dermodex Mange 1 2 3 4 5 »»

 

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