Does Your Dog's Mange Make your Skin Crawl?

                                                                 

                        Adopting a dog is an exciting time for pet owners.  But, what do you do if that new bundle of fur has a skin disorder?  Soon after entering a new home, all dogs should have a veterinary exam to begin immunizations, deworming, and heartworm preventive medication.  This visit also provides an opportunity for veterinarians to conduct a full wellness exam and to diagnose diseases, including skin disorders that may be contagious to humans. 

 

                        A primary health concern for dog owners is “mange,” or mite infestation of the skin.  While there are multiple different mites pets may acquire, two types of mange are most common.  These include demodectic mange or “demodecosis,” and sarcoptic mange, commonly referred to as “scabies.”  Specific diagnosis of each of these infestations is made via microscopic examination of deep scrapings of multiple skin lesions on affected dogs.

 

                        Demodecosis is also referred to as “puppy mange” or “red mange” because it is more commonly diagnosed in puppies and is associated with reddening of the skin. The typical presentation is a young puppy with hair thinning, especially on the forehead or extremities.  This condition is generally not itchy, and when mild, does not require treatment. 

 

                        While demodecosis is usually localized, it can be generalized on the entire body and will be harder to eliminate when it affects the toes. Some short-haired dog breeds are over-represented with this disease, including Boston Terriers, Dobermans, Bulldogs and Pitbulls.  It is important to note demodecosis is not contagious to other pets or to humans!

 

                        The Demodex canis mite spends its entire life cycle on the dog.  Why these “normal inhabitants of the skin” begin to proliferate by the thousands is not known, however, a genetic or immunologic abnormality is the most likely cause.  If five or more areas of hair loss are diagnosed on a patient, the disease may be considered genetic and the dog should not be used for breeding. 

 

                        Treatment of demodecosis when warranted, varies from the use of topical products (rotenone ointments, benzoyl peroxide gels, amitraz dips) to oral anti-parasitic drugs (e.g. milbemycin).  Your veterinarian will likely perform follow-up examinations to insure that your dog’s demodecosis has entirely resolved.  Since this is potentially a genetic and/or immune disorder, recurrences are possible during times of stress.

 

                        Unlike demodectic mange, sarcoptic mange is contagious to other dogs AND humans via direct contact, and will be intensely itchy! Greater than 50% of the dog’s waking hours will be spent scratching due to irritation associated with the mites’ feces.  This mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, actually burrows under the skin but can live off the host in the environment for a few days. Scabies mites will reside in kennels, grooming shops and on pet bedding.  There is not a breed predilection with this mite infestation, but dogs that travel to shows, stay in kennels, or live outdoors are more likely to encounter this mite.

 

                        Lesions seen with scabies are most commonly found on ear edges, elbows and undersides of dogs, but may be anywhere on the body.  While it is easy to find multiple cigar-shaped demodex mites in skin scrapings, locating the globoid sarcoptic mite is much more difficult.  So much so, that scabies is usually diagnosed based on clinical appearance of the skin and response to treatment.

 

                        The onset of symptoms with scabies is usually sudden, and not all dogs in a household will experience the same intensity of itching.  The history for scabies patients often includes that the dog originated from a puppy mill or breeding kennel, traveled to dog shows, was exposed to straw, wood, or mulch, or lives in an environment with scabies infested squirrels or fox. 

 

                        Scabies may be treated either topically (selamectin, amitraz, lime sulfur dips), or orally (ivermectin).  Because the source of scabies mites is often difficult to identify or eliminate, once cured, these patients should be placed on selamectin (Revolution ), a monthly, topical heartworm preventive known to treat and control sarcoptic mites.  The dog’s environment should also be treated by disposing of contaminated bedding and cleaning all surfaces with 10% bleach solution repeatedly.

 

                        Owners of dogs diagnosed with sarcoptic mange are themselves most likely to acquire a self-limiting scabies infection on exposed areas of skin such as the wrists, abdomen, and neck from handling the infested dog.  Contact your physician for treatment advice if you think you might be experiencing a scabies infestation from your dog.

 

                        Pets can harbor other skin diseases besides mange that are contagious to humans so please be certain to consult your veterinarian if your furry family member is itchy or has skin lesions.

 

 

By Dr. Bonnie Jones

Avoid the Horror of Dragon Breath

                             

    To this day, it still shocks me how many pets I see with breath so foul that I have to lean back away from the patient . After sensing the odor emanating from these pets,  I then lean back in while holding my breath to lift the lips and visualize what awaits me. This is an occurrence so common that veterinary professionals have coined the phrase "Potty Mouth" to describe the experience.      

                                I know and understand that some people have heightened senses of smell, but the aroma of infected teeth, either one or multiple, is truly hard to miss. After my primary response of repulsion, my immediate next response is one of huge sympathy for the pet with this unfortunate circumstance.  Pets with mouths this severely affected by dental disease often have some facial swelling or a dull to tragic facial expression that always gets my attention.

                             Many pet owners are more than aware that their pets have dragon breath,  but what shocks me is that just as many are not aware that their beloved four-legged family member is experiencing significant pain and/or flu-like symptoms.  Asking them to imagine if they had one painful tooth, then to consider a mouth full of infected teeth, helps to drive the point home.

                          Personally, I  had a recent incident with a chipped last molar that was mildly painful.  This minor discomfort brought to mind again how many of my patients are suffering quietly with diseased, painful mouths. My dentist accommodated me within a few days and put an end to my dull ache, for which I was more than grateful.  I cannot imagine having to live with that level of pain or worse, as so many of my patients do, for indefinite time periods.

                          Like my dentist, I always aspire to get these dental patients back in my door as quickly as possible to end their suffering.  Because dental infections can be far reaching, pre-anesthetic blood testing and careful heart health assessments are conducted to see if the pet's severe dental disease has already impacted their health. Unfortunately, oral bacteria quickly enter the local lymph nodes and blood stream where they are then carried to the heart, kidneys and liver.

                          Many do not realize that their pet's heart murmurs actually originated from infections of the heart valves caused by oral bacteria.  Elevated liver values on routine wellness testing may be secondary to this organ being constantly bombarded by bad, oral bacteria in its role as the body's filtration plant.  And, if your pet is being treated for kidney disease, it is likely to be complicated by bacteria from the mouth as well.

                         Once a dental patient has a thorough physical examination and pre-anesthetic blood testing,  pre-operative antibiotics and pain medication are prescribed. The pet is placed under carefully monitored,  general anesthesia for ultrasonic scaling performed by veterinary technicians.  Dental x-rays are taken as needed, then all diseased teeth are extracted and the extraction sites are flushed with disinfectant solution.  Some extraction sites are closed with dissolvable suture, while others are too diseased to sew and will heal quickly on their own.

                        The final steps of a veterinary dental cleaning include polishing all surfaces of the remaining teeth, followed by application of SANOS dental sealant.  This Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) approved sealant protects under the gum line and difficult to reach areas of the back teeth. SANOS is clinically proven to last for at least 6 months.

                         Prior to dismissal of your pet from the veterinary hospital after a dental cleaning, you will meet with a veterinary technician who will discuss dental products and share tips on proper tooth brushing/wiping.  You will be encouraged to begin DAILY dental care as soon as your pet's mouth discomfort subsides to prevent the return of dental disease.

                        The common observation after a "Potty Mouth" patient has had their dental disease addressed is almost immediate improvement in comfort, expression and liveliness.  The pet acts rejuvenated and pet owners are pleasantly surprised by the new lease on life that the pet has received.     

                        As always, the best medicine is prevention, especially when it comes to your pet's dental health! Brush or wipe your pet's teeth DAILY, feed dry pet foods and dental treats, and provide appropriate chew toys. And, most importantly, be certain your pet receives a thorough oral exam at every veterinary visit...twice a year for life would be ideal.

                        Please don't let your pet's mouth reach the point of exuding dragon breath!  Remember the one thing pets cannot do with their mouths is to speak for themselves to describe their suffering.

 

By Dr. Bonnie Jones

Doing Good While Doing Time

                                                              
                                                                        

P.E.T.S. Program Trainer, Dorothy Miner

                                                                                                              

          Many prisons in the country have pet programs in which dogs are trained by inmate handlers, working with shelters, rescues, or service dog organizations.  We have two programs at Allen/Oakwood Correctional Institution in Lima.  One group works with dogs brought in by the Humane Society Serving Clark County, and the other works with dogs brought in by Deb’s Dogs.  Both are under the banner of P.E.T.S. (Pets Educated to Survive.)    This piece will focus on the work of the Clark County group, the one in which I’m primarily involved.

 

          In our program, dogs are brought in for an eight-week stay.  At the end of this period, almost every dog is proficient in the requirements of the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen test.  They are taught acceptable greeting behavior, to interact properly with people and dogs, to accept physical handling, to heel, walk on a loose leash, come when called, to sit or lie down and stay in place when commanded.  In addition, when the dogs leave the program they are housetrained, crate trained, have learned good manners, and if there are behavior issues these are addressed as well. 

           Handlers keep detailed journals – given to the adopters - of every dog’s progress, including instructions for transferring the dog’s training to the new owner.  All dogs are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped by the shelter prior to going to their new homes.  In other words, they are pretty much perfect pets. 

          Every two weeks a new group of dogs come in, and each one is assigned to a primary handler who will be responsible for its care and training.  Each dog also has a secondary handler, the primary’s cellmate, who can step in when necessary.  These dogs live 24/7 with their handlers.  The men, especially the long-time handlers, rack up significant training experience because of the number of dogs they train, and most of them could be professional trainers.  It’s hard for them to not become attached to their charges, but they know that they are making an otherwise unadoptable dog into someone’s beloved pet. 

          This year a new project was introduced.  The inmate Vietnam Veterans’ group is donating the adoption fees for two dogs per year that will be trained as companions for veterans with post traumatic stress disorder or mild traumatic brain injuries.  Although these are not full-fledged service dogs, the dogs selected for this purpose learn skills in addition to solid and reliable basic obedience.  These dogs stay for a longer period of time than the others to allow for specialized training.
         
          The program just placed the first of these dogs, a mixed breed named Trisha.  Trisha showed special aptitude from the start and her trainer, Willie Maag, took his job seriously, devoting countless hours to perfecting her skills.  When Trisha left the program to live with her new owner she excelled in both on and off-leash obedience work, was able to work under considerable distraction, could be controlled from a distance when necessary, could identify and retrieve several items by name, had learned to position herself to provide a buffer zone between her owner and other people, and had learned a whole repertoire of tricks.  Mr. Maag provided a valuable service for a worthy veteran. 

          Prison Pet programs provide a real service to man and beast.  Dogs who would have little chance of finding a “forever home” because of behavior problems or lack of training become wonderful companions.  The men who work with them have the satisfaction of saving canine lives and enriching the lives of others by creating loving, well-behaved companions.  They also have the companionship of living creatures that depend entirely on them for their care and who shower them with unconditional love and acceptance.  The animals help to provide a much-needed positive experience in a very negative environment.

 

          Prison-trained dogs can be adopted through the Humane Society Serving Clark County or Deb’s Dogs in Lima.  Most of the dogs are photographed and listed on Petfinder.  If you are interested in adopting one of these wonderful animals, contact either group or the author for information. 

 

          If you are looking for a great kitten or cat, the PETS Program has those as well!

 

Dorothy Miner is a long-time dog obedience and tracking instructor, judge of canine events, and author.  She teaches weekly classes for the Allen Correctional Institution’s PETS Program and provides training and consultation under the banner of “Sidekicks” and “Training for Dogs and Their People.”