My dog has dandruff. Can I treat it at home, or is it mange?

There is no home remedy for mange, which is a mite infestation, only medications can kill these mites, and it usually takes a few months for the meds to work as well. but before you conclude that your dog has Mange, you should take her to the vet and have a skin test done to confirm or rule it out.

It is hard to treat with that extent without seeing a vet. He would need a skin scraping to diagnose it. The best thing at home is a weekly bath in a shampoo that has benzoyl peroxide as the active ingredient as this flushes the hair follicle. A vet can prescribe a monthly or once every 3 month medication to help get the mange under control if that is what they see

First, you need to make sure this is mange. There are 2 types of mange....Demodectic mange is typically found in young puppies or adult dogs with seriously compromised immune systems. Sarcoptic mange can be found in dogs of any age, but is more common in dogs that live outdoors. It is extremely itchy and typically has patterns of hair loss and rash on the edges of the ears, along extremities. The photos you included are not a clear suggestion of either type of mange. There are no successful over the counter remedies for mange. It would be best to see your vet for a proper diagnosis. Your pet may be suffering from allergies, a skin infection, or other issues. Once you know if your dog has mange and which type....they are treated with different medications... or if your dog has something else.. .your veterinarian can get you started off on the right treatment plan.

First thing I would do is brush Raskal daily. This helps distribute the coat's natural oils and massage the skin. There are pet shampoos designed for dogs with dandruff, which you can get from a pet store. I would try using one of those on him. Do not overbathe him, however, as that can lead to drying out of the skin. Follow the directions on the dandruff shampoo and do not use a human one! Only use one labeled for dogs. You can add an an omega-3 fatty acid supplement to his diet in the form of fish oil pills. He can have 1,000 mg fish oil containing 300 mg of EPA/ DHA combined for every 30 pounds of body weight. Finally, it could be his diet causing the problem. I personally am not a fan of Blue Buffalo, as are many of my colleagues. There have been too many recalls on the product, plus proof they have no quality control over how their food is made. In addition, vets have reported seeing many health problems in dogs on this food, including skin problems and hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. The truth is that grain free food is a fad, and there have been no proven scientific benefits to a grain free diet. In fact, research is coming out that the use of lentils in these grain free diets have lead to taurine deficiency, causing heart disease in dogs later in life. I would consider switching his diet to something containing grains to see if that helps, such as Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, or Iams. A visit with the vet to discuss his dandruff problems is also a good idea. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

Poor Chip! He sounds very uncomfortable :(. Unfortunately, I'm afraid there is really no way around taking him to the vet to get this problem treated - it's certainly possible that he could have mange, but he could also have allergies, fleas, or a bacterial or fungal skin infection. Some simple skin tests will be needed to diagnose the problem first, in order to know how to treat it. Skin issues this severe virtually always require prescription medication to treat effectively, so there are no home remedies that are likely to work. If costs are a concern, you can see if there is a low-cost SPCA clinic in your area that could help. You can also apply online for Care Credit, which is a payment plan accepted by most vet clinics: www.carecredit.com You can try bathing Chip in an aloe and oatmeal dog shampoo in the meantime to help soothe his skin - this will not treat the underlying problem, but may help to make him a bit more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.

Unfortunately, the only home treatment you can for for this are soothing oatmeal baths, but thus is only a palliative treatment and will not do anything to treat the mange or any secondary bacterial infections that he likely has. Especially if the mange is generalized as you say, it is going to require prescription medication to kill the mites. Your pet may also need prescription antibiotics as a deep bacterial infection is common with generalized démodéx This usually requires several weeks of treatment and can extend up to a few months.

Great question! You can give Blue an oatmeal bath or a bath with vitamin E. Both help dogs with dry skin that leads to dandruff. You can also give him vitamin E supplements with his food, which helps with dry skin as well.