My dog has persistent mites on body & ears. What's the best treatment?

Oh no, that's not good! I would have Rocky seen by a vet to confirm that he does have mites, which the vet can diagnose with skin scrapings. Treatment depends on if he has sarcoptic mange or demodex mange. Medications and shampoos can be administered at home for sarcoptic manage depending on the treatment used, but must be prescribed by a veterinarian before use. All animals in the house must be treated, and the home must be disinfected as well. Demodex mange can also be treated at home with medications from the veterinarian. Because sarcoptic mange is so itchy, anti-itch shampoos or medications such as anti-histamines may be recommended by the veterinarian to help relieve the itchiness. Dogs affected with sarcoptic mange must be isolated from other animals in the home. There are several different medications that can be used to treat sarcoptic mange. Ivermectin is a common medication, but it must be given only by a veterinarian. Selemectin (Revolution), Moxidectin (Advantage Multi), amitraz washes, and 2% lime sulpher washes can be used as well. Generalized demodex mange involves treating any underlying systemic illness, antibiotics for skin infection, amitraz dips, milbemycin, and ivermectin, which is given by the veterinarian. Ivermectin treatment has to been given for 90-120 days, and should be used for one month past resolution of symptoms. Amitraz dips should be given every two weeks for between six to 14 dips, and should continue for one month after mites are not found on skin scrapings.

I hope you have her on Bravecto (or other product) to treat the mites. That is the best way to get rid of them. This shampoo will help as the mites live down in the hair follicles and this will help to flush them out. ( https://www.amazon.com/SynergyLabs-Veterinary-Antiparasitic-Antiseborrheic-Medicated/dp/B0037Z6VK8/ref=sr_1_5?crid=Z1VODKYMWCSY&keywords=benzoyl+peroxide+shampoo&qid=1570900013&sprefix=benzoyl+%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-5 ) You don't have to use this exact one but it is the least expensive by far. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

There are two types of mange: Sarcoptic and Demodex, both of which have different causes 1) Sarcoptic Mange: This is a mite that can be contagious to other dogs, cats AND people. Dogs get this from direct contact with another infected dog. Dogs with this type of mange can become very itchy with lots of hair loss and red flaky skin. It can be anywhere on the body and spread throughout the body without proper treatment. Diagnosis is via a skin scrape and how well the dog responds to treatment. Treatments range from dips, injections, oral drugs, and topical medications depending on the severity of the mange. 2) Demodex Mange: This is a mite that is normally found on dog's skin but only causes an issue when there is too much of it on the skin. Most dogs with this mange are younger with immature immune systems or dogs that are sick/immunocompromised. This is NOT a contagious mite. Dogs with demodex have patches of hair loss a lot of the time around the head, eyes, ears or it can be all over. Typically the skin underneath is calm and not red. Dogs can or can not be itchy with this mange. However, in severe cases of demodex, dogs can be very itchy and have lots of hair loss. Diagnosis is also made via skin scrape. Treatment is very easy with oral medication, sometimes a dip or ointment depending on the severity. I would recommend visiting your veterinarian to determine the type of mange Toby may have. I would not use Borax or Peroxide directly on his skin as it can irritate it more and make him more itchy. Your veterinarian will be able to provide you a better treatment plan. In the mean time you may consider benadryl. Here are some articles that may be helpful to you: 1) demodex: https://www.petcoach.co/article/demodectic-mange/ 2) sarcoptic mange: https://www.petcoach.co/article/scabies-sarcoptic-mange/ 3) dosing benadryl: https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/benadryl/ Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, this can be due to mites. Usually though that is associated with itchiness. Another possibility is that this is due to vasculitis. There could be an underlying allergy. I recommend that you have Gizmo evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If there is itchiness, this could be due to skin allergies as stated above. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

KEO certainly sounds uncomfortable! Skin issues can be difficult to manage and can take a very long time to improve. Since KEO's skin issues have occurred since he was a puppy, I am curious if he has ever had a skin scraping for Demodex mites. This mite can be transmitted to puppies from their mother. Other causes of chronic itchiness include allergies to food, environmental changes, fleas, or other insects. KEO's head shaking could indicate ear mites, but dogs more commonly develop bacterial and/or fungal (yeast) ear infections. Make sure that KEO is receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix) regularly and bathe him every 1-2 weeks in a gentle oatmeal shampoo. Otherwise, there are no effective at home remedies for this situation. I understand your concerns for KEO's comfort, but at this point, it sounds as though your best bet is to take him back to the vet for a recheck exam. Excessive itching can cause a skin infection, which requires prescription antibiotics and anti-itch medications. Ear infections require prescription ear medications based upon the type of infection present. If he is diagnosed with Demodex mites, he would need prescription medications to treat these. I hope that all goes well!

It looks as if your dog has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy, a skin mite (Demodex) or fleas. 

The allergy could be a due to a protein in your dog’s food or an environmental allergy like to dust, pollens, grasses, etc. 

The allergy causes your dog to itch and chew at the skin which breaks down the skin barrier. This then leads to infection. Skin infections are typically characterized by large areas of hair loss, redness, crusting, flaking, and pustules. A thorough skin examination by your veterinarian should be able to determine the cause of the itch so it can be treated appropriately. Your dog will most likely need antibiotics to help clear up the infection and possibly an allergy/anti-itch medication like Apoquel, Atopica, or Cytopoint to give some relief while the infection clears up. A medicated shampoo may be beneficial as well. I would also recommend he be on a good flea control routinely too. Once the infection has resolved a long term allergy medication (like Apoquel or Cytopoint) can be given on a regular basis to prevent any future problems. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hi and thank you for using PetCoach! I am so sorry to hear that Snoopy's ear is red. It is very possible Snoopy may have an ear infection. Ear infections are most commonly due to underlying allergies such as environmental or food allergies. It is possible Snoopy has mites in that ear but less likely since only one ear is very affected. I would recommend taking Snoopy in to see your veterinarian. They will likely take swabs from both ears and look at a cytology of them (under the microscope) to look for infections. If this is the case, your veterinarian will recommend ear cleaner/ medication. Good luck! Here is an article that describes ear infections in more detail: https://www.petcoach.co/article/middle-inner-ear-infections-in-dogs/