[CorkyMax]

Demodectic Mange
There are 2 types of mange--demodectic which is caused by a population explosion of microscopic demodex mites that normally live in your pet's hair follicles and sarcoptic caused by sarcoptic mites that [U]burrow into the skin. ONLY A VET can tell the difference between the 2 types of mites! If you notice hair loss, reddened skin, sores, and scabs, take your pet to a vet right away! Please note this post I am doing here is for treatment of only Demodectic Mange!!!!

Demodectic Mange, the most common form of mange, can result in hair loss, skin irritation, and scaling. On puppies, this mange tends to disappear within a month without any treatment whatsoever. Demodectic mange tends to affect undernourished pets. Keeping your pet on a healthy diet keeps his immune system strong, warding off demodectic mange. Humans and cats cannot catch demodectic mange from dogs. But dogs, can, however, pass sarcoptic mange to humans!

For Dogs only (not cats)--
1. To treat demodectic mange on dogs, mix 2 cups 1 percent hydrogen peroxide, 4 cups watr, and 8 tablespoons 20 Mule Team Borax, making sure the borax dissolves completely. Soak the dog with the solution, and let it dry on the skin of the animal. Repeat every 3 days for no longer than 2 months. ( Cautious me here: Before I would try this I would make sure it wouldn't be bad for the dog to be licking itself and I also realize that this solution is prob. to help dry to get rid of this problem, but will it be hard on some dogs skin--period?!---Pleas pay attention if you try this solution--Can you tell if the skin is affected just from the mange itself or is the solution causing more skin problems??! Sounds as bad as the meds problem---sometimes what it is suppose to help may have the same side effects as what it is trying to stop!!!

2. Mix 1 tablespoon pure lemon extract and 1 cup water, apply mixture to your dog's coat using a sponge. The limonene from the extract kills the mites. Not on cats--They detest citrus!

For both dogs and cats----
3. Mix 1 part Palmolive dish liquid (NOT DISHWASHER SOAP) and 9 parts warm water, saturate your pet with the soapy water, and let sit for 10 mins. Kills the mites on the skin and helps stop the mange from spreading to other parts of the body.

4. Apply honey to the reddened skin from demodectic mange. It absorbs moisture, smothering the mites while simultaneously relieving the itching. Me talking here (CorkyMax)--I don't think I'd want to put this on a diabetic animal unless it couldn't reach it and lick it off! And would want to stop the licking somehow even in a nondiabetic animal--one of those--ugh--Elizabethian collars?--or a muzzle--hate the thought but-- And be aware if you have a lot of area to cover--Will it be sticky and get all over things----Sorry, just trying to think of all possibilities!!

5. Apply a few drops of vegetable oil on the patchy areas of skin to soothe the irritation, soften the waxy deposits created by scabies mites, and smother the mites themselves.

6. Let a cup of plain yogurt with acidophilus (check listed ingredients on container for acidophilus) warm to room temp and place 2 tablespoons of the yogurt inside each ear affected with mange. Let sit for 10 mins, rinse clean with water, and dry. The acidophilus heals the ear. Me again--Why a whole cup--4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup--a 1/2 cup of yogurt is more than sufficient!!---even a third cup but don't be too 'skimpy'--use ample tablespoonfuls!

7. Consult your vet for proper dosage for YOUR INDIVIDUAL PET ! To reduce the persistent itching caused by mange, give a dog or cat 1 to 3 milligrams of Benadryl for every pound your pet weighs. (Be sure you know what amount a milligram is--It is not the same as ounces!!!!) Again--consult your vet for exact proper dosage!! The antihistamine diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benadryl, relieves the itching.