Dog Mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by several different species of mites. Mange is characterized by intense itching, hair loss, and scabbing. If left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems and even death.
There are a number of home remedies that can be used to treat dog mange. One popular home remedy is the use of lemon juice. Lemon juice can be applied directly to the affected area or diluted and used as a rinse. Other home remedies for dog mange include the use of vinegar, baking soda, and tea tree oil.
Here are some of the most effective remedies to try.
18. Use Medicated Shampoo
Finally, you could use medicated shampoo to help put your dog out of their misery. These more often than not contain a combination of antimicrobials that not only deal with the parasites but also prevent any infections.
For this, we recommend the RenuPlex Medicated Dog Mange Shampoo that is specially formulated to help you deal with mange in your dog. It includes a powerful blend of essential oils and soothing ingredients including oatmeal, jojoba oil, aloe vera, and calendula extracts.
17. Give Your Dog An Oatmeal Bath
Oatmeal technically does not kill the mites that cause mange but it is easily the most effective relief remedy for the irritated skin. It contains special anti-inflammatory proteins that relieve itchiness and inflammation and as a result prevent most of the complications associated with mange.
For these benefits, you could use oatmeal-based shampoos or even soak some oatmeal in the dog’s bath water before washing them. The results are often almost instant and definitely hard to argue with.
16. Keep Your Dog Well Fed
Sometimes, the best way to treat a dog with mange is from the inside out. One of the main signs of a dog hit really badly by this parasite infestation is poor appetite. This, in turn, weakens them and their immune system making things a lot worse.
It is therefore very important that you stick to your feeding routine. Consider switching things up in terms of the diet to include more superfoods with micros like vitamins and minerals.
15. Benadryl For The Irritation
One of the main symptoms of mange is extreme itchiness. More often than not, this leads to further issues including skin infections and poor coat health. That is where over-the-counter medications like Benadryl come in handy.
This is an antihistamine used to treat allergic reactions in dogs. It also does wonders for the pooch by reducing itchiness and inflammation and as a result reducing their discomfort to a degree.
14. Wash Your Dog With Warm Water
It is important to keep your dog as clean as possible when they are suffering from skin issues like mange. Warm water is ideal in this case for many reasons. The main is the fact that it is more soothing than cold water which could worsen the symptoms.
Warm water also lathers better and allows you to get more germs, dead skin, and scabs on your dog’s skin.
However, do not wash the dog too often as this dries their skin out and worsens the mange.
13. Keep Brushing Their Fur On A Regular Basis
Regular grooming works wonders when dealing with pests whether it is fleas or in the case of mange, mites. This helps by getting rid of any loose fur, dandruff, and scabs. These tend to harbor bacteria and yeast which complicate the mange resulting in skin infections.
In some cases, you could help by getting rid of some of the mites hanging out on the hair shafts and scalp of the dog’s coat. The Furminator Undercoat Tool Dogs deShedding should come in handy in this case.
12. Try Over-The-Counter Mange Treatments
In some cases, home remedies alone will not do the job fast enough. This is where you have to call in the big guns with over-the-counter mange treatments. These come in all forms from tablets to sprays and even ointments.
More often than not, they work by promoting healing and preventing infections on open wounds left by the destructive bugs. Others go the extra mile and actually kill the mites.
11. Chamomile And Green Tea Baths
Tea infused baths have always proven useful when it comes to dealing with irritated dog skin. The same case applies when it comes to dealing with mange. They have a soothing effect on the dog’s skin which helps deal with the irritation caused by the annoying little parasites.
Chamomile also has the additional effect of calming the dog down. This is very important as the little pooches are often very worked up and emotionally frustrated.
10. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil can be used in one of two ways when it comes to dealing with mange. The first is topical application over the coat and affected patches of skin. It has a soothing effect and also sufficiently moisturizes both the skin and fur keeping them looking as healthy as possible.
It also contains compounds and essential fatty acids useful in promoting different functions from metabolism to immunity. In this case, you could give them between ¼ and 1 tablespoon of the stuff daily or every other day depending on their size.
We would recommend getting the Raw Paws Organic Virgin Coconut Oil to aid your pooch in the fight against mange. This coconut oil is made of all-natural cold-pressed virgin coconut oil and is free of chemicals that can potentially cause allergies. It is safe for both consumption and topical application, making it a really worthwhile investment.
9. Olive Oil
Olive oil is very thick and full of antioxidants and essential fatty acids. All these features come in very handy when dealing with mange in dogs. The thickness works by smothering and effectively drowning any mites on the coat as well as those burrowed under the dog’s skin.
The fatty acids and antioxidants help to promote skin health and are a fantastic place to start when it comes to restoring your dog’s coat to its former glory.
8. Lemon
Lemon has been shown to be an effective treatment against both sarcoptic and demodectic mange. This is mainly through the essential oils both in the pulp and in the rind of the lemon fruit.
When applied as sprays, ointments, or when massaged on, these oils as well as the citrus acid have the ability to kill the bugs and promote full recovery. The strong scent of lemon also keeps other mites away preventing reinfection after healing.
7. Honey
Honey is often applied on wounds caused by dog mites to help reduce irritation and inflammation. The high sugar levels also create a sort of preservative environment which combined with the innate antibiotic effects of honey help to prevent infections in these open wounds.
The antibiotic properties are due to a compound known as hydrogen peroxide which could also kill some of the mites and their eggs burrowed under your pooch’s skin causing the irritation.
6. Plain Yogurt
As with coconut oil, plain yogurt helps you deal with your furry friend’s mange both from the inside and the outside. For external use, simply apply some to affected hotspots on the dog’s skin. The yogurt not only soothes their skin but also keeps pathogenic bacteria at bay preventing further infection.
You could also give the pooch a spoonful or two to help boost their immunity and gut health to fight the infestation from the inside. Just make sure your dog is not lactose intolerant before administering it this way.
5. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a natural antiseptic and is very useful in preventing infections as a result of mite infestation on your dog. It also works by discouraging your pooch to lick on affected areas. This is because more often than not, this licking ends up doing more harm than good by introducing bacteria that infect the irritated skin.
Aloe vera also has antiparasitic effects and can be used to kill the mites and their eggs. For these effects, simply rub some raw aloe vera especially on visibly affected spots and wipe it off after about 30 minutes to an hour.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has for a long time been regarded as one of the most effective home remedies for most skin issues that affect dogs from allergies to pest infestations. In the case of mange, it is effective more as an internal treatment than a topical one.
In this case, it improves overall health and promotes immunity helping the dog’s body fight the infections associated with mange. Applying Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar With the Mother should do the job.
Topical application could also work to repel any mites that have not burrowed into the skin. However, this is often not advisable as mange involves skin breaks which could get irritated by the vinegar.
3. Use Essential Oils
Essential oils have a lot to offer both you and your pooch when it comes to dealing with mange.
First off, the scented oils often repel mites in the home and on the dog’s body preventing reinfection after healing or further infection as you continue with treatment.
Others like clove, palmarosa, lavender, and tea tree actually even kill the bugs when applied to the skin. Studies have shown that these essential oils are indeed effective against the Sarcoptes scabiei, the parasitic culprits behind mange.
Finally, essential oils offer the benefit of calming the often agitated dogs down which is particularly effective when used as aromatherapy. Lavender, in particular, is outstanding in this aspect as shown by research.
We would recommend getting the Lavender Essential Oil from Healing Solutions due to its reputation and pedigree. You can definitely trust in their claim that they will provide only natural ingredients in their essential oil.
2. Wash All Linen That Your Dog Uses
In addition to washing the furniture, make sure to keep your dog’s linen clean. It could be anything from bed covers and blankets to the cute clothes you like to put them in. It is important that all these are kept clean for two main reasons.
The first is that this helps to get rid of any rogue mites looking for an opportunity to infest your dog. The second reason is that high levels of hygiene prevent incidences of skin infections on irritated and vulnerable skin.
1. Steam Clean Upholstery And Carpets
Mange is caused by tiny parasites known as mites. These thrive in dirty, musky, and humid conditions on places like carpets or furniture upholstery. It goes without saying that one of the best ways to help your dog out is by steam cleaning these surfaces.
The high pressure vapor Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Max Clean Pet Pro Full-Size Carpet Cleaner provides will kill the bugs in all stages preventing further infestation which only makes life harder for the dog by worsening the mange.
Related Questions
How Long Does Demodectic Mange Take To Heal?
It takes about 1 month to get rid of demodectic mange on a dog but it can take up to 3 months especially in serious infestations. It is way faster for the healing to occur using medication in which case the dog will have to take it for a few weeks.
Is Dog Mange Contagious To Humans?
Sarcoptic mange in particular is highly contagious and can be passed not only to other pets in the home but also to humans in contact with the affected dog. The condition is also known as scabies and is characterized by mites burrowing under the skin where they lay their eggs and feed.
Is Mange Contagious To Other Dogs?
Mange can be contagious to other dogs if it is the sarcoptic variety. Demodectic mange on the other hand is not easy to pass from one pet to another by contact alone. However, it is best to keep the affected dogs isolated from the others in your home just to be safe.
