What to Expect If Your Dog is Getting Mange Treatment

Dog mange is a treatable disorder, and one that has many treatment options available for the dog, depending on the severity and the variety of the mange infestation. The most common mange treatment is the anti-mange wash.

This is a procedure that will take time to be effective, sometimes as long as six months, because the treatment can only be done once a month. The repeated treatments are done to make sure that the mange population is kept in check and that new ones that are hatched will also be eliminated.

On the first few treatments, the mange will look like it is getting worse, and there will be new red bumps on the dog’s skin where there weren’t any before. That’s because the medicine will penetrate the skin of the dog to reach the mites buried beneath the dog’s skin, and this will irritate the area. It will also be very uncomfortable for the dog as these mites start “emerging” from their burrows.

You should also expect that the dog will seem lethargic after each treatment. The mange bath medication can be quite strong and the dog will be inhaling it during the treatment sessions. You will also have to bear with the smell of the medication because you can’t give your dog a bath after the mange wash.

Try to prevent the dog from licking at his chops after the treatment. Some of the mange wash medication will be ingested by the dog that way. Though it will not kill your dog, it will definitely give him a stomach upset. Also, keep him from scratching because this may cause wounds. If your dog has wounds, he will not be given the treatment wash, and this will prolong the process of him getting better.

Remember that the mange washes will only get rid of the mites that are on the dog and not his surroundings. That’s why you should isolate the dog and wash the beddings that he has used. Other dogs can catch it by just coming in contact with something that and infected dog has lain in. Worse, there are some types of mites that can live in a human’s skin as well.

The treatments can get quite expensive, but if your dog needs a series of baths, you may be able to work out a payment plan with your vet.