Found out it wasn't allergies, but Demodectic Mange
 

After 4 1/2years of comprising my yorkie's immune system because the vets kept thinking it was allergies. I don't know how many vets I took him to, but they all agreed on allergies. So, I tried my luck for the last time and we got a diagnosis: Demodectic Mange. It is not curable, but controlable. If it was caught earlier, then my baby's immune system would have killed it, but now his immune system is so comprised that it's gonna be hard to do. Apparently, this is a mite that is passed from the dam to her puppies. Diagnosis is confirmed by skin scraping. If I were you and were thinking it is allergies, first ask for a skin scraping. No one told us about that before or even suggested it except this vet that I took him to today. So now, I am working at getting it under control. If anyone has a yorkie with demodectic mange, I would love to hear what you have to say.

My yorkie does not have it but about 6 months ago, my collie had a bought of demodetic mange. Just a small area. It started clearing up on it's own. Collie's can't have the normal medications to treat it so I did nothing. I recently put her on a prey model raw diet and am hoping that has boosted her immune system. We have seen no reaccurance and she is doing better than ever for an 11 year old dog with arthritis. ;) I would research that alternative. You probably won't get an ok from your vet as many vets are still leary about a raw diet but I would research it and see where that leads you. Good luck!

Actually the vet I went to suggested that I put him on a raw diet. He said it was okay to let him have the california natural as well but 1/2 off it instead of the normal amount. What do you all think? I bought the Nature's Variety: Chicken Medallions. Good choice?

My vet has prescribed him: Bac-pak plus (probiotic & digestive enzyme blend), homotoxicology remedy, omega 3, SP canine immune system support, clavamox drops, nature's variety chicken medallion, biweekly benzoyl-plus bath, and a Tak Tic Dip. Sound like a lot for a 4.8lb yorkie. I'm not anxious about the Tak Tic Dip because it is so toxic.

Wow.....that sounds like alot to do. I hope it helps. I would be worried too about the dip. I am bumping so that someone else with experience can join in here. This is very interesting. Bella has itching probs that we've not been able to find the cause of? Will be checking on this. Pls keep us updated. Wishing the best for him!!

I am so sorry it took 4 1/2 years to get a diagnosis. Your poor furbaby. Glad to hear it is controllable. Also, thanks for posting, so that we can all learn something.

My furbaby shih tzu had this as a puppy too. We put her on Raw NV and it did clear up BUT her immune system has never really bounced back. She also has never grown pretty hair in the once infected areas. The hair always looks damaged.

Wow - I am SO sorry for all your baby has been through. It's odd, but I'm hearing more and MORE diagnoses of Demo. mange and I'm really starting to wonder why. And, like in your case - it's taking forever to diagnose, sadly.

Yes, the Organic Chicken Medallions are a great choice. I feed NV Raw and cannot say enough of how highly I like it for my guys. Please keep up posted on how your baby does...

Yay, my baby gobbled up the NV chicken medallions. I think I am a new raw feeder if this all works out. How many do you all feed a day?

If you go on their website, you can enter in your baby's weight and activity and it tells you the amount to feed - it's great. Naturesvariety.com :)

MY chachi had it and he had the dips too treat it. The vet for a long whle thought he had allergies also. The dips wee very hard on him he had to have 6. At the end he was getting so stressed by them that he got diahrea. Since he had the treatment he has been mite free and he had it bad. All the hair on his back was gone. I woried about his lower immune system also but he hasnt been sick or had any problems since. I hope my story gives you hope for your baby

Thank you for everyone that has posted. I gave Dax his first dip this afternoon and he seemed to tolerate it fairly well. I put petroleum jelly around his eyes to prevent the dip from entering, but I don't know if the jelly or the TikTac toxicities caused his eyes to become glass and watery. Right now Dax is so sad because of all the medicines I have given him. He just cringes when I go to pick him up because he thinks I'm hurting him when I give him the medicine. It just breaks my heart. I hate to see him suffering like this. However, I am pleased that he didn't become lethargic with the dip. I let his toes soak in the dip for awhile, while I took a washcloth and squeezed the excess dip around his armpits and ears. Then I let him run free in the hot sun to dry him off. His toes are so swollen, red, and bloody that I can't understand how he can walk. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get him to stop licking and gnawing at his bloody feet?

OMG, I just teared up reading this - I feel so bad. Poor guy. Try not beat yourself up over the treatments, bc you're doing a good thing here - but I know it just kills you to have to do it. Maybe hold a chew for him with your hand and hold him - that might help him "not" relate the picking him up with treatments all the time.

As for the feet, you could try booties - but most dogs just hate them and it's such an added stress, it doesn't sound like he needs it right now. I wouldn't recommend anything like bitter apple bc it would sting. What about infant socks with tape around the upper sock? He'd probably get those off?

Gosh, I just don't know....

idea to help
 

Don't forget that dogs can pick up our mood very quickly. If you feel sad and unhappy and are in a depressed mood while handling them they will in effect "feel" that mood and become anxious or depressed as well. Try to do everything as normal as you can and provide an "unsick" routine and that also might help. I am quite sorry how stressful this has been for you and wish you strength. Things will get better now that you know what is going on. What a great "parent" you are.

For what it's worth, this was not something that could have been cured earlier if it had been diagnosed at an earlier age. So please don't blame yourself for that as there is nothing that could have been done differently. Yes, Demodetric Mange is passed down from Dam to offspring, ALWAYS only by the mother. However, this was not a 'mite' that was passed down to your furball, it was an immunodefeciency that was passed down which prevents the dog's immune system from fighting off the mites that cause this type of mange. (Which is very common in Greyhounds.) It's not something that was made worse becuase it went diagnosed for any amount of time or something that could have ever been prevented or cured--it's a condition your little one will have had since birth.

One bit of good news is that it cannot be passed on to any other pets/dogs. Also, it is possible to alleviate your dog's discomfort and side effects with careful diet and certain shampoos.

Sadly, there are many breeders out there who give little regard to the offspring they allow their dogs to produce and to testing females pre-breeding to prevent this from being passed on to future generations.

update on Dax's mange and everything else
 

So I went to the vet on Saturday for Dax's checkup for his mange as well as a chest x-ray. A couple of weeks ago, Dax went in for his teeth check. If you read at the front of this thread, you will know that the previous vet that I took Dax to, supposenly cleaned his teeth. I just had his teeth cleaned in February by the previous vet, however, I started taking Dax to this new vet (whom I like very much). Well, the new vet had to end up pulling 8 teeth because the previous vet thought they looked okay enough not to be pulled. Also, the new vet became suspicious of "something" so he ordered a chest x-ray on my next visit. Well, the x-ray indiciated a collasped trachea, pulmonary hypertension, and a dislocated disk as well as the mange he is dealing with. I just want to go to my previous vet and ask him what he had been doing for 4 years whenever I took my dog in for checkups, cleanings, and x-rays. Granted I have taken Dax to at least 6 other vets for help in aleviating his itching, but no one but this new vet has ever taken a compassionate attitude in helping Dax get better. If anyone lives in the Shawnee, Ok area and is looking for a great vet, pm me. I am also mad at my own studipity and reliance on a vet, whom I thought was taking care of my baby. I relied on my previous vet's knowledge too much to care for my yorkie, boy was I fooled in thinking he knew how to properly care for a yorkie, much less anything. However, the main thing is: It has taken Dax
4 1/2 years to enjoy life finally. No more itching like crazy and smelling like rotten eggs. He now is running and jumping and smells like roses. You can tell that he is finally happy!!!

Oh my gosh! I want to thank you for sharing this - it is a lesson for me, and for all of us - bc sometimes we blindly trust someone just bc they have DVM behind their name and we should not. Thank you.

MORE IMPORTANTLY - GO DAX! I am truly thrilled for your little man AND you!

:yay_jump::yay_jump::yay_jump::yay_jump::yay_jump: :yay_jump:

I adopted Charlie at 10 with demodex which he apparently had since he was four. He was never treated properly, and then diagnosed with allergies. Poor pup didn't have allergies but mites.

However, I wouldn't advise a dip because if you do reading, the dip is dangerous to their genitals. Charlie took IVERMECTIN, fish oil capsules and specialized shampoo. He was scraped every few weeks until they no longer appeared.

Something you need to watch: Once a pup has demodex, they should never be given prednisone or any cortisone medication because the meds actives the mites.

Even the bi-weekly bath sounds strong for such a small dog. He may also have yeast (diagnosed with a simple swab) and that also causes intense itching on their paws. Charlie is bathed in Malaseb with thorough rinsing.

Demodectic Mange

Definitely follow your "gut" about the dips. Warmly, Deborah

I've learned something new by reading these posts. It's always good to know of these things in case something arises. That way you know of something to look for or ask the vet about. Knowing nothing of this condition myself but finding out that it comes from the dam has me curious to weather or not anyone has contacted the breeders to inform them of the condition? If so also wondering what the response was from them? Hope your baby has a speedy recovery and will feel so much better then ever that he won't dwell on having to be dipped and take so much medication. My guess is he'll love you even that much more for fixing the problem for him!

Very good question! I'm interested to hear feed back on that one as well.

I would think that either the breeder knew and didn't care, didn't know as the dog was in early stages and didn't show any sypmtoms, or that they were not well informed regarding the condition and assumed it to be allergies or cosmetic and not something that could be genetically passed down.

I would be interested to know what the response would be if it was reported back that they'd produced this in their offspring.

I am so happy that Dax is finally feeling better!!:dogwalk: YAY!:cheer: What a time you & yr baby have been through. We are struggling w/Bella's itchies too & I thank you for posting this. How young was Dax when all this started? The reason I ask is Bella's problems didn't start until she was 9 months old?

I just read threw all of these posts and had tears in my eyes for your Dax.
Four years of scratching. My heart broke because it brought back memories
of my Teddy. He did not have manage but sores that no vet could figure
out the cause or even what they were. He scratched for years as they
just kept multiplying. I am so excited for Dax to finally feel so happy and
relieved. For you too. Honey you did everthing you could for him. What
a wonderful Mommy you are. It's time to enjoy life Dax. Go get em.:dogwalk:

Try looking at earthclinic.com there is a home remedy there for this type of mange and it works. Its less harmful and you can do it yourself. mange often comes out when the immune system is compromised and you may be able to think back and see if you remember if your problems occurred after vaccinations... It can be cured but takes a lot of time and patience. Good Luck and hang in there Thank God you found out now rather than never. :)

My collie had a bought with demodetic mange. My understanding is that it is an immune problem that could be genetic or some other kind of immune problem for instance cancer can cause it. So while it can be an inherited problem, it is not necessarily. Maybe the breeder just did not know? Anyways, that's my understanding of it....

Dogs that develop illnesses such as cancer, adrenal gland diseases or hypothyroidism where the immune system is compromised can have complications from it too. The mange itself is present on most dogs (and humans! :eek:), so it's not the actual mange that is passed on genetically, it's the compromised immune system. Dogs that don't possess the genetic mutation that makes them succeptable can also experience problems with it, but it will clear up, either on it's own or with treatment, not making it something that would be passed on. In those cases, it's treatable--something caused environmentally. Not something that will be passed on to future generations. (Now of course, the diseases themselves can be passed on...)
However, when it is developed in completely healthy dogs, that it when you have an issue. The dog's cells lack the ability to produce specific T-cells that keep the mange (again, found on all dogs) at a healthy level. This is due to a mutation in the mRNA, which can't be cured, but can certainly be passed on as an incurable ailment, but only through the dam.

Our sheltie had 2 outbreaks with demodectic mange 2 years ago and because of her breed she was limited to the types of meds she could be treated with, so instead we changed her food to Solid Gold sardine formula and gave her supplements of echinecea, vitamin e, fish oil, and vitamin c and we were able to get her itching under control and her fur grew back. She had it pretty bad though, lost hair around her eyes and on her muzzle and her poor feet were a mess (red & swollen even the pads were terrible). We also treated her feet because they were so red and infected from the licking and itching by spot washing her with antibacterial soap (just on the affected areas) and peroxide at least once a day. Finally it cleared up and knock on wood we haven't had another flare up. We think that her flare up was caused by a combination of the stress from getting her vaccinations and then staying with a friend of mine while we were on vacation for 10 days. The vet agreed and says a flare up can be induced by stress. Good Luck

what were the symptoms that she exhibited did she itch her skin and loose her har? what is the treatment for this?