Managing pet mange DID

To the ordinary person who doesn’t regularly work with animals, mange is a medical condition that you don’t often hear about in daily conversations. Maybe you heard about mange on the television or a sad viral TikTok about a hairless dog. To animal shelters around the country, mange is a common occurrence that can cause complications for shelter operations, but Hawaiian Humane works tirelessly to combat it for the health and comfort of the animals in our care.

While it is more commonly seen in dogs, mange is a disease that can affect cats as well. Mange may cause fur loss, crusty skin lesions and sores. At best, mange can be uncomfortable for your pet, but left untreated, it can cause severe itching, infection and more. Dogs that come into Hawaiian Humane with mange are usually placed in a foster home, requiring special treatment to help them recuperate.

Mange is caused by one of two types of mites, which burrow into the upper layer of the skin and lay eggs along the way while feeding off of the blood of their host. This results in unsightly fur loss that makes pets look and feel miserable. The good news is that mange is a highly treatable and preventable disease with the assistance of a veterinarian.

Sarcoptic mites cause one type of mange and are closely related to the mites that cause scabies in humans. While the sarcoptic mite can transfer from a pet to their human owner, it cannot complete its life cycle on a human host, resulting in a few days of uncomfortable itching. Sarcoptic mange is rarely seen at Hawaiian Humane, but there have been cases on O‘ahu.

Demodectic mites cause the other type of mange commonly seen in young dogs that are stray or have been abandoned. Fortunately, this parasitic mite does not transfer to humans. Demodectic mites, widely referred to as Demodex, are naturally found in the roots of your dog’s fur. Almost all dogs have them, though in mature dogs, these usually don’t develop into demodectic mange. Young dogs make up most cases of Demodex as their immune system isn’t strong enough to fight the mites.

Demodex is often passed on from the puppy’s mother after birth through contact. If the puppy is neglected or separated from care, these mites can quickly progress into a severe case of Demodex. Although mange is rarely seen in cats, they can also become infected.

Demodex and sarcoptic mange can often result in secondary infections. While mange is easily treatable, secondary skin infections and hair loss often result from the damage that mange has caused from irritation and scratching. Sadly, because mange presents itself as a jarring visible illness even after the pet has recuperated, potential adopters frequently overlook dogs recovering from mange in fear of them being sick. That’s why Hawaiian Humane works with many foster volunteers to treat the mange while giving pets the love and affection they need to help them heal faster.

After treatment, their fur gradually begins to grow back and their personality begins to shine. These animals will eventually be available for adoption so a loving family can help with the rest of their recovery

Continued from previous page and make them part of their ‘ohana. Families often come to Hawaiian Humane to give dogs a place to call home and understand they don't always look their best at first. Any case of mange, regardless of its severity, requires immediate medical attention with a veterinarian as there are no effective home remedies to rid your pet of mange completely. The only way a veterinarian will know if your dog has mange is if they test for it, so it is crucial to bring your pet to your veterinarian if they are experiencing significant hair loss. Treatment for your pet is best decided between you and your veterinarian.

Don’t overlook a diamond in the rough the next time you consider adoption. Mange is a temporary illness that can be treated effectively and safely with your veterinarian’s help. You can help us manage the effects of mange by volunteering as a foster. Hawaiian Humane always needs families who can foster pets while they are getting ready for their adoption journey. Fostering helps create space at Hawaiian Humane for more animals to get the individualized care they need. Learn more about adoption and fostering at HawaiianHumane.org