Friday, August 12, 2011
HELP! My dog had Demo Mange and she is not getting Better!?
You need to quit with the crazy home remedies for one - none of them work unless you consider them killing your dog as getting rid of the problem! I know you are probably at your wits end and I know, I have been there and I have worked in the veterinary field for a very long time. Demodex can be very hard to treat especially if your dog has an immune disease of some kind, which is extremely likely given everything you have said. Some veterinarians have mistakenly used steriods when treating secondary skin infections while still treating for demodex - if you were also using a steriod during ivermectin treatments you were doing no good as the steroids suppress the immune system further actually making the demodex worse. The only breeds that have Ivermectin sensitivity (usually) are Collie type breeds. It is more likely that just the MITABAN dips were causing the illness your dog was having during the extensive treatment. I would try the Ivermectin by itself and see how that affects your dog. Your dog really needs to be on Ivermectin treatment daily until you have two (2) NEGATIVE skin tests. (Your dog needs to see the vet on a monthly basis to have these tests done). Because bulldogs also tend to have severe allergies if your dog has developed any secondary skin infections due to allergies it needs to be on antibiotics as well. Demodex can take up to 4 months to treat and sometimes even longer depending on how many other skin issues you have along the way. Stress can cause setbacks and should be avoided. Since surgical procedures put a dent in the immune system you are right in not having her spayed or the cherry eye removed until her skin has cleared up. She needs to have a balanced diet so I'm not sure what you mean by "human grade" but she needs to be on a higher end dog food (you know, the expensive ones). Advantage Multi is a heartworm/flea medication that should be applied monthly - it also helps to treat demodex. I know you are using ivermectin daily - it will not interfere and will not overdose your dog on heartworm medication - I apply it to my dog every 3 weeks. Do not give up. Talk to your veterinarian about having your dog tested for immune system disorders. My dog is affected and once diagnosed treatment was a lot easier because we knew what we were dealing with. My dog is 7 now and she has been on ivermectin daily since she was 3 years old. Her dose had to be adjusted to what worked for her. She only gets the vaccinations required by law as having them knocks her immune system down. She is bathed every 2 weeks with a 1% Ketaconozole Shampoo and NEVER goes outside our home or yard unless she's going to the vet for a needed visit. If she gets too hot she has flare ups also so she stays inside all the time and only goes out in mild weather or in the early morning or evening hours. My dog has NEVER had a negative demodex test. They are always present as her immune system can not get rid of them. I have been told that immune system disorders are not common. I'm just explaining my experience. In the veterinary world an English BullDog is called the "Trust Fund Dog" - because you will use it up if you have one. If she is your third BullDog and you have not had problems before now - you need to go buy a lottery ticket because you are LUCKY! The mitaban dips made my dog extremely sick too and were stopped. I also give my dog Missing Link daily - a dietary supplement - to help her immune system. Sorry it's so long.
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