Okay, so I need to share this because honestly, I had no idea what mange even was until my dog Max started scratching like crazy. I mean, dogs scratch, right? But this was different. He was literally making himself bleed, and I felt so helpless watching him.
It all started about three weeks ago. Max came back from doggy daycare and the next day, he wouldn't stop scratching his ears. I thought maybe he just had an ear infection or something. You know how we pet parents always try to convince ourselves it's nothing serious? Yeah, that was me.
But then I noticed these weird patches on his belly. Like, his fur was just... gone. And the skin underneath looked red and kind of scaly. I'm not gonna lie, I panicked. I immediately started googling (bad idea, I know) and everything pointed to mange.
So here's what I learned the hard way: there are different types of this thing. The one Max had was the contagious kind (I know, scary right?). The vet said it's called sarcoptic mange, and apparently it spreads super easily between dogs. That explains why he probably got it at daycare.
The worst part? I actually caught it too. Not kidding. My arms started getting these super itchy red bumps, and I was like "what the heck?" Turns out, humans can get a mild version of it from their dogs. The good news is it doesn't last long on us because those little mites can't really survive on human skin. But man, was it annoying while it lasted.
There's also another type that's not contagious, which is good news. The vet explained that some dogs just have these mites naturally on their skin, and when their immune system is weak (like puppies or older dogs), the mites can get out of control. But Max's situation was different - he got it from another dog.
Let me tell you about the symptoms, because I wish someone had told me what to look for. Max was scratching constantly, obviously. But he also started losing hair in patches, especially around his ears and belly. The skin got really red and inflamed, and honestly, it started to smell a bit weird. I know, gross, but that's the reality.
He also became super restless. Like, he couldn't sit still because he was so uncomfortable. And he was chewing at his paws and legs constantly. I felt so bad for him.
So what did we do? Well, first I took him to the vet (obviously). The vet did this thing where they scraped a tiny bit of his skin and looked at it under a microscope. Sure enough, there were these little mites crawling around. I'm not gonna lie, it was kind of creepy to see.
Treatment wasn't fun, but it worked. Max had to get these special medicated baths every week. The shampoo smelled really strong, and Max hated it. Like, he would try to escape the bathtub every single time. I had to bribe him with treats just to get him to stay still for five minutes.
He also had to take some medicine by mouth. Getting him to take pills is always a struggle - he's too smart and always spits them out. So I had to get creative and hide them in cheese or peanut butter. Sometimes he'd still find them and give me this look like "really, mom?"
The good news? After about two weeks, I started seeing improvement. The scratching slowed down, and his skin started looking less red. After a month, most of his fur was growing back. Now, about two months later, you'd never know he had it. His coat is back to normal, and he's his happy, energetic self again.
But here's what I learned that I wish I knew before: this stuff spreads through contact. So I had to wash everything - his bed, his toys, his blankets. I even had to vacuum my whole house like three times because those mites can survive in the environment for a while. It was a lot of work, but worth it to make sure he didn't get it again.
I also learned that keeping his immune system strong is super important. The vet said dogs with weak immune systems are more likely to get this, or have a harder time fighting it off. So now I'm extra careful about his diet and making sure he gets enough exercise.
If your dog starts showing signs like constant scratching, hair loss, or red skin, don't wait like I did. Get them to the vet ASAP. The sooner you catch it, the easier it is to treat. And trust me, watching your dog suffer is way worse than dealing with the treatment.
Max is doing great now, and I'm so relieved. But I'll never forget how scary it was at first, not knowing what was wrong with him. Hopefully sharing this helps someone else recognize the signs early and get their pup the help they need.
Source: This article is based on information from DogTime