What is canine demodectic mange?
The mite which causes demodectic mange, Demodex, lives in the hair follicles of an infected dog. While Demodex mites are normally found in small numbers even in normal healthy dogs, some dogs seem to be unable to stop the mites from reproducing and causing skin disease. This disease is then known as demodectic mange. Most commonly seen in young dogs of less than one year of age, demodectic mange is considered to be an infectious disease. However, many dogs are exposed to Demodex mites and never develop signs of disease. It is possible that puppies which develop demodectic mange are predisposed due to hereditary factors. Demodectic mange may be seen in dogs of any age. However, when skin disease caused by this mite is seen in mature dogs, there is likely to be an underlying cause in the form of another illness which is making the dog more susceptible to demodectic mange. Forms of demodectic mange in dogs Demodectic mange takes two forms in dogs: a localized infection and a generalized i
