Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

156 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
Amitraz (brand name Mitaban) currently is the only miticide approved by
the FDA for use on dogs. Make up an amitraz dip by adding Mitaban to water,
according to the directions on the label. Be sure to treat the dog in a wellventilated
area and wear rubber or plastic gloves to keep the chemical off your
skin. Sponge on the dip over a 10-minute period, allowing the dog’s feet to
soak in the rinse. Allow the dip to dry on the dog. Repeat every two weeks, or
as directed by your veterinarian. Try to keep the dog from getting her coat and
feet wet between dips. Continue this protocol for 60 days beyond the day
when skin scrapings first became negative.
Side effects of Mitaban include drowsiness, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea,
dizziness, and a staggering gait. Puppies are more susceptible than adults to
these effects. If such a reaction occurs, immediately remove the miticide by
thoroughly rinsing the coat and skin.
If the FDA protocol is not completely effective, your veterinarian may suggest
an alternative treatment. Oral milbemycin and ivermectin have been used
as off-label treatments, and require close cooperation between your veterinarian
and you since they are not officially approved for treating this problem.
Secondary skin infections should be treated with antibiotics, based on culture
and sensitivity tests. Corticosteroids, often used to control severe itching, lower
the dog’s immunity to the mites and should not be used to treat this disease.
Because of an inherited immune susceptibility, dogs who recover from generalized
demodectic mange should not be bred.
PRESSURE SORES (CALLUSES)
A callus is a gray, hairless, wrinkled pad of thickened skin overlying a bony
pressure point. It is caused by lying on a hard surface. Calluses tend to occur in
A callus on the outside
of the back leg, caused
by lying on a cement
surface.