What is Mange? Should I adopt a dog that has it?

Question

I'm thinking about adopting a dog from a local shelter, but the dog had mange. Is that a big deal. Not to sound shallow or anything but am I going to end up spending a fortune treating it?

Answer 1

Mange is a skin condition where the dogs fur falls out very popular in pibulls and certain pure breeds it can be expensive to treat so unless your willing and able to care for it i would be careful

Answer 2

Mange is a highly treatable illness. You most likely won't spend a "fortune", but that depends on what a "fortune" is to you.

Mange is caused by a parasitic mite (bug). Depending on how bad the dog has mange, it will need drugs to get rid of the bugs and possibly antibiotics to treat any skin infections from the scratching mange causes.

There will also be labor involved - bathing, grooming, etc. that you will need to do.

You sound like a kind hearted person and it is good that you are considering your "limits" before just taking this on. I would recommend asking the shelter if they know what type of mange the dog has. Once you know that, call some veterinarian offices and ask them how much they charge for visits, antibiotics and mange treatments.

The shelter may allow you to take the dog to a vet to get an estimate for treatment or may be able to tell you.

My guess - depending on severity - is that you are probably looking at a couple hundred dollars to cure the dog up. This is also dependent on where you are in the country - some vets are more expensive than others.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

Answer 3

Mange is cause by mites. Mites are tiny insects that as so small as to require a microscope to see. Mites have eight legs, like spiders, rather than the normal six. These mites infest the skin of dogs and cause inflammation, loss of fur and draining sinus tracts which is very serious. There are two mite sub-species that cause mange.

Sarcoptic Mange is also called scabies. The mites burrow into the skin and lays eggs and causes very intense itching and your dog will scratch vigorously at it. Special insecticide dips are available and it takes about a month and a half for a complete cure.

Demodectie mange is caused by the mite Demodex canis and takes two forms. One is the localized form and can actually clear up on its own but should be treated. There are a few topicals that are used to treat. The localized form can progress to the general form and this becomes resistant to treatment and a cure is not always possible.

You may very well end up spending many $$ and not being able to cure the dog. The dog needs to be seen by a vet and scrapings done to determine treatment method and prognosis for success.

Answer 4

Probably not a fortune with any luck.

Mange is a skin condition caused by mange mites, either sarcoptic or demodectic. It may or may not be itchy for the dog, but extreme cases can look pretty awful whether itchy or not.

It's treatable with a bath available from the vets. The bath has to be done weekly until after the mange appears to be clearing up, to ensure every mite is gone. It takes a while and the stuff is quite expensive.

You say 'had' mange - if it's already been treated an has cleared up, then no bother!

Chalice

Answer 5

When i adopted my puppy they had told us that the loss of fur in his forehead was because of stress, from being alone and poor nutrition. a few days after we had his forehead and cheeks we now being scratched to death, and swelling, he also began to get little red bumps on his under side, we got him to the vet a week after we had him , he looks awful, the vet told us that he had a very sever and rare case of mange, that their is a chance that he will not make a recovery, and if the happened he will need to be put down, i was devastated! well now it has been a month and he is doing sOOOO great! he looks like a normal dog, and he isn’t even finished with his treatment! the only thing i can suggest is to get him started on the treatment before it flairs up! the dog will be fine, just get him into the vet to get him healthy. All dogs have some of these mites in their hair follicles, but their immune system can keep them at bay, a dog get mange, when his immune system is poor, and the mites and "allowed" to spread, becoming itchy, and causing your dog to itch, with in turn makes him loose hair and get bloody sores. You should help make this dogs life better! Be the person how willfully adopts a dog, with a problem, fix it and know that you are strong enough to deal with it! Plus, its better that he is with someone who will do what’s best for him instead of someone who doesn’t realize what they are getting into and cannot take care of him, and ends up miss treating him!

Answer 6

There are two main types of mange. The most common one is caused by a run down immune system coupled with malnutrition. It causes the dog to lose hair in patches, and if untreated can be fatal. My adopted minpin was dumped at animal control at 3 months old with mange so severe she was bald. She was given some oral medication for about two months, had two skin scrapings to see how she was progressing, and took an immune system booster vitamin from the vet the whole time. She is 1 1/2 years old now and absolutely beautiful! It really didn't cost very much, we just had to be vigilant about giving her meds each day until she was well. We love her very much and are so glad we went through with the adoption!

Answer 7

It's great that you are thinking of giving an animal a good home, but besides the mange and the money. You might consider that if you don't know what something as common as mange is, you may not be ready for a dog. Please do alot of research and serious thinking. The reason why dogs are in shelters to be adopted is "usually" because their other owners couldn't or wouldn't take care of them. You don't want to do that to them a second time.

Answer 8

I think that depends on what kind of mange that is. You can get something to treat it at any pet store or feed store. There is a kind called sarcoptic mange, it's harder to deal with, you might have to take it to the vet if the treatments from the pet store don't work. But the vet can get rid of the bad kind too.

Answer 9

its pretty bad...the hair falls out and the skin is rubbed/chewed raw....its hard to get rid of, but it can be done....You might as well try, Ive adopted a dog thats had it before and he lived a perfectly normal life after the first 9 months while we was getting rid of the mange.

Answer 10

mange is where the dog loses its fur and it can be passed on to other animals (ive had it happen be for) i think you can buy meds for it you can call a local vet and ask and they will answer all your questions