This is one of the most common problems that we face in the stray animal world here in Thailand. The problem can also be found in cats but cats are generally better at self grooming and don't stay in packs so the opportunity for the parasite to spread is far less common with cats. Dogs in Thailand more often than not will end up having mange. For most of these dogs that go untreated, it is something that the do not recover from and it is so itchy that they break the skin and then these wounds become infected and then that infection slowly but surely kills the poor pup.
Would you believe that all of this can be prevented for a mere $10 or so per dog?
It may look like the above animal is just being cute but she is actually on her back desperately trying to scratch the areas that she can not reach with her teeth or paws. Imagine being incredibly itchy all the time and this never stops? That is what mange is.
Mange is almost imperceptible to the naked eye and it is a moving, living, parasite infestation that spreads the same way that fleas and ticks do. They jump from animal to animal and feed on their blood. The difference with mange is that that are more intrusive than the other two because they don't just hang around until they have had their fill, they set up shop permanently and they also invade the hair follicles and this causes the hair on the dog to fall out which makes the self-induced wounds from biting and scratching more likely, which leads to increased chance of infection and later, a slow and painful death.
There are a lot of products that can eliminate mange as well as all other parasite infestations all with one delicious edible snack. Look at how the above doggy friend is salivating at the mere notion of getting a taste.
Unfortunately this in something that has to be re administered every 4 months or so and the only way that this would ever not be the case would be if we were somehow able to completely eradicate fleas, ticks, and mange from all animals in the area - which of course is impossible since they can live on just about anything.
We treat as many dogs as we can afford to and are also careful to not double dose any dogs. This is not because we are afraid we will accidentally overdose the dog and harm it, which is almost impossible with this drug, but because we don't want to waste it.
If you are living somewhere in the world and see a dog with a bunch of fur missing it is almost certainly because of mange. Maybe you could go and spend a few bucks on Bravecto or anything similar (there are many different brand names for the same product) and then you could sleep easier knowing that you did something absolutely wonderful for that dog - you made him or her stop being itchy all the time and, you might be saving their life in the meantime.
If you would like to see how you can help out or simply spread the word, please visit our website at
http://krabianimalwelfare.org
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