Unbearable itching and scratching, dark, rough patches of skin... is your dog suffering from mange? Find out how to spot & treat mange in dogs this season (and how tracking their location can help prevent it in the first place.)
As spring arrives, you might find your dog sniffling, scratching, or even losing fur from pesky critters like ticks, mites, dust, pollen – or mange. But what is mange in dogs, anyway? Why does it happen – and how can you deal with it? Here’s what it is and how to treat it. (Plus how tracking where your dog’s off exploring can help prevent it in the first place!)
Mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by several microscopic species of mites found in other animals. Importantly, mange is a treatable medical condition, but both you and your other pets are likely to get infected by it as well. (Though in humans, it’s more likely to be a short-term infection.)
These mites will burrow through the skin causing intense itching and irritation. The more a dog scratches, the more hair falls out in spots. Some mange mites are normal residents of your dog’s skin and hair, while others are not. However, all mites can cause mild to severe skin infections as the amount of mites and parasites increases.
Mange is a serious skin disease caused by tiny, microscopic mites that burrow into the skin of mammals.
The two types of mange affecting dogs are sarcoptic (canine scabies) and demodectic. While sarcoptic mange is the most common of the two, demodectic mange tends to also be common among young dogs in the US. Let’s learn a bit more about them below.
Sarcoptic mange in dogs
Sarcoptic mange or caninescabies is a condition in which parasitic mites known as Sarcoptes scabiei burrow into surface of the skin. There, the scabies mites lay eggs which hatch into larvae in about three to 10 days. These then develop into adult mites and reproduce – the lifespan of an adult scabies mite is three to four weeks.
Can I get scabies from my dog?
Yes. Canine scabies is also a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be passed from dog to human.
Is sarcoptic mange contagious?
Yes, sarcoptic mange is highly contagious and can be easily be passed from one animal to another. Here are a couple of ways your dog might pick up a bad case of scabies:
Direct (skin to skin) contact with an infected animal
Sharing items (like bedding) with an infected animal
Coming in contact with an infected animal (including wild animals, like foxes) – though this is rarer
What causes mange in dogs?
The most common cause of sarcoptic mange in dogs is the exposure to an infected animal, as the mites quickly move from animal to animal. So your buddy might be at higher risk if they’re often visiting:
Kennels
Dog parks
Groomers
…or even some vet clinics
All these environments may have a high exposure rate of mange. (Since pets often get close to each other in these areas.) Because sadly, if one dog in a kennel or at the groomers’ is infected, others may get infected too.
💡So if you’ve got a dog that enjoys their outdoor time, it makes sense to stay on top of where they’re off wandering. A dog GPS tracker can log where your buddy’s been spending most of their time throughout the day, so you can figure out if they’ve been running into any other animals. (Whether from dog parks, woodlands, or anywhere else around your neighborhood.)
Dogs suffering from scabies or sarcoptic mange may experiencethe following symptoms:
Intense itching and scratching
Chewing of the skin
Hair loss, especially around the legs and belly
Patches of thick, dark skin
Redness or rash
Scabs or crusty skin
Bacterial or yeast infection
In extreme cases, dogs suffering from a severe mange infestation may also have swollen lymph nodes due to inflammation. Or they may become very weak and thin, losing weight and showing signs of lethargy.
How is sarcoptic mange in dogs diagnosed?
To diagnose sarcoptic mange, your vet will take a scraping of the skin and examine it under a microscope to check for mites or their eggs. Even if no mites are found in the sample, your dog’s symptoms can still be a good indicator that scabies is present.
How your vet might treat sarcoptic mange in dogs
Your vet can help you successfully treat your dog’s mange condition with the right medication and other treatment methods, based on your buddy’s symptoms. They might begin by prescribing you an anti-mite treatment which can take the form of a dip, topical, or oral medication. Your dog may require a combination of these.
Be sure to follow the vet’s instructions carefully and give your dog the full course of treatment; otherwise scabies may persist. Your vet will follow up any treatment plan with a few more rounds of skin scrapes to see if your dog is infection-free or in the need of more treatment.
You may also need to treat other pets in your household, as well as wash or remove any bedding or toys that may be infested. Your vet may also recommend that you isolate your dog to prevent the spread of mange from pet to pet or human to human.
Demodectic mange in dogs
Another common type of mange in dogs is demodectic mange. It’s caused by the cylindrical, cigar-shaped mite with eight legs known as Demodex canis.
Unlike scabies, these mites are always present (even on healthy dogs). They reside in hair follicles rather than burrow into the skin. Normally, they cause no harm. It’s only when a dog’s immune system is compromised that demodectic mites are able to grow out of control (i.e. reproduce rapidly) which causes the problem.
Which dogs are susceptible to demodectic mange?
Demodectic mange occurs most often in dogs with a weak or immature immune system. That’s why it’s most common in:
The good news is that demodectic mange is not contagious to other pets or humans. It can only be passed from mother dogs to their puppies in the first few days of life. Since the mite is found on all dogs, they’re not a threat to dogs with a healthy immune system.
Symptoms of demodectic mange in dogs
Demodectic mange can take on a variety of forms – which can affect the kinds of symptoms your buddy experiences. In general, watch out for signs like lethargy or weakness, i.e. if your dog seems less active than before or seems less enthusiastic around walks or playtime.
Otherwise, you might be dealing with:
Localized demodectic mange Which includes patches of hair loss and scaly skin show up mainly on your dog’s face.
Generalized demodectic mange Which includesinfections in parts of your dog’s body besides their face. Secondary infections may cause your dog to become smelly and more itchy.
Demodectic pododermatitis Or when demodectic mites affect only your dog’s paws. Dogs that are prone to this condition include Old English Sheepdogs and Shar Peis.
How is demodectic mange diagnosed & treated?
Much like sarcoptic mange in dogs, your vet might take a skin scraping from your dog and examine it under a microscope to diagnose demodectic mange. If a large number of mites are found, the diagnosis is confirmed. Your vet might also use a skin biopsy to diagnose the condition.
Depending on your dog’s condition, your vet will advise you on the best course of treatment. They might prescribe you medication, topical ointments, and/or medicated baths. Some types of oral flea and tick products have also proved effective to treat mange in dogs.1
⚠️ Make sure to follow your vet’s instructions to the T and only use products built for dogs’ skin. Shampoos that are designed for humans might be harmful to dogs and contain ingredients toxic to them.
How to prevent mange in dogs
Now unfortunately, there aren’t any known preventative measures against mange. But there are a few simple things you can do to avoid it.
Avoid contact with infected animals or humans If you suspect a friend or neighbor’s dog has mange, keep your dog away. You won’t be able to tell which type of mange the dog has so your pup could get infected. (Which means rescheduling a few of those dog park or puppy play dates until everyone’s been to the vet.)
Be extra mindful of your dog’s hygiene It might sound obvious – but don’t skip out on bathtime! (Yes, no matter how much your dog protests.) Give your dog regular baths and wash bedding and collars. This may help prevent your dog from getting mange.
Stay on top of your dog’s diet & exercise Some cases of mange in dogs might occur because their immune system isn’t functioning too well. Make sure to keep your dog on a regular feeding schedule, with lots of water and healthy meals, plus plenty of exercise. Include a high dosage of vitamin C and A, zinc, vitamin E in your dog’s diet. Your vet could also prescribe you medically-approved dog food options to help keep your buddy healthy.
Use a GPS tracker to figure out where your dog’s spending time If your dog has been diagnosed with mange, identifying where they might be picking up mites is key to stopping reinfestation. With the Tractive GPS tracker, you can check your dog’s Location History to see where they’ve been roaming – whether it’s a specific patch of grass, a neighbor’s yard, or a wooded area where wildlife frequent.
Mange mites thrive in warm, damp environments and can spread through contact with infected animals, bedding, or surfaces. By tracking your dog’s movements, you can spot patterns, avoid high-risk areas, and take steps to sanitize places they visit often.
Follow your dog anywhere
Get real-time location information, wherever they go. And find out when they try to make an escape, or just when they go somewhere they shouldn’t, with Virtual Fences.
And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.
Your furry friend’s health and wellbeing means as much as to us as it does to you. So we’ve made it a priority to only share medically-relevant content on our blog.
This post was checked, double-checked, and medically verified by Georgia-based vet, Dr. Dwight Alleyne.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Dr. Alleyne began his career at a no-kill animal shelter before becoming a licensed veterinary technician. He graduated from Cornell University Veterinary College in 2006 and completed an internship at Purdue University.
Now practicing in Georgia, Dr. Alleyne specializes in soft tissue surgery and ultrasounds. He also writes pet health articles on his website, “The Animal Doctor Blog” (www.anmldrblog.com).
Approved by Dr. Dwight Alleyne, DVM 
