Health
Crusted ear edges, bare elbows, nights of scratching. Or round bald patches round the eyes of a puppy who never scratches. One name, two diseases.
Caution. Wounds bleeding from scratching, moist skin with pus and a smell, a temperature or lethargy, a puppy losing weight, or bald patches spreading within days: ring your own vet today. Don't put engine oil, diesel or sulphur on his skin.
Do not look for the answer in a Facebook group, on TikTok or on a forum. Look for someone trained for this: your dog's own veterinarian, the only person who can examine, investigate and treat them.
Use this page to know what to observe, what to note and what to ask at the appointment, not to treat at home. If you still have doubts after a consultation, ask another vet or a specialist (dermatologist, internist) for a second opinion, not a group. And if you do not have a regular vet yet, find one now, while your dog is healthy: how to choose a veterinary clinic.
It's three in the morning and the noise has woken you again: the dog is scratching so hard his collar rattles. The edges of his ears have thickened and crusted, the skin on his elbows and hocks is red and bare, and for about a week your own forearms have been itching. Or you've taken on a puppy from a farm who has round bald patches around his eyes and doesn't seem bothered by any of it. People call both of these "mange". They are two different diseases, with different rules. Below is how to tell them apart and what to write down, so you get to your vet with the information that matters. The treatment is your vet's choice, once they've seen under the microscope which mite your dog has.
Mange isn't an emergency in the way a poisoning is. A few situations, though, shouldn't wait for next week's appointment:
In that last case, ring your own GP as well. Dog mange does pass to people, but the mite can't breed on human skin, so the itch usually goes once the dog has been treated. Your GP will tell you what to do in the meantime.
Mange is confirmed under the microscope, and sometimes not even that works first time. What you bring to the appointment shortens the road a lot.
Where it shows. Take close-up photos in daylight of every affected area: ear edges, elbows, hocks, belly, eyes, muzzle, paws. Keep them in a separate album and add one a week. Sarcoptic mange nearly always starts on the ear edges, the elbows and the hocks. Demodectic mange (demodicosis) starts on the face, mostly around the eyes, and on the paws.
How itchy he is. Count how many times he scratches on an ordinary evening and how many nights he's woken you. With sarcoptic mange the itch comes on suddenly and it's torment. With demodicosis he barely scratches at first. The itching only starts once the skin gets infected.
The ear test. Gently rub the edge of his ear between your fingers. If his back leg starts going straight away, as if scratching at thin air, note it down. Vets use this reaction as a clue, because it's common with sarcoptic mange.
Who else has it. Other dogs in the house, cats, people. Then any contact with foxes (a garden backing onto woodland, a working gundog), stray dogs, a boarding kennel, a rescue centre, a puppy who arrived recently. Foxes often carry sarcoptic mange and leave it behind wherever they go.
The history. When it started, what has already been put on his skin, which flea and tick protection he's on and when he last had it, any other illnesses, what he eats. If he's already been treated for "allergy" and it didn't work, say that first.
| Sarcoptic mange | Demodicosis (demodectic mange) | |
|---|---|---|
| What causes it | A mite that burrows tunnels in the skin | A mite that normally lives in every dog's hair follicles and multiplies too much |
| Caught from other animals? | Yes, very easily: dogs, foxes, shared objects | Practically never; puppies pick it up from their mother in the first days, like every dog |
| Caught by people? | Yes, temporarily: itchy spots | No |
| Where it starts | Ear edges, elbows, hocks, belly | Around the eyes, muzzle, paws |
| Itch | Severe, from the start | Mild or none, until the skin gets infected |
| Who gets it most | Any age, after contact | Puppies and adolescents; in adults, often a sign of another illness |
The table gives you the right questions. It isn't for choosing a treatment. Skin can itch for plenty of other reasons too, such as fleas, allergies, yeast and ear mites, and to an untrained eye they all look much the same.
When mange is suspected the appointment takes longer than usual, because skin samples are taken and read there and then. So you know what to expect:
If you have other dogs at home, ask whether they need treating too. With sarcoptic mange the answer is usually yes, even if they aren't scratching yet.
Off the dog, the sarcoptic mite doesn't live long, a few days at room temperature. Wash his bed, blankets and harness at 60 degrees at the start of treatment and again a week later. Hoover the sofa and the car. Anything that can't be washed goes in a sealed bag for a few days. With demodicosis you need none of this, because the mite doesn't pass to other animals.
For you: wash your hands after handling him, keep him off the bed until the treatment is finished, and if you get itchy spots, see your GP.
A dog with mange looks and smells awful for a few weeks. He nearly always recovers, provided he gets to the vet early and nobody has "treated" him first with whatever was in the shed.
What dog owners search for most often on the internet about this problem, with the short answer. The answers are a guide only: the decision belongs to your dog's own vet, after an examination.
Sarcoptic mange, yes: itchy spots come up on the arms, belly and waistline, usually in people who cuddle the dog or share a bed with him. The mite can't breed on human skin, so the itch usually goes once the dog is treated. See your GP anyway. Demodicosis doesn't pass to people or to other dogs.
Sarcoptic mange starts with severe itching, then red spots and crusts on the ear edges, elbows and hocks, with hair loss around them. Demodicosis starts with small, round, hairless patches around the eyes, on the muzzle or on the paws, in a dog who hardly scratches. Weekly photos help your vet a great deal.
It's a mite that normally lives in every dog's hair follicles and, at some point, multiplies too much. It turns up mostly in puppies and adolescents, whose skin defences haven't matured yet, and the localised form, limited to a few patches, often clears. In an adult dog it's usually a sign of another illness that needs finding. It isn't contagious.
Not necessarily. With sarcoptic mange there are only a few mites and they hide, so scrapes often come back negative even in affected dogs. That's why many vets run a treatment trial when the signs fit and watch how the dog responds. With demodicosis, a properly done deep scrape usually finds the mite.
No, and they can do harm. Used engine oil, diesel, paraffin and sulphur burn the skin and soak through it, and the dog licks them off; some poison him. Mange is treated with veterinary parasite products your vet chooses for the type of mite and the dog's weight, over several weeks, with rechecks.
The information on this page is educational and does not replace an examination. For full details and a diagnosis, consult your dog's own veterinarian.
They often come together: the same causes, plans that complement each other.
Claws on the belly at midnight, paws licked red, an ear infection every summer. Behind the word "allergy" sit at least three diseases, each with its own plan.
Tufts on the sofa are one thing. Round patches, bald flanks or a dog scratching himself raw are something else. Here is how to tell them apart.
A round bald patch on the muzzle, then one on a leg, then a red ring on your child's arm. Ringworm is treatable, but with tests and patience, not any old cream.
A hard bead with legs on his neck after the woods, or black specks on the sofa that turn red when wet. Both can be sorted out, and neither with oil or garlic.
We work with your dog's behaviour, not its health. For any sign described here, book an appointment with your own vet; the related services page explains how to choose a clinic.