Dogs Scabies Treatment

Scabies is known as ‘the itch’ and is a skin disorder characterized by superficial skin burrows and intense itching. Its causal agent is the mite called as Sarcoptes Scabei. The name Scabies is derived from the Latin word for Scratch. There are various methods for dogs scabies treatment.

Scabies in dogs is a condition that results in severe itching and hair loss. This condition results in reddening of the skin and forming of lesions. Mostly it affects belly, ears, legs and chest. Scabies is easy to diagnose as it is marked by intense itching. But very often a detailed study is required. A scraping of the skin of the affected area should be put under microscope to identify mites and their eggs. This is followed by measures to treat the condition in your dog.

•    Trimming of fur: Before you begin actually treating the animal it is vital to trim any long fur so that topical treatments impact the area affected by scabies. This is vital for effective dogs scabies treatment.
•    Medicated shampoos: Counted among the most effective treatments to get rid of scabies mites that cause the disease in the dog. This treatment is often recommended by doctors and the dogs also respond properly to this treatment. The shampoos have insecticides intended to kill the mites. Now there are many shampoos available in the market and it is best to consult your vet which is the best one for your dog. It is very important to keep dogs clean by giving frequent baths with these shampoos.
•    Injections: One other scabies treatment is administering drugs through injections. The drugs given intravenously include Frontline Plus, Revolution and Selemectin that work well against scabies. The drug Selemectin is either injected or fed orally and has proved to be very effective. It is considered a convenient treatment as dosage is only once every month and it has no side effects.
Other drugs given intravenously include Ivermectin and  Moxidectin . For Ivermectin, two dosages are injected once in two weeks. But Ivermectin is generally not recommended because of its side effects.
•    Lime Sulfur Dip: It is a solution containing lime sulfur(97.5%), most effective for dogs scabies treatment. The solution is created by mixing 4 oz of lime sulfur to one gallon of water. On being diluted the solution is poured all over the dog’s body allowing to soak up in the affected areas. Allow the solution to last on the animal without washing or drying the dog. A pair of gloves is handy while you give your dog a sulfur bath. Also make sure the dog does not drink any drops of the solution. It is a very effective and long lasting treatment for scabies.

There are also many over the counter treatments for dogs scabies treatment:
-    Natural Oils: Tea tree oil and Neem Oil are supposed to fight scabies effectively. Tea tree oil is famous for its anti fungal and anti bacterial qualities. Apply tea tree oil morning and night on the affected area. Neem Oil is to be applied twice a day.
-    Sulfur creams and Permethrin can be used as topical creams.

The basic precaution to fight this disease is to keep your pet clean and well groomed. Also, maintain cleanliness of your neighborhood so it does not foster the growth of scabies mites. There will be no need for dogs scabies treatment in a clean and hygienic environment.