Extreme Mange-over, Dog Edition
Lawrence, KS — Nov 11th, 2019 — Melody Dean has a new look and a new outlook on life after a short stint at the Lawrence Humane Society.
With mounting medical concerns, Melody Dean was surrendered to the Lawrence Humane Society this fall. Her previous owners noticed over the prior several months, the pooch was losing a great deal of hair and suffering from severe skin irritation, causing pain and significant itching.
This extreme itching led Melody Dean to often scratch herself to the point of bleeding!
But then entered the Lawrence Humane Society medical team, led by Chief Veterinarian Dr. Luke Pickett.
“Melody Dean was becoming grumpy and irritated and acting less like herself,” Dr. Pickett said. “Our medical team was able to assess her upon intake and quickly diagnose that her skin issues were caused by a common skin mite known as demodex.”
Demodex is one of the most common causes for hair loss in young dogs. According to Dr. Pickett, the treatment plan for Melody Dean included antibiotics and anti-fungals for the secondary skin infections she was experiencing and routine follicular flushing shampoo bathing.
“We began a commonly used oral treatment to eliminate the excessive numbers of mites on her skin,” Dr. Pickett reported. “We then sent Melody to a loving foster home to provide these treatments while she rested comfortably in a quiet stress free home.”
And after just 4 weeks of treatment, Melody Dean responded so well to her treatment, the Lawrence Humane Society was able to adopt her into a paw-some home where she could continue her rechecks with her new adopters personal veterinarian.
According to Dr. Pickett, it is likely Melody Dean will never have symptoms of this condition again, but a close watch by her new owner and new veterinarian will be recommended.
Demodex is a non-contagious, self-limiting condition. It is common among young dogs typically between 4 months to 2 years of age, but can affect any age dog. Dog owners should watch their pets closely as any form of hair loss on their pets should be examined by their veterinarian.
“For most of these conditions that involve hair loss, there is a reasonable and simple solution that your veterinarian can quickly diagnose and get your pet on the road to recovery,” Dr. Pickett said. “Remember, your veterinarian has the knowledge to help you make the best decisions for your pets health.”