Sarcoptic Mange

• Sarcoptic mange is a serious form of mange that affects cats and dogs with equal intensity. Symptoms include hair loss and the rapid formation of thick, wrinkled skin covered with crust and scabs. Animals infected with sarcoptic mange can develop life-threatening secondary infections from scratching at irritated skin.
  
  

Demodectic Mange

• Demodectic mange is less severe than sarcoptic mange. It affects both dogs and cats, though the latter with less frequency. Demodectic mange is identified by hair loss and the formation of crusty, irritated lesions.
  
  

Considerations

• Treatments for both types of mange include various topical and systemic medications. Some drugs are not FDA-approved to treat mites in all animals and may not be suitable for some pets.
  
  

Dipping

• Weekly lime-sulfur dips effectively treat mange, though the process is labor-intensive and usually involves clipping the animal’s hair.
  
  

Ivermectin

• Off-label usage of the heartworm medication ivermectin successfully treats mites in most animals. However, it can be fatal to dogs with a mutation in the multidrug resistance gene MDR1.
  
  

Amitraz

• Amitraz is a topical antiparasite medication. It has successfully treated both canine and feline mites, though it can make some cats sick, warns PetEducation.com.