Sarcoptic Mange

Transmission

Puppy with sarcoptic mange - Wikimedia Commons

• Close contact

• Adults and larvae can be transferred from one skin surface to another

Pathogenesis

• Erythema with papule formation

• Scale and crust formation
  • Alopecia

• Intense pruritus for 1 week
  • Self-inflicted trauma
  • Scab formation

• Wrinkling and thickening of skin

• Hypersensitivity may develop
  • Rash develops

Sarcoptes scabiei

• Causes scabies

• Strains of S. scabiei can be passed between different animals and cause clinical signs although the infection is likely to resolve spontaneously and be unlikely to establish

Diagnosis

• Skin scraping until capillary blood appears
  • Adults, eggs, immature mites and faecal pellets can be seen microscopically

• Place material on a microscope slide

• Add 10% KOH

• Warm slide over bunsen flame

Treatment

• Acaricide
  • For more information on acaricides click here

• Treat both infected and in-contact animals

• Older products have to be given in repeat treatments

• Avermectins are effective in farm animals

• Selamectin is available as a good spot-on for dogs

In Dogs

In Cats

Pigs

• Important condition, 35% pigs are asymptomatic carriers

• First signs of infestation appear on the ears before spreading to the rest of the body

• Transmission from sow to piglets whilst suckling and from boars to gilts at service

• Infestation adversely affects productivity
• Control for pigs:
  • Treat sows before entering the farrowing pen
  • Treat boars at 6 month intervals

Cattle

• Most frequently seen in housed cattle

• Notifiable in USA and Canada

• Often called 'neck and tail mange' as lesions most often seen on neck and tail

• Infestation adversely affects productivity

Sheep

• Notifiable in UK

• Lesions on hairy parts of face
  • E.g. Face, ears, axillae and groin

• Causes considerable hide damage in local African breeds of long haired sheep

Horses

• Notifiable in UK

• Lesions begin on head, neck and shoulders then spread to rest of body