Killing
the Mites
- Amitraz
Collars. I've found an amitraz "tick" collar helps
(not cures)! It simply lessens the number of mites the dog has
to deal with and it keeps down pustules forming around the face,
ears, head and neck! It's a constant small dose of the same
ingredient that's in the amitraz dip.
Dealing with the
Itchies
- An
antihistamine such as Diphenhydramine (brand name Benedryl).
During "bad times" Muffin takes 2 caps twice a day,
and when it's doing "well" he takes 1 cap once or
twice a day (and YEP . you guessed it! He sleeps A LOT! but he's
sane and so are we!!!). I just can NOT let him itch like that!
- Ointments/sprays.While
he was so terribly raw and sore, I used (at the vet's ok) a
corticosteroid cream (over the counter is way strong enough!) on
the worst places just plain to heal it. Covering it actually
makes it up to 10 times more effective, but this IS a steroid
and it goes right into their system, so it's NOT a good choice
for "long term". In fact, there's one brand that makes
a spray (from memory I think it's Cortaid Spray) which is nice
because it doesn't matt fur, but it's also gonna sting.
Boosting the
Immune System
Put the animal
IMMEDIATELY on supplements and vitamins to boost the immune system.
This doesn't 'cure' -- but while you're dipping the animal -- this
hopefully begins to boost the immune system so by the time you get
the instant case fought the animal can then somehow begin to
"maintain".
I've got Muffin on
daily doses of : -
- Echinacea
(fights infection) (2 - 4 350 mg. caps/day)
- Colostrum
(this is the 'essence' of bovine mother's milk to boost
immunity). Start very slowly with this - it is a milk product
and some dogs could be intolerant. Build gradually to human
daily dose. (It varies with the one you use.)
- Chelated Zinc
(as in humans -- immune deficient often is zinc deficient -
ask your vet!!) - about 15-30 mg./day.
- MSM (this
is a biological sulphur -- the closest thing you can come to
anything that will actually build a "cure" from within
-- it's used for "skin conditions" holistically for
both humans and animals). 1000 mg/day (ask your vet)
- Vitamins C, A
and E (anti-oxidants -- fight infection and heal skin)*
- Omega 3 Fish
Oil Supplements.*
*Now the Vitamins
C,A, and E and Omega Oil --- those CAN come in some 'more expensive
dogs foods' -- my vet wanted Muffin on them, so we changed him to a
"fancy" food that includes them, specifically so we didn't
have to do additional "pills." However, these oils
particularly will help the skin - the shampoos and dips DO dry the
skin, so the oils that I give Muffin are more necessary than you
might think and he's got a GORGEOUS coat now!).
I've used the
Echinacea and Colostrum the longest and have seen great results.
Granted, on a monthly basis the Colostrum and MSM are the two
"expensive" ones - but do what you can steadily and
then "add" to it.
IMPORTANT: You've
gotta, gotta understand -- ANY kind of herbals or supplements work
on a CELLULAR level. They are NOT a "quick fix". THIS WILL
TAKE 6 WEEKS TO 2 MONTHS BEFORE YOU WILL EVEN BEGIN TO SEE ANY SORT
OF PERMANENT IMPROVMENT. What you begin -STAY WITH IT. You may want
to ADD to it, but don't switch around - it takes many, many months
to build this - 2 months is ONLY to even BEGIN seeing results..
Preventing them
from scratching and biting.
Maxine - DON'T
SCRATCH, ba-by!!!
You hear that one
ALL the time here! Scratching becomes an instant 'nervous habit' The
itch makes them nervous and the more they scratch the more they itch
and it's something TO DO (particularly when your paw is right there
near your mouth anyway!!!).
Physically STOP
them. I've
been known to do all sorts of things from wrapping him up in towels
like a doggie mummy, to putting socks on his paws/wrapping them in
gauze (and socks!!) In fact, even if the paws aren't broken out -
putting socks on prevents those toenails from wrecking havoc on the
rest of him. But be careful .. then it becomes difficult to walk and
you don't want him hurting himself, so watch them!!!
Should I admit
about the T-Shirts Muffin has worn? Or how I've sewn socks TO
T-shirts to keep them both on??? No .. I won't even go there, but
keeping them from re-opening it is a challenge. Step by step . inch
by inch - it's a battle! But it IS win-able!!!
Grooming
While you're
battling demodex, keep the animal shorn as closely as possible. I
know, for those of you with long-haired dogs this is BAD news. But,
if you can't get TO the skin with the dip, you won't be able to kill
the mites. If you just try to "spot" treat - it's
pointless - it will only break out somewhere else.
We've discovered
with Muffin - we need to keep him shaved (yes - particularly the
ears!!!) - but not OVER close (don't let them "burn" the
skin with the razor! -- that CREATES more problems!).
Look for a groomer
you're totally comfortable with. Talk to them and make sure they
understand your whole point is to get CLOSE to the skin to treat it
with medicine, but not close enough to "burn" the skin.
Point out the sore bits!
Nails: One of the
'side effects' of demodex is areas of thickened skin, but don't kid
yourself - there's LOTS of feeling -- they can get protective of it
cos there's so much pain there!. In fact, Muffin has gotten really
bad about getting his nails done.. He's convinced the doggie nail
clipper is an ancient instrument of torture designed to maim!!!.
I've recently begun using a Dremel tool to carefully
"sand" his nails, rather than clipping them. We do one paw
at a time (the vibration is tickley) but it works!!!
How
To Give Them All Those Pills:
Actually, with a bit
of training they think they're treats!
Either roll the
pills in a bit of margarine (dogs don't get cholesterol problems
folks!) or you can make a jar of chopped garlic and oil to dip
them in (catching up a bit of garlic in your fingers).
To start - offer
just a bit of margarine or garlic/oil on your finger and let them
lap it off. Yum, Yum!!! (We won't even mention the time Foxy stole a
whole tub of margerine and single-pawedly finished it off by himself
when he was just liddle!!!)
Dunk the pills in
and then pick up a slippery pill (or lump of pills) in your fingers
and hold it just ABOVE their nose - so they have to lift their
heads/neck straight up to sniff - and they'll lick it right out of
your fingers.
Mine think this is
such a lark they will come RUNNING when you shake a bottle!!! You
might also couple this with something truly yummy like garlic/yeast
tablets - they're super good for them and they're convinced they are
MEGA treats!!!
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