Benji has Sarcoptic Mange - a couple of questions!

The vet has rang and said he has tested positive for sarcoptees so he will be treated with Stronghold tonight.

I just read this on the website that Christine gave me the link to

The danger here is that IF the pet really has scabies mites and NOT an allergic dermatitis, the mites welcome the cortisone with open arms... er, ah... I mean legs! And they have eight of ‘em! The cortisone allows the sarcoptic mites to reproduce more rapidly and decreases the dog or cat’s ability to defend against the mites. The mites have a reproductive festival after cortisone products are administered.


They must think his poor little body is mite heaven

and to think of all the steroids he has had over the past 18 months Poor little dog


I just wondered if anyone can answer the question as to whether any of these mites could have passed on to us humans or not because Benji sleeps on Lauras bed everynight.

Also I was wondering if someone could tell me where he could have got them from in the first place - would he have been born with them because he was only 17 weeks old when he first started scratching

ooooooooooooo the poor little poodle I hope the new treatment works Foxy

Thanks Rob - so do I, its a huge relief - I might even kiss the vet tonight

Benji doesn't even care about being called a poodle at the moment

i dont know much about it so wouldnt like to comment - but on the bright side at least you now know what it is at long l;ast - poor wee benji - i hope the treatment allows him to go about his business with as little scratching as poss - wee lamb !!

Thanks Dani - I hope it works quickly too. At least he shouldn't have to have the steroids anymore should he.

Dogs aren't born with Sarcoptic mange, but sarcoptic mange is contagious - so if the mother had it, or any other dog Benji came into contact with, he will have caught it from them.

My friend hand reared a litter of EBT's from 3 days old, and they all had sarcoptic mange when she got them
Treated with stronghold, it went pretty quickly!

Oh thanks for that Hevvur - I haven't a clue where he could have caught it from although we did have Sabre until Benji was about 16 weeks old but I never noticed him having any symptoms of it, he never scratched excessively or anything.

Did you say you got him from a pet shop type place?
Could have caught it from there?

I don't suppose you will ever know - but as long as Benji gets better, thats all that matters

Foxy he could have picked em up anywhere, not only other dogs.

Yes they could have passed on to humans, if they`ve passed on to you & any of your family/any humans then they`d have been scratching/itchy, think the link goes onto explain its self limiting??

Steroids are immune suppressants, when they suppress it it can`t do its job, which is primarily protecting the body from anything alien like infections, diseases, parasites etc etc.

OK think thats all the `q`s answered

At last then Foxy you now have a diagnosis After all he's been through and all those steroids and everything else! Can they only tell this with the skin test then, coz I might have Georgie done, although he's been tested before with his previous owner?? That Advocate he went on a month ago kills these mites so even if he did have it they should all be dead by now on him? I'm going to ask my vet about this now, as I'd hate to think Georgie is on steroids for no reason just like poor Benji was. Let's hope this settles it once and for all then, I will keep everything crossed for you.