Borax and Peroxide for Mange

[BigMac]

I recently "inherited" an EM from a friend of mine who is going though a divorce. He came to me with severly itchy skin. I had switched him to Taste of the Wild Salmon in thinking it may be a food allergy. A month later, I see no improvement although it still may be too soon. So, now I am curious as to if it may be mange. He itches like crazy, and while he does not have some of the tell-tell signs of mange such as balding around the eyes, ears, elbows, etc. he does have hair loss on his back where he has been scratching. He is tick/flea free, so I know that is not the problem.

So, I have done some internet searching and have come across a home remedy for mange. I thought it probably wouldn't hurt to do it even if it wasn't mange. It is a mixture of Borax, peroxide and warm water. You are to cover the entire dog and leave on. Repeat weekly for 4-5 weeks. Has anyone heard of this? Or, heard of another remedy?

Yes, I know the best thing to do is to take Max to the vet, but right now I am so strapped for cash as I am a single mother and spending money out the wazoo on my high school senior who is about to graduate and soon to enter college. When I get my finances caught up, and if he is not better, I will take him to the vet.

 

[ElJayBee]

It's possible that he may have environmental allergies as well as food allergies. You have him on a great food, so I would stick with it. (also, it can take up to 8 weeks to see improvement from a food change) It is not uncommon for dogs to have both food AND environmental allergies. I have a dog like that myself. Try giving a Zyrtec once a day and see if that helps. you can find good deals on the generic versions. Just make sure not to give the kind with a decongestant in it.

Also, you can try a soothing shampoo such as an aloe and oatmeal shampoo to bathe him in and see if that helps.

I just have one question. If you slowly run your hand against the direction of hair growth along his back above his tail, and look closely at the skin, do you notice any tiny black specks or flakes? (do this BEFORE bathing)

I would try all these things before using the borax solution. His issues do not sound like mange to me at all.

 

[moose]

Yeah sounds more like allergies, I would follow eljaybee advise
I use nu-stock on moose when he gets hotspots and hairloss
http://www.nustock.com/merchant.ihtml?cid=4&step=2

 

[mia]

Does he smell yeasty??? Does he chew his feet?

 

[BigMac]

Thank you all for this great advice. ElJayBee, I will try the generic Zertec. I had tried Benedryl. It MAY have helped a tad, or maybe it was just my imagination. As far as running my had backward through his hair, he would have no part of it. Even while eating, he would shift around so that I could not get a good look. The area is VERY sensitive. As far as Max smelling "yeasty", I'm not sure if it is a yeasty smell, but he does have a strange odor...

 

[Ripsmom]

if he has mange...and from the symptoms he might ... it sounds like sarcoptic mange which is the contagious one BUT also much easier to deal with; if it were me I would treat him for it just in case...the best treatment now is Revolution..the top spot flea/heartworm control (you apply it to the skin on just above the shoulder blades like advatage or frontline ,you can pick it up at an animal hospital), it is the recommended treatment for sarcoptic mange and you can buy a tube of it for around $15-$20 ...you will need to treat him three times at two week intervals and you shouldn't bathe him 3 days before or 3 days after applying it. skin scrapings do not usually reveal sarcoptes even when they have it, they are tricky to see under a microscope, if it's demodex mange (the non contagious form) you can see it under a scope but it requires dips to get rid of it, but you would need to have a vet do a scraping for that one. even if he does have it he probably also has a secondary yeast infection so keeping him on a high quality food (preferably one without any grains) will help since yeast thrives on sugar (ie. carbs). You can also put him on a heavy does of probiotics like acidophilus or bifidiphilus which you can buy at any health store, this will help kill the yeast. If he had fleas in the past (before you got him) he may be hypersensitive to them and that could be how a skin infection started as well. the bottom line is it's process of elimination but the revolution is cheap enough to do it and rule out the mange

 

[BigMac]

...the best treatment now is Revolution..the top spot flea/heartworm control (you apply it to the skin on just above the shoulder blades like advatage or frontline ,you can pick it up at an animal hospital), it is the recommended treatment for sarcoptic mange and you can buy a tube of it for around $15-$20 .../QUOTE]

Thank you, Ripsmom. Is the tube a one time dose?

 

[Ripsmom]

yes, each tube is a one time does, you just need an average weight for the dog and it comes in a package of three doses as well, so you can either buy them all together or if your tight on cash just one at a time. do not apply any other flea products on him while you are using the revolution and don't give him any heartworm preventative either since it covers that as well. You can also give him a bath a few days before the first treatment with "nizerol"medicated shampoo or selsun blue (both found at any drug store) they both have antifungal ingredients so it will help with any secondary yeast infection; i think the nizerol works better but they both will help and you can continue with the baths weekly until the skin is cleared up just rinse him well. check the package on the revolution for any recommendations on how long after applying can the dog be bathed, i know with frontline it's three days but it might be different, you can always call the pharm company number and ask them, should be listed on the package. good luck

 

[mia]

I ditto Ripsmom. I ask about yeast as mange can smell yeasty. I had a dobe rescue with it, did two scrapings and a deep tissue biopsy, lots of money later nothing showed up, I did a different treatment but start with the revolution. You could try an even simpler food in case it's food (California Natural has very simple foods). I've had MinPins like that too. Also thyroid issues can do all that too. Try the revolution and see how that goes... Poor doggy..