In all living organisms, a disease can be described as a disorder to an organism’s physical structure and/or ability to function. All diseases vary in what species they affect, the distinct signs or symptoms are produced, how they are caused, and how they can be treated/prevented. An example of a specific disease is sarcoptic mange, also known as “canine mange.” Although this ailment has the nickname canine mange since it commonly affects dogs and other animals in the canine family, it is a disease that affects the external integument of most domestic mammals such as horses, cattle, humans, and (in rare cases) cats. Like with most other diseases, sarcoptic mange has a visible cause, symptoms, and method of treatment and prevention. The disease, …show more content…
The parasite responsible for the mange is the Sarcoptes scabiei mite which causes mange when burrows into the skin of the host while simultaneously laying within the burrowed tunnels in the epidermis. Like most parasites, the Sarcoptes scabiei mite can be transmitted between mammals through direct skin contact between the infected animal and a non-infected animal or through indirect contact with an infected animal through fomites (Companion Animal Parasite Council, 2013). Fomites for this parasite can include animals beds/bedding, groom utensils (clippers/shears, brushes, etc.), or inanimate objects that may come into contact with the infected animal’s fur or skin. When an animal possibly becomes infected with sarcoptic mange, specific symptoms can be identified on the body of the animal and through the behaviors. One of the physical symptoms will be alopecia or hair loss that may be localized to certain regions of the body that may be sites of the infection or can be generalized and affect a larger portion of the animal’s …show more content…
Scabicidal shampoos and dips should be used on the animal to kill any living mites, for the next couple weeks, topical drugs such as fipronil (Frontline), selamectin (Revolution), or ivermectin should be applied to kill any mites that may hatch from eggs still present within the skin of the animal. Caution should be taken when applying ivermectin to animals that are unable to tolerate the drug and all drugs should be used under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian (PetMD, 2016). The pet’s bed should also be disposed of or washed in hot water to kill off any parasites that may be residing in the fabric and houses with more than one pet should all undergo the same treatment regime to aid in providing a full decontamination of the environment of the parasite. When attempting to prevent sarcoptic mange from reoccurring, there is no effective way to make an animal immune to the parasite itself. Instead, it is best to create an environment that is free of the parasite which will allow pets to stay safe from the mange. This can be done by routinely disposing of or cleaning beds/beddings that an animal rests on, avoid contact with animals known to have/shown symptoms of sarcoptic mange, and seasonally administering a parasite preventative to