Ugh! Mites!

Kolten has developed a weird spot on his shoulder where the hair is thinning. I thought it was from pressure on the area when he sleeps, and wasn't too worried about it.

When I took him to the kennel for boarding this past weekend...they said "Better scrape this spot to check for mites." And sure enough, it came back POSITIVE. He has to have 3 treatments of Mitoban dip. It is very toxic, and has to be done by the vet.

The condition is formally known as "Demodectic Mange." It is NOT CONTAGIOUS. Puppies get it all the time. Basically, all dogs have these mites in their bodies under the skin. When a puppy has an immune system that is not strong enough to keep the mites where they are supposed to be, under the skin...they can come out and become bothersome. If left untreated, the condition can cause health problems for the dog.

My yorkie, Bailey, developed Demodectic Mange in her older years as a result of her failing immune system, but hers never cleared up. If your dog is losing hair or has a weird looking spot on it's skin, it's a good idea to get it checked by your vet.