8 Ways To Get Rid Of Scabies On Dogs
Scabies or Mange is one of the most common diseases in dogs and it can attack any kind of dog at any time. Scabies cause abrasions on the skin of dog’s body and his ears and can be a nasty as your dog will start to shed his hair and the abrasion on the skin will certainly be itchy and painful for your dog.
The disease is caused by various types of mites which are tiny parasites that attack both dogs and other types of animals. If your dog is diagnosed with Scabies you are surely looking for ways to get rid of the disease, which is why we bring you this list of the top 8 ways to get rid of Scabies in dogs:
1.Washing With Soap Water
One of the easiest ways to get rid of scabies on dogs is by using special soaps which you can get from your veterinarian and using the soapy water to clean your dog with it. Even a regular white soap will work in case you are out of the special soaps.
Simply apply the soap water to the affected areas of your dog’s skin and hair gently and rinse with warm water. Make sure to be very gentle as the areas affected with scabies will be very sensitive.
2.Use Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oils such as olive will also have a greatly alleviate the effects of scabies in your dog as well. Olive oil is one of the more commonly used natural treatments for scabies and it is very simple to use as a remedy.
All you need to do is apply some olive oil to areas of the dog’s skin affected with scabies, and the oil will work its way in and attacks the mite nests that form on your dog. Your dog’s skin will also be rehydrated in this way and in the end the oil will serve as a fantastic remedy.
3.Herbal Remedies
Like with human diseases, there are a number of natural herbal treatments for scabies. You will want to use herbs with antibacterial and antiseptic features such as Niaoli and Neem. Applying these herbs in combination with the aforementioned olive oil will work even better.
You should, however, take great care not to use any herbs that may be toxic to dogs, as there are quite a few herbs that a human may use with no trouble and will irritate a dog. Once you are sure a herb is safe you can squeeze its juice, mix it with olive oil and gently apply the drops to your dog’s skin.
4. Apple Cider or Lemon
Both of these common house supplies can be used as remedies for scabies in dogs. While both will be effective the way you will want to apply them differs and there is no reason not to use both.
Apple Cider Vinegar can be used to treat scabies by introducing it to your dog’s diet. Just add one tablespoon of ACV per day to his diet and you should begin to see it act in reducing scabies very soon.
The lemon on the other hand will be applied more like some of the earlier remedies. Boil a cut lemon in water and leave it overnight. In the morning use the solution by soaking a sponge in it and gently scrubbing your dog with the sponge. In combination with the Apple Cider, your dog should start feeling better fast.
5. Improve Your Dog’s Diet
Like humans, dogs have immune systems and a strong immune system will be less susceptible to diseases including scabies. Dogs also need minerals and vitamins in their diets so using animal dietary supplements when your dog is sick will help it fight Scabies off by himself.
The immune system will start combating the mites if it is strong enough, and combined with the other remedies we already mentioned, a healthy and balanced diet will go a long way towards getting rid of scabies in dogs.
6. Garlic and Lemon
Another way to use lemon in treating your dog’s scabies is to prepare a rinse containing both garlic and lemon juices. The rinse is made in about 4 liters of water and with 35 cloves of garlic along with half a dozen lemon skins and one whole lemon. Boil the water with all the ingredients in it.
Once the rinse is ready, let it cool off to a lower temperature and then apply all over your dog’s skin and hair. Using this solution for about 10 days has been known to greatly alleviate the disease.
7. Honey
Another natural and fairly effective remedy for scabies in dogs is honey or organic honey to be more precise. Applying organic honey to your dog’s affected areas can help nourish his skin and greatly relieving the symptoms such as itching and pain.
While honey will not cure the disease it will make your dog’s life a lot easier. Make sure that your dog is wearing an Elizabethan collar when using this remedy, as otherwise he will lick the honey off his skin.
8. Prescription Medications
Of course, if these remedies are not helping or their success is limited, your veterinarian will be able to provide some prescription medications. One of the most commonly used is a cream called Eliminate, which is a topical cream that penetrates the skin and after about one or two weeks of using usually gets rid of all the mites.
Other medications like Permethrin and Antihistamines have also been known to work quite well as they combat the itch and inflammation caused by scabies and alleviate the symptoms, but do not really destroy the sources of the disease.
An oral medication by the name of Ivermectin has also recently hit the shelves and it works in an interesting way. It is only used once after the outbreak and then once more after two weeks. Apparently this oral medicament completely destroys the infection and gets rid of mites altogether.
Combination of the above mentioned treatments should really work to greatly alleviate and eventually heal scabies on your dog altogether. If not, go back to your veterinarian and look for other options or a different diagnosis, as scabies should usually not survive these treatments.
