When it comes to your pet’s health, it's important to be proactive and keep your eyes open for any signs of disease. Mange, for example, is a skin condition you can catch between visits to the vet. However, many owners aren't sure what to look for with such a disease. To help, the pet dermatologists at Veterinary Dermatology Services in Cincinnati, OH, explain the signs of mange.

How to Spot Mange in Your Pets

What Is It?

Mange is a skin infection caused by various types of the Demodex mite. A few mites on your dog’s skin isn’t likely to result in much of a problem. However, as they reproduce and grow in numbers, they can cause skin lesions and immune issues. Hair loss is also common, as the mites live in the hair follicles of dogs and cats.

To determine if your dog or cat has this infection, pet dermatologists perform a skin scraping. This means the veterinarian scrapes around the suspected area of infection to find and diagnose the specific type of mite. The vet may also make a diagnosis by plucking a hair.

What Are the Symptoms?

Symptoms may be localized or generalized over the entire body, depending on the extent of infection. For instance, localized symptoms are usually more mild, with a few lesions in small patches. These tend to occur on the face or legs of the animal.

A generalized infection, however, will have symptoms that appear across the entire body. These signs include extreme itchiness, hair loss, and inflammation. You may also see scaly lesions on the skin in various places, typically caused by the animal repeatedly scratching at the area.

If you notice any signs of mange, the pet dermatologists at Veterinary Dermatology Services can help treat your four-legged friend right away. They serve Ohio, northern Kentucky, and southern Indiana with a variety of animal care services. Call these pet dermatology specialists at (513) 489-4644 to schedule an appointment, and visit them online for more information.