demodex treatment

Hi there I am new to this forum and a first time dog owner, I ve got a 4 month old female staffy called cleo, she been getting bald patches that has started on the top of her head and is slowly spreading, I ve have taken her to the vets and they have diagnosed her having demodex mites after a skin scrape, They are treating her with advocate (a spot on liquid that is applied on the back of the kneck) she is now on her third course and still not seeing any improvement, has any one else used this before and has it worked if not can any one recommend a treatment?

with thanks carl

Hi Carl, welcome to the forum.

I've not heard of Advocate being used to treat Demodex before. I'm not home just now but I'll have a look through the forum and see what I can find for you... Or you could search via the search bar on the main forum.

hi my buddy has demodex too - I have been given a special wash to bath him in every 5 days and then he has a skin scrape taken - he has had it just over 4 weeks now.. back today for a swab- and more treatment - been told can take up to 8 weeks to clear - and then he has to be clear for 3 weeks before they stop the baths - I will let you know what the bath treatment is called later tonight you can ask at your vets - Buddy is on Advocate too but not for this treatment

buddy had a skin scrape yesterday out of 6 slides they found one mite...
.so he has more baths to come but getting there this will be the 6th week ...

Hi,

My puppy had demodex a few months back. The vet recommended we put him on Ivomectin, which is a very strong drug they use to fight mites in cattle. It has the potential for serious side effects (all reversable if caught in time) so we had to keep a very close eye on him and it was a pretty stressful first few weeks when we werent sure if he was going to be ok on it or not. He endup up being on it for a few months, with skin scrapes every two weeks.

He's fine now! He had a patch on his head from a skin scrape that took a long time to grow back but its mostly all there. He has a bit of a weak immune system as he has also had yeast infections in his ears (twice) and on his paws.

Hope it all works out for you!

Fingers crossed vets tomorrow - he then has to be clear for three weeks before they say it has gone...

well Buddy has his skin scrape last night.. Bad news they found 5 mites - Good news all were dead so..... we have to bath him once a week for the next two weeks and then go back and hopefully he will be clear ..hooray! on a side note he was a little star at the vets - he is very good when they do it no noise or struggling but after he hates being in the crate wile they look at the slides so they brought him out to us and my daughter started doing sit and roll over and high five with him ...the vet was amazed and started videoing it to put on their face book acct and by the end of the show he had about ten people watching he loved every minute of it - little show off !!

Aw bless him well done buddy clever boy! Hopefully he will be sorted soon then!

Have a read through Daisys story it may be helpful xx

https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t52292-daisy-s-story

Buddy update- finally had two skin scrapes that were clear need one more and it over... will have cost me just over 700.00 - insurance claim to be submitted .. fingers crossed for week after next visit...

Hooray - Buddy is clear of Demodex ! now I can send in the insurance claim.. just in time for Xmas . what a saga ....

Hi just read your post. I've been in with the vet this morning with my 4mth old with the same condition starting on the head. But my vet said it was a bacterial infection and gave me antibiotics for him.I told her what I thought it was but she said to give it 10 days and if not clear she'll do a scrap then which I couldn't understand why she couldn't do it then and there instead of me waiting. I'm so glad that your lad is sorted at lease I know what I'm in for.

hi- it is a real pain - it can take ages to go - if you have caught it early then hopefully 8-10 weeks my vet said and it was 9 weeks in total. - buddy had a bald patch on his side and thinning fur just above his eye up towards his ear .. fingers crossed for you