# "possible" new treatment option for mange



## Margot49 (Oct 2, 2015)

First of all, I am in NO way advocating the use of this new medication for mange. This may be something you would want to discuss with your Vet. However, let me give some background. 
My daughter helps with a Rescue and fosters dogs. She had a litter of 3 pups and ended up keeping one. He was experiencing hair loss and goopy eyes. She took him to her Vet who prescribed antibiotics. I asked her if he had tested for mange and she said he had but thought it was bacterial. Three weeks later, he was worse, skin now inflamed and scabs and she went to a Dermatologist who did skin scrapings and saw 3 mites and said he had Demodex. My daughter was not thrilled about having to use Ivermectin. This Vet told her she had recently been to a conference and some Vets were reporting good results with a new Flea and Tick med in regards to mange. I don't think there are any official study results yet but there is a pilot group trying this. My daughter opted to try the med. Within 48 hours, the skin was less inflammed. I don't recall the protocol but it was initially one pill. Long story short, there was no further hair loss. He now has a beautiful coat. He never had any side effects.
I have a friend that is a Vet and she was trying it on one client's dog and having good results. 
I relayed this information to my own Vet, who is pretty old school, but said he would read up on it.
I am just passing this along as I always think it is helpful to pass along information. 
The name of the medication is Bravecto.
I do not in any way advocate using this and your Vet should akways be your best source for treatment.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Yup, I've seen anecdotal reports of using both Bravecto and Nexgard this way with apparently very good results.


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## LittleFr0g (Jun 11, 2007)

My Pug was diagnosed with demodex as a pup, but I've never used any medication on him. Demodex is tied to the immune system, so my holistic vet had me give him three supplements to boost his immune system, acidophilus, powdered mushroom, and fish oil. Those supplements cleared his demodex right up, and he never had another outbreak so long as he was on them. He hasn't needed the supplements for a couple of years now, but they're definitely the first thing I'd try for demodex before going to any kind of medication.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Well localized demodex usually clears on its own without any treatment at all. But generalized demodex is another kettle of fish.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

(I'm not a vet)

I found a write-up on one small study comparing Bravecto and Advocate for demodex and the results appear to show good efficacy for Bravecto 

It makes sense that it would have an effect since fluralaner is an acaricide (kills arachnids including ticks and mites) but its impressive that it seemed to only take a regular dosage of it and showed results from only one dose. 

Its newish though as an approved drug so I'd like to see long term safety studies in general, but one thing that comes to mind is if the dosage needed for treatment of demodectic mange is tolerated by MDR1 mutant dogs, it would be really helpful to owners with herding breeds or herding mixes where the high doses of ivermectin used for mange would be a total no-go.

I didn't mind using ivermectin on the pit bully puppy for mange, it was highly likely she was purebred APBT and its a very safe drug overall (used for mass dosing of humans for parasites for example) and the other mange puppy I fostered had already been treated for a bit with ivermectin in the shelter so even though her mix was much more of a guess, she's already shown not to be affected by the meds.


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