Impact of Demodecosis in Canines

Man has a long and very complex history of association with dogs. This relationship has its root in the early domestication of companion animals and has evolved to exist in today’s society in a vast variety of forms. Dog ranks first among all the domesticated pet animals. With the dawn of civilization the process began 12000 to 15000 years ago by the people of South Western Asia. Demodectic mange or Follicular mange or Red mange is a common skin disease of dogs in which proliferation of Demodex canis an acarine parasite of canine hair follicles is associated with the development of cutaneous lesions. The Demodex mite is cigar shaped when viewed under a microscope but is not visible to the naked eye. The affected skin with demodicosis becomes ecologically very suitable for production and growth of these mites. The mite is able to complete its entire life cycle within the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. The parasite shows predilection for certain sites; lesions become apparent first on the head around the eyes and muzzle and on the extremities of the limbs. The head and fore limbs were involved in 30 % cases while the hind limbs were affected in 40 % of the cases.