Are Mange Mites Contagious
Are Mange Mites Contagious to Humans? Can Mange Mites Be Passed to Other Dogs?
Three types of mites cause mange in dogs. Sarcoptic and Cheyletiella mites are highly contagious to humans and other animals. Both can cause much irritation and live comfortably on humans for long periods of time. Demodex mites are extremely common and normally harmless. They may be passed to nursing offspring, but they aren’t considered to be highly contagious to healthy humans or animals. Demodectic mange is usually associated with stress or other illness which predisposes the animal to outbreak.
- Sarcoptic mange mites are the same mites that cause scabies in humans. They can burrow into the skin and cause intense itching or allergic reactions. In dogs, sarcoptic mites can cause widespread hair loss and oozing sores. In humans, scabies mites cause intense itching and red skin bumps similar to bug bites. Frequent scratching can cause the scabs and bumps to develop into sores.
- Demodex mites commonly live in hair follicles and usually cause no symptoms. In unhealthy animals with compromised immune systems, demodex populations can explode, causing intense itching, thinning of the hair, and small bald spots around the eyes, muzzle and front legs. In advanced cases, bald patches can occur all over the body. Demodex mites can be transferred from one dog to another, but as long as the dog is healthy, no skin conditions should result. The same is true of demodex mites that are passed to humans through cuddling with dogs.
- Cheyletiella mites cause itching and dandruff, particularly around the head and neck of infected dogs, cats or rabbits. They can also live on humans for extended periods of time. The skin irritation these mites produce is commonly referred to as walking dandruff, due to the appearance of moving skin scales carried by the mites. Unlike scabies, cheyletiella mites don’t complete their entire life cycle on humans, though it often feels that way. Cheyletiella mites can’t reproduce on humans, but they can live apart from a host for up to ten days, seeking new hosts and infesting other territories within the home. For this reason, treatment of beds, carpets and couches is absolutely vital.
All forms of mange should be treated as a potentially life threatening condition. Secondary infections from wounds opened by scratching can be fatal. Direct spray treatment of pets, carpets, furniture and bedding is VITAL. Mites absorb air through pores called sphericals. The aroma of our indoor cedar oil formulation triggers an instant danger response, forcing the mite to close its breathing pores.
What Makes Our Organic Cedar Oil Formula Powerful and Unique?
- Erodes the exoskeleton of insects that crawl through treated areas, contributing to the early demise of insects you don’t see.
- Repels a wide variety of insects and discourages new insects from moving into treated territory for up to a month.
- Dissolves eggs on contact, but not by proximity. In other words, eggs must come in contact with the formula, not just the vapors.
- Won’t stain carpets, bedding or furniture because it’s steam distilled in small batches to remove impurities.
- Spreads nicely over wide areas because it’s not mixed with water. (Our formula contains a special organic solvent that helps it stay mixed. Normally, oil and water will always separate, producing very uneven results when distributed over wide areas. That’s why it’s so difficult to treat wide surfaces with essential oils that are sold in tiny bottles at health stores.)
- Can be applied directly to humans, dogs and horses.
- Is endorsed by Animal Wellness Magazine as a safe alternative to dangerous chemical and spot drop flea treatments, which shorten life spans and cause SEVERE reactions in more than 44,000 animals each year. Read more…
- Is used by housing authorities across the country against bedbugs because these hearty parasites have an uncanny ability to develop resistance to chemical pesticides.