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Section: Overview
Demodicosis, also known as red mange or "demodex", is a common skin disease of dogs caused by a microscopic mite called demodex canis. These mites are part of the normal flora of the skin, and are present in small numbers, so the disease is not contagious. In predisposed individuals the mites increase in number causing clinical disease.Why some dogs develop demodicosis and others don't is not understood. It is thought to be genetic; affected dogs have an immune system defect that may be inherited, making it difficult to keep the mites under control.There are different forms of this disease: localized and generalized. Localized This form usually occurs in dogs younger than one year of age. There is no breed or sex predilection. Affected animals are usually healthy and have developed demodicosis as the result of a temporary illness or a stressful event.
Skin odor is a common manifestation of a skin infection; the most common skin infections are bacterial (superficial pyoderma) and yeast (Malassezia dermatitis) infections.
Pyoderma is a bacterial infection of the skin. Pyoderma can be divided into surface pyodermas (infection on the skin surface), superficial pyoderma (infection within the skin) or deep pyoderma (infection...
There are many different types of skin lesions that can occur in the skin of dogs, and each lesion or combination of lesions can be caused by multiple diseases and conditions.
Alopecia is the complete or partial lack of hair in any area of the skin where hair would normally be found. In dogs, it may be caused by self-trauma, hair follicle diseases or the failure of hair to grow...
A skin scraping is a commonly performed test that can help diagnose certain skin inflammations, fungal infections, and skin cancer and is quite effective in determining the presence of mites.
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