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So we took PC to a Bulldog meetup yesterday. A woman shows up about an hour into it with an unspayed, in heat female dog (idiot, I know). All the males rush to her and the owner couldn't understand why everyone is around her dog. I put a leash on my boy, and pulled him away from all the action, so he only had brief contact with her, when he sniffed her body when she first arrived. Upon seeing that dog closer, I noticed she had missing patches of skin. I immediately asked her if her dog had mange, and she said yes, but she is being treated for it and is not contagious. I asked her which type of mange, and she said sarcoptic. I almost lost it. I took my dog out of there quickly, as did one other owner.
My question is, should I be worried about him contracting mange from this dog, given the brief contact? Many other dogs were all over her, so I would think they would be more at risk if she was contagious. Given that she was stupid enough to bring a female in heat to the dog park, I doubt her story about the dog actually seeing a vet for the condition. How worried should I be and is there anything I can do to prevent him from getting this dreaded disease? How soon would he show symptoms? I swear, some people should not be allowed to be pet owners.
I don't think you should worry about the mange. It's similar to scabies in humans. You need skin to skin contact and not everyone who does have contact comes down with a rash. And I have heard before that once an animal is being treated, it is no longer infectious. I've known people with scabies, and it's very easy to treat.
She should not have brought a female in heat into the vet's, however. I'm surprised that didn't advise her otherwise. She could have left the dog in the car until a room was ready.
Thanks for the info. This wasn't the vet's office. It was a Bulldog meetup at a dog park, so this moron brought a dog with mange and in heat to a dog park.
The woman took her bulldog to a meetup which is worse than taking her to the vet b/c one takes their dog to a vet if there's a medical problem, a meetup is in a public place and bottom line, her dog should not have been there, no way, it's just not fair to the other meetup participants and the same thing goes for her dog being in heat, her dog s/b confined to her home and yard for the duration, not socializing with other bulldogs and their owners, sheesh, what was she thinking - ?! Very inconsiderate on her part and I'm sure the meetup leader will spell out the rules so it doesnt happen again. Hopefully the other dogs will be fine, my understanding demodex mange is not contagious but sarcoptic can be but I would think since she was there so briefly, I wouldnt worry about it.
Thanks for the info. This wasn't the vet's office. It was a Bulldog meetup at a dog park, so this moron brought a dog with mange and in heat to a dog park.
Oh, I'm sorry. I'm tired this evening (long drive home on the Turnpike), so I didn't read your post closely enough.
But now that you've pointed it out, MY GOD!!!!! What was that woman thinking!!! I would have told her to get out of there. You should NEVER even take a female in heat out of the house, much less a dog group. She is an IDIOT!
Yeah, I don't believe her story about seeing a vet for the condition either. But nevertheless, chances are Porkchop won't come down with mange.
We gave Porkchop Revolution less than 3 weeks ago. According to Revolution's site, Revolution will prevent sacrcoptic mange. That's the only topical flea medicine that does, and I am very glad I gave it to him. I think he'll be fine and I can only hope the other people are too. We will never go to a meetup run by this organizer again. He didn't seem concerned at all when she showed up and should not be running a group.
"Your veterinarian can recommend preventive treatment such as Revolution[SIZE=2]® (selamectin).[/SIZE] Monthly use of Revolution[SIZE=2]®[/SIZE] treats and controls scabies (S. scabiei) infestations in dogs, and in puppies as young as 6 weeks."
I go to dog meetups too (in fact went to one this weekend) and some groups are more strict than others, ie some groups allow posting of puppies (in the hopes to drum up sales), others don't - some only allow a certain breed to attend (ie, if it's a chihuahua meetup, only chi's can attend), others allow friendly small siblings to attend. None allow sick dogs or dogs in heat (haven't had that situation yet, I think it prob. goes w/o saying). If enough people complain, the organizer will want to keep those upset people in the group and will do the right thing, otherwise they'll lose members and no group wants that to happen. It definitely is a common sense thing and just a matter of simple courtesy. Personally, I get a little nervous when there's coughing dogs etc as they drink out of the same bowls but so far, so good, the dogs definitely enjoy it.
Great about the Revolution, would definitely relax about the sarcoptic mange (not to be an alarmist but would prob. wash your clothes though as it might be contagious to humans, if I remember right, there's probably a very small chance though)
How worried should I be and is there anything I can do to prevent him from getting this dreaded disease? How soon would he show symptoms? I swear, some people should not be allowed to be pet owners.
Mak - as much as it's uncomfortable for the dog, and yes, it is contagious, it's only "dreaded" if left untreated for a long period of time.
Any ivermectin based wormer will kill scarcoptic mange. If your boy only had cursory contact with the dog and your dog is healthy and has been routinely wormed (if you've look up Revolution and it says it does, I'll take your word for it, I'm not familiar with it), I'd not worry.
I've brought mangey dogs into our home and not once did any of my other dogs catch it. They only time I had four dogs come down with it (all at the same time) was courtesy of Mr. Fox.
Anyone who has a dog with sarcoptic mange should really know better. It is contagious and can be treated with ivermectin, but ivermectin isn't labeled for that use and it's considered off-label use.
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