How do you treat scabies in animals?
Interestingly, the scabies mite in animals is slightly different to the one in humans. This means a slightly different treatment, although many of the precautions and risk factors are the same. Below we’ll go through the best ways to treat a scabies-infected pet, so they can heal up and become a cuddle buddy in the family again.
Can you catch scabies from pets?
“No. Animals do not spread human scabies. Pets can become infested with a different kind of scabies mite that does not survive or reproduce on humans but causes “mange” in animals. If an animal with “mange” has close contact with a person, the animal mite can get under the person’s skin and cause temporary itching and skin irritation. However, the animal mite cannot reproduce on a person and will die on its own in a couple of days. Although the person does not need to be treated, the animal should be treated because its mites can continue to burrow into the person’s skin and cause symptoms until the animal has been treated successfully.”
That should give some relief to scabies sufferers, but that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. As it says above, you still need to treat your pet, however this should be a lot easier than treating yourself.
The best method for treating scabies in pets
The best method seems to be using a purpose-made shampoo, specifically for scabies, or “mange” as it’s known animals.
The most effective and well known shampoo for scabies in dogs is Renuplex.
It’s a medicated shampoo particularly for dog scabies and other parasites. Remember, the scabies mite that lives on dogs is slightly different to the mite that lives on humans, so the treatment will be slightly different also.
Using RenuPlex would definitely be my first line of defence for scabies. Use that for a few days, and if he/she shows no improvement you can move onto something stronger.
Like with human scabies, mites on your pet will take time to hatch, so it’s important to continue treatment over a period of weeks. Renuplex can be used 3x weekly for the first two weeks, then once a week from then on. PetMD recommends treating for up to six consecutive weeks.
Remember, you can afford to “test and see” with your pet, as the scabies from your dog is not at risk of infecting you and your family. Obviously you want to end your dog’s misery as quickly as possible, but you also don’t want to use harsh medications unnecessarily. The only hard-line caution you need to take is to keep your dog away from other animals, so as not to infect anyone else’s pet.
Does your dog need to be clipped?
According the vets over at Wag Walking, it is worthwhile to clip your dog before treatment. I also think this is a good idea. You want as much of the treatment as possible to penetrate the skin, and if you have a particularly fluffy dog, such as a poodle or a retriever, their coat will make it a lot more difficult to do that. You want to get the most thorough clean possible – clipping is the best way to do that.
What if the scabies shampoo doesn’t work?
If home treatment doesn’t work, you will need to see a vet. Vets do a much more thorough treatment, and will have access to oral drugs too for a one-two punch. PetMD recommends that your dog gets “dipped” weekly, which basically is a smothering of scabicidal shampoo, combined with oral treatments such as ivermectin.
Can you use Ivermectin?
You may have noticed I recommend using ivermectin in human scabies treatment, as shown on my Scabies Ultimate Guide.
The reason I do not recommend using ivermectin at home is because some dog breeds are unable to absorb ivermectin safely. While you might read about some people using ivermectin at home on their pets and everything working out fine, there is a risk to self-administering which I will not endorse here. If you think your dog requires ivermecting, see a vet and get a proper diagnosis and prescription.
Managing your pet during scabies treatment
Scabies is horrible for both humans and animals. Some things you should remember during your pet’s scabies treatment are:
- Keep them on a regular feeding schedule and give them lots of rest and keep them comfortable. A healthy immune system is important.
- Keep them off your furniture and bedding, but make sure they have a comfortable place to still feel part of the family.
- Try to limit contact with your dog, as while scabies mites cannot breed and “infest” a human body, they can still burrow under the skin and cause rashes and itching.
- Keep your pet away from other animals. The last thing you need is mange and dog scabies spreading through your whole community!
Good luck!
Got scabies? Check out my Ultimate Guide To Treating Scabies – a completely free, step-by-step guide to eliminating scabies from your home and body. It’s the exact same treatment plan I used to cure my scabies within a couple of weeks. Click here to go there now.
Why have you not mention cats like Pyridium spray is toxic to cats you need to let this be known you’re a lot of things that are toxic to cats
My husband and I are so broke due to 5months of treating I spent our 116.00 for two tabs of deworming meds. Is there a good chance he is 100% service connected we live on 339.00 for our bills. $45.00 just for cream. We are going out of our minds sams club in canyon country ca
Please call me if you have anything you know to help us.the amount for sams pharmacy or anything else that I can call for help. 6618786020. $15800 was our last payment. We have plan 1
And never had a copay
After spraying dog with renuplex for mange, is it safe for cats to be around or should I wash everything including floors, etc
I have been diagnosed with scabies after going to doctors for 9 mos and even told them I had been in several hotels prior to the sudden onset. Many visits tothe dermatologist, My question—I have a german shepherd. I am going to wash and hot dryer his bed , but do I have to do anything to HIM. He does not have symptoms and just had ivermectin for heart gard and flea and tick. Can he passs it back to me and if so, what do i do. Same with horses.
This is the most comprehensive site I have seen regarding getting rid of scabies. And they are not trying to sell you their expensive product. A true humanitarian effort.
This site, has worked it all out. I found I was on the right track but they fine tuned and improved many of the practices I was already implementing. AND they’ve taught me things I didn’t know!!! I was thrilled they took pets into consideration!
I do not use cleaning chemicals in an effort to decrease the toxic environmental load on my pet.
***A WORD of CAUTION re PETS: remove your pets from any room or area before you spray. Keep them out that room for some time (go on a joy ride with them), let the pray fully dry and be sure the aroma has died down; open the doors/windows – use a fan to pull inhalents out of the room. It may seem over the top, however, Animals are extremely sensitive to Essential Oils, their respiratory systems can be easily damaged fron inhaling, and their skin can be damaged from direct contact with Ess Oils.
I WOULD ADD THESE TIPS :
1. VACUUMING: After each and every time you vacuum, go outside wearing gloves & a mask, remove the vacuum bag & place immediately into a garbage bag, tie it up & place in your trash can.
Remove your gloves and put a new bag into your vacuum.. Don’t want to cross contaminate.
2. SET A DAILY ROUTINE: After my nightly shower, I place any clothes I’ve worn that day in a trash bag. After morning shower I strip the bed (sheets, pillow cases, blankets, used towel etc.) and put everything, into last nights tied up bag. Then I spray the mattress w/my home made Ess. Oils insecticide. Dress in fresh clothes. Take the tied bag downstairs, throw it’s contents into the laundry and fix my coffee. After spray has had enough time to dry I remake the bed.
3. TREATING CLOTHES & FABRIC: Anything that can’t be laundered in hot water & dried on the highest dryer setting or dry-cleaned, I either threw out, or tied them up tight in a plastic bag & threw them in the shed for 7 days. Useing vacuume clothes bags are another great option.
4. Dissinfect ANYTHING, you ‘ve recently touched. The Drs. don’t tell you what you really need to know; I doubt they even know. It isn’t called it the seven year itch for nothing!
I ‘m terrified of being reinfected, especially by me & my home.
Hope this helps.
Your website has helped us so much! It’s given us hope that we will get through this. I have a question, we are a family of 3 & we also have a small dog. We have placed our small dog into an extra bathroom that leads to the back yard while we’re treating ourselves & super cleaning our environment. What do we need to for the dog other than clean her room? She’s on Nexguard, but I know our “bugs” are bothering her because she’s itching (she normally doesn’t). I tried bathing her daily in a gentle enzyme cleaner every day last month, but I think we were passing the bugs back & forth. I realize human scabies can’t breed on dogs, but I do feel they can get on them long enough to be passed back to their human hosts. Any ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks so much!
If she’s isolated from you, shouldn’t be a problem.
Idk if I gave it to my hamster or he gave it to me, but my hamster has it really bad and easily gives it to me worse every time I handle him. The mites are every where and the poor guy almost succumbed if it wasn’t for ivermectin – which was hard for me to figure out to dose. Basically just keep dividing the dose by 10 til you get the 1% injectable down to 1/100th, which is 0.1mg/Kg. Then draw a ml of that solution out and use a diabetic needle to draw out .2 to .4ml which is 2 – 4 units out of the 100 units in a diabetic needle. This works out to just a single drop or two total of 1/100th diluted solution. Then give orally and/or topically. Fortunately the acceptable rate of error is 100x dosage if you make a mistake. The ld50 is over 250x dosage for hamsters.
But I don’t understand how I got this for the hamster – it’s bad too. I hope it’s not bird mites, but I heard they are bigger than sarcopti scabei.
Thank you Jon for the MOST informative site on scabies. I have suffered with scabies for over a decade and at the same time have had 9 dogs, now only 2 that have had a ‘mysterious’ skin problem. Vets never once mentioned it was scabies or any testing. It took years of me trying to figure it out. Decided to use a lime sulphur dip, once every week for 8 weeks and then once monthly for life to keep the dogs skin good. If I miss a month it will come back. Now I’m figuring since i live with them i surely must have ‘their’ mites? or human scabies. It feels like i am being pricked with a pin. I have scratched off scabs and seen under a microscope white irridescent mite shaped body with a sucking mouth, so i know there are mites on my body. Question, can i use a lime sulphur dip all over MY body, will that work? I plan to try using your oils, specifically tea tree oil with coconut oil. Thank you so much Jon.