How Can We Help Sasaki?

[Purple Julie]

Meet Sasaki, our very friendly village dog! Well, he's not 'our' dog, but he's one of the dogs in our village in Bougainville, PNG. He, and all the village dogs have terrible looking backs and I'm not sure what is causing it. Our theory is that it is a combination of flea bites, scratching and flies. If we give him a good wash and a flea treatment, would his hair on his back grow back or do you think it is permanent damage and he would always look like that? Any suggestions for what we could do to help Sasaki?

Attached photos - one shows his terrible back and the other just shows how cute and loving he is (and how many fights he's been in too!)

(NB. I don't see the attached photos in the preview, so I hope they work).

[Kirislin]

I'd say give it a try.

[dogbesotted]

my first thought is mange!

you basically have two types to choose from demodectic mange or sarcoptic mange ( scabies)

Symptoms Mange Dogs

The symptoms mange dogs are usually:

•Small red hairless area

•Hairless area with pimples, thick skin and puss

•Scaling around the eyes, mouth and front legs

•Itching since the motion of the mite in and on the skin is extremely itchy. (intense scratching or itching is a characteristic of scabies – also knows as sarcoptic mange)

sarcoptic mange is contagious.

http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/canine-mange.html

http://www.suite101.com/content/at-home-ma...c-mange-a315794

if i recall correctly there are some soaps that can be used for humans with scabies I am looking to see if it is safe for dogs.

you can use sulphur soap or a mixture of petroleum jelly and sulphur ( avail from chemist) treatment needs to be continued for some months as eggs are not killed .. it is a safe product.

the main problem is going to be keepingtehenvironment mite free!

a question do the village kids have itchy hands etc??? scabies will cause that.

i have tried to select solutions that are cheaply and easily avail in PNG...spent many years in Mt hagen and lae so i know how difficult it is to get a lot of stuff we take for granted here.

Helen

Edited December 29, 2010 by dogbesotted

[sas]

Looks like Flea Allergy Dermatitis to me.

Can you get Revolution in PNG?

I'd wash and flea treat and hope for the best, although if you can't give regular treatment I'm not sure there is a point as harsh as that sounds?

Edited December 29, 2010 by sas

[~Anne~]

Agree with Sas. It certainly doesn't look like demodectic or sarcoptic] mange to me.

The marks on the face look like cuts or scratches. They could be from dog fights, a hard life or anything.

The back looks like a flea bite dermatitis perhaps.

[Staff'n'Toller]

It may grow back if you get him onto a monthly flea adulticide.

I've seen many dogs in much worse condition and the hair grows back eventually even though you'd think it would be permanent damage to the skin and follicles.

[Mason_Gibbs]

Looks like Flea Allergy Dermatitis to me.

Can you get Revolution in PNG?

I'd wash and flea treat and hope for the best, although if you can't give regular treatment I'm not sure there is a point as harsh as that sounds?

i agree with this, looks like flea allergy to me

[animalia]

It does look like some sort of infestation of a parasite, I would think some of his hair may grow back, to help it, if you can feed him an egg a day or something similar.

[Anissa Goemann]

Well, if it's fleas you would find flea poo in the dog's coat (little black crumbs) especialle close to the tail.

It could also be Cheyletiella in which case you should fine a lot of dandruff.

And of course as Helen wrote it could be Demodex as well or anothe form of mites.

To be really sure you should probably check with a vet.

[sas]

It does look like some sort of infestation of a parasite, I would think some of his hair may grow back, to help it, if you can feed him an egg a day or something similar.

How and why do you think an egg a day will help this dog?