Canine demodicosis

Demodicosis was diagnosed in 41 dogs at the Clinic of Small Animals (Berlin-Mitte) between 1991-1995. A juvenile-onset localized demodicosis was diagnosed in 14 dogs. The disease started in an age of 2-25 months. Three patients showed pruritus one of them together with a superficial pyoderma. The animals were treated with an 0.05 % Amitraz solution (Taktic(R) and Ectodex(R) resp., Hoechst) for 5-20 weeks. All 14 dogs were cured. In one of these dogs the treatment is finished for 5 months only. A juvenile-onset generalized demodicosis was diagnosed in 26 dogs. The disease started in an age of 2-19 months. 13 dogs had a superficial and 7 a deep pyoderma. 15 dogs showed pruritus 12 of them in conjunction with pyoderma. The animals were treated for 2-26 weeks. 20 dogs were cured, one of them healed spontaneously. 4 animals were euthanized. They were treated incorrectly. In 2 dogs the final course of the disease was not known. An adult-onset generalized demodicosis with deep pyoderma was diagnosed in 1 dog. The underlying cause could not be diagnosed. The Doberman pinscher is predisposed for demodicosis among the own patients. The results are compared with data from the literature. In evaluating healing rates relapses should be taken into account. In evaluating treatment regimens the character of canine demodicosis as a secondary parasitosis and a primary immunodeficiency disease should be considered. Amitraz is the antiparasitic drug of choice. Extra label formulations of amitraz and other antiparasitic compounds which are not approved for the treatment of canine demodicosis should not be used for the initial treatment of this condition.