From: kathleen.brewer@cutting.hou.tx.us (Kathleen Brewer)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Need help writing Nas
Date: 17 Aug 92 07:51:00 GMT
Reply-To: kathleen.brewer@cutting.hou.tx.us (Kathleen Brewer)
Organization: The Cutting Edge - Houston, TX - 713-466-1525

TO: amiranda@ariel.aero.org

Dear Ann,

I would like to tell you a story about Mange and I hope you will read it
and think about what I am saying. This is NOT a Flame!

Several years ago, when I first got into showing Boston Terriers I
bought a dog from a reputable breeder. After we had her a couple of
weeks I noticed some small bald patches on her so I decided to take her
to my vet. Called found out he was out of town, I took her to the clinic
that was on call for him. The Vet there told me all about mange. She
told me to have the dog spayed immediatly as this was going to be an
ongoing problem and that I might even want to consider putting the dog
down as Demodectic Mange can be an extremely painful condition and that
the treatments would be expensive and time consuming. To say the least I
was extemely upset. I came home in tears, called the breeder and told
her she had sold me a "defective dog" and what the vet had said. The
breeder explained to me that this vet was nuts and all puppies can get
mange, yes she did get it from her mother, it is passed through the milk
and that with proper treatment it would clear up and probably never
reoccur. At this point I did not know who to believe, so I called some
friends that I know show and breed dogs. They told me the same thing the
breeder did and also to never go back to that vet.
Anyway the long and the short of this story is that when my regular vet
came back in town he told me the same thing the breeder did!! But he
also told me that most vets deal with the average pet person ( he deals
with alot of show people) who do not properly care for thier dogs, and
that generally by the time the puppy or dog is brought in the mange is
in the advanced stages and is painful for the dog and is extremly hard
to clear up if ever. This is what the average vet sees on a daily basis
and this is how they form thier opinions ie..spay/nueter put the dog
down.
Your reaction to this situation is normal, but you really need to take a
step back and think about the situation. The breeder did not
intentionally sell you a pup with mange. Stress is one of the main
triggers for this type of mange it can be treated, the hair will usually
grow back and the dog will in all probability never have a re-occurance
of the problem. Since this first dog, I have had others that have had
this type of mange, Once! All treated all cleared up! I have found out
that it is more common in small purebreds than in other breeds of dogs.
Why, no one seems to know it just is.
Your vet can and should allow you to dip the dog, it would be less
expensive for you and less stressful for the dog than going back and
forth to the vet. If this is an advanced case there is a medicine that
can be given orally, although for the life of me I can not remember its
name.
I hope this helps, sorry it is so long.

Kathleen.Brewer@cutting.hou.tx.us
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