I think my puppy has demodectic mange. He's about 4 months old. Around his eye is usually wet. He has lost hair around one of his eyes and some on the top of his head. His eye is getting kind of swollen and looks like it's getting red. I feel so bad for him but I was just laid off and can't get him to a vet. Will this go away on its own? Is there something I can get at Tractor Supply? Is this the same mange that kills dogs? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | 38 lbs

Hi and thanks for your post. Demodex mite infection can be occur in younger dogs and may spontaneously resolve as their immune system becomes more mature. Demodex mange is not typically itchy but sarcoptic mange is. The area of hair loss around the eye in the picture does look suspicious of demodex mange but you will want to get this confirmed with your veterinarian first. A skin test in needed to accurately diagnosis demodex manage in dogs. If it is demodex, unfortunately, there is nothing over the counter at tractor supply you can purchase for this. You veterinarian may give you a prescription medication for the mange if necessary. Either types of manage (demodex or sarcoptic) typically is not fatal unless there is a more serious underlying condition at play. Both types are treatable.

It could be allergies but it could also be demodic mange (skin mites), i would recommend having it checked by your vet, these mites can easily be seen under the microscope and treatment is also very straight forward and simple.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern. I would recommend having this looked at by a veterinarian to have more testing done. More specifically, I would recommend having a skin scraping of this area to rule out demodex skin mites as a cause of the hair loss, especially in such a young puppy. If confirmed, Demodex is quite easily treated using multiple different medications. If it is not Demodex, it may be a bacterial skin infection or allergies. Either way, I would recommend having further testing done to help determine what the cause is and what the most recommended treatment should be. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.