Scabies of the Dog. 957 



phages frequently occur. Thus Becker found dermatophages 

 in the external auditory meatus in 17.3% of all dogs suffering 

 from external otitis, while in dogs without ear disease none 

 were found. Otherwise the mites seem to occasion only itching 

 and do not of themselves cause any inflammation, the skin of the 

 ear being found uninjured now and then in spite of an abundant 

 invasion. The otitis, which is frequent when mites are present, 

 is a secondary affection, being due to the fact that injuries and 

 soiling of the outer ear and auditory passage easily arise from 

 scratching and from shaking the head (see page 854). The 

 sjanptoms which may be referred to the presence of dermato- 

 phagus mites consist in frequent scratching of the ears, shaking 

 the head, whining, howling and rubbing the ears on any conve- 

 nient objects (Becker). These signs of itching are especially 

 noticed in warm places and during the night. Subsequently 

 baldness of the lobes of the ears, scratches, abrasions, bloody 

 ears, and finally the symptoms of otitis externa become mani- 

 fest (see page 854). In addition epileptiform spasms and deaf- 

 ness have also been reported (Megnin, Nocard, Becker). In 

 the absence of inflammatory products in the ear passages the 

 mites may be seen with the unaided eye as fine, grayish white 

 and partly movable points, or they cover the surface of the 

 skin with an adherent powdery layer (Becker). They are most 

 numerous near the drum of the ear. 



Diagnosis. Sarcoptic mange may be mistaken for acariasis, 

 and all the more so as this very frequently commences on the 

 above mentioned parts of the head. But here itching is quite 

 slight or completely absent, and one often sees bluish red pus- 

 tules on the skin which always contain many acarus mites. Sar- 

 coptes mites are on the contrary difficult to demonstrate. Both 

 these forms of scab may be present at the same time in one ani- 

 mal. The difficulty in obtaining mites makes it hard to dis- 

 tinguish scab from dry eczema, in case this is not limited ex- 

 clusively to the back but occurs also on other parts of the body. 

 Intense itching which is out of proportion to the changes in the 

 skin is indicative of scab. Other parasites (lice, fleas, ticks) 

 may be seen with the naked eye. 



Treatment and Prophylaxis. To secure lasting results it 

 is ver}'- advisable to extend the treatment over the whole body. 

 It should be commenced by clipping the hair at least over the 

 diseased places and round about them, after which the parts of 

 the body that are covered with crusts may be rubbed with green 

 soap, the softened crusts being removed with brushes and hike- 

 warm water after 1 to 2 hours. The treatment proper then 

 follows on the next day and is most appropriately carried out 

 in sections; thus each day only a third or a fourth of the 

 surface of the skin is treated energetically, the dressing being 

 left on the skin for 4 or 5 days and then washed off with luke- 



