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What is Mange Should I adopt a dog that has it2007-11-25 2:52:28

Mange is caused by a parasitic mite (bug). Depending on how bad the dog has mange, it will need drugs to get rid of the bugs and possibly antibiotics to treat any skin infections from the scratching mange causes.

There will also be labor involved - bathing, grooming, etc. that you will need to do.

You sound like a kind hearted person and it is good that you are considering your "limits" before just taking this on. I would recommend asking the shelter if they know what type of mange the dog has. Once you know that, call some veterinarian offices and ask them how much they charge for visits, antibiotics and mange treatments.

The shelter may allow you to take the dog to a vet to get an estimate for treatment or may be able to tell you.

My guess - depending on severity - is that you are probably looking at a couple hundred dollars to cure the dog up. This is also dependent on where you are in the country - some vets are more expensive than others.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

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It's great that you are thinking of giving an animal a good home, but besides the mange and the money. You might consider that if you don't know what something as common as mange is, you may not be ready for a dog. Please do alot of research and serious thinking. The reason why dogs are in shelters to be adopted is "usually" because their other owners couldn't or wouldn't take care of them. You don't want to do that to them a second time.

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Mange is cause by mites. Mites are tiny insects that as so small as to require a microscope to see. Mites have eight legs, like spiders, rather than the normal six. These mites infest the skin of dogs and cause inflammation, loss of fur and draining sinus tracts which is very serious. There are two mite sub-species that cause mange.