Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐! This was a request 
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐ซ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐ is a type of ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ ๐ (skin condition caused by mites) caused by the mite ๐๐๐ซ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ข. You might know this mite as the causative agent of ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ฌ in humans! Gross.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Pretty much any species can get this, but it is most common in pigs, dogs and goats.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Sarcoptes mites are acquired by direct contact with infected animals, or indirect contact through things like bedding. It is considered highly contagious, and these mites can spread to humans, so there needs to be a lot of biosecurity around infected animals to prevent animal to human transmission.
In the affected animal, these mites burrow under the skin and feeds on skin cells, forming a small pocket. In their little pocket, the females lay their eggs, which will develop into larvae, which either reside in the pocket they were laid in, or move elsewhere and form a new pocket. Under certain conditions, these larvae can survive in the environment off the host, allowing the disease to be spread indirectly, without contacting an infected animal.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
The burrowing of these mites causes damage to skin directly, as well as can cause irritation and even allergic reactions. This irritation and allergy is highly ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ (itchy), so these animals end up scratching incessantly trying to relieve themselves of their itchiness. This often manifests as severe hair loss due to itching, decreased production in food and fibre species, and may lead to secondary bacterial infections if their itching produces open scrapes. In wildlife, these animals may become so itchy that that stop hunting or eating, leading them to die from starvation.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
Typically this disease is diagnosed on a ๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ , where the skin is deeply scraped to release some mites from their little burrows in the skin. This scraping is then looked at under a microscope, where the mites, larvae and eggs can be seen to confirm the diagnosis.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐? ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐?
This disease is treated by giving antiparasitic medications and using antiparasitic shampoos to bathe the animal. The environment must also be treated with antiparasitics or disposing of bedding and soft materials, in order to prevent the animal from becoming reinfected. The best method of prevention is simply to keep your animal away from infected animals!
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1) An example of what the mites do to the skin! The bottom section is normal skin, and the top section has a severe thickening in response to the mites.
2) A mite as seen on a skin scraping!
3-8) Various critters with sarcoptic mange. Notice the hair loss and crusty looking skin in the affected areas.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 1. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-8 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors Harrington, Williams, Vtsharner, Read, King licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
