Ted's Borax & Peroxide Mange Treatment for Dogs

Hey DK,

Ideally you bathe your dog, and then rinse well and use your hands to squeeze off any water. Then on your damp/wet dog you do the mange solution. Keep pouring the solution over your dog for as long as possible - minimum 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes. If I wait 30 minutes I will towel dry; if I have only waited 10 minutes I do NOT towel dry and put the wet dog in a crate for half an hour, and then after that I towel dry. Once it is dry the solution has stopped working - you do not need to do anything, but you might brush out your dog if there are borax crystals left in the coat.

Dear Kira,

I am sorry your furry new friend is going through this. It sounds like he has systemic infection from scratching and that is making him itch even more. One of our dogs just went through this and it required a round of antibiotics, unfortunately, followed by probiotics. You need to be careful because your dog is so young. I am wondering if his immune system might have been weakened from vaccination shots given at the rescue? I would try probiotics (given in small doses so as not to give diarrhea), baths every 3-4 days using a shampoo for skin infections and hot spots. Vacuuming every day and also steam cleaning the floors and bedding.

He could also have picked up a flea or two outside when you first got him, had an allergic reaction to a flea bite, scratched it and spread the infection to other parts of his body. So maybe fleas and a systemic skin infection is the issue and not mange. Just my thoughts.

Thanks Mary. The scratching has become a bit better but as soon as I take of the cone, he immediately starts biting his skin again. If it would be fleas - wouldn't we be able to see them?

Now he also started to sit on his butt and slide back and forth on the floor. He also uses our carpet as a belly scratch - just lays on it and robes on the carpet to scratch his tummy.

Hey Kira,

What are you feeding your puppy? Are you feeding the diet your vet prescribed? Are you feeding any treats? For a puppy to start scratching 2-3 days after you take him home, it makes me think it is something you are feeding him - and new puppies often get spoiled in the form of many treats and chewies and the like. Please take an inventory of any thing your puppy takes by mouth and check to be sure these items are made in the USA, are grain free and free from any dyes and other chemicals. Please also consider Ted's Borax protocol for dogs, and using baking soda to alkalize his water. Please report back!

I have a few questions. I have tried the treatment and the skin looks less red and crusty however both dogs are still scratching as am I. I have vacuumed the whole house and sprayed the mix all over. Is there something I am missing. The dog was misdiagnosed for months by the vet so I am sure we have a bad infestation in our house. Please help??

Ted's mange remedies - been using for 10 days and my dog still itching and bleeding. Any suggestions?

Hey Pamela,

Ted's Mange remedy works well on mange - if you are not getting results you very likely are not dealing with mange. Can you take your dog to the vet for a diagnosis? If you do take your dog to the vet, given that there is a health issue, if this were my dog I would refuse any vaccinations or flea/tick/heartworm treatments at this time and simply ask for a diagnosis of the skin issue. Please report back!

What shoukd we do if we are doing this solution but have no way to prevent them from licking??

After doing Borax and peroxide for mange, can you dry them with hair dryer since my dogs are long hair?

Hello Delores,

You can blow dry your dog, but not right away. The reason being, the longer the solution is wet, the longer the solution works - and you want the solution to work as long as possible. What I do is put the wet dog in either a crate with a towel in the bottom [and a chewy to keep him busy] in a warm room, or let them run about to air dry. After half an hour or so, if they are not fully dry I will use a blow dryer to finish the job.

I hear many say, "It gets worse, before it gets better."

Could someone elaborate on this phenomena?

I have been treating my 8 month old Boston for 3 months using the Borax/Peroxide mix; as well as "Happy Dog Naturals"; as well as Neem/coconut oil rubdowns. (not all at the same time mind you)

Still dealing with mange. However.................for the most part, it appears we were keeping the mange population under control. HOWEVER......just recently the symptoms became significantly worse. My Boston has lost almost all of his hair.

I'm wondering if we are in that state of "worse before better".

How long does this 'state' last? In other words.......how long should we wait before taking further action?

If someone could share their experience of "worse before better", I would greatly appreciate it. Sincerely, Jeff

Hey Jeff,

'Gets worse before it gets better' is the result of mite die off. So for example you dip your dog, the borax penetrates and kills the mites, and now your dog's skin itches like crazy as the dead mites break down and dissolve in your dogs skin. The skin is slowly purified by the blood, but it takes time for the blood to clear the skin so in the mean time your dog itches and scratches and the skin looks way worse than before that first dip. The mite die off can be complicated by a secondary bacterial skin infection, which also causes itching so again the skin looks worse and could be worse, before it heals. You should be at the end of your treatment - your dog *should* be looking better at this point and not worse. Reasons for not looking better at this stage: treatment was not applied as directed, applied sporadically/inconsistently, your dog has a strain of mite that is super resistant, you are dealing with scabies mites and your dog is continually being reinfected because the environment has not been properly cleaned/maintained, or you are not dealing with mites. If you apply the treatment as directed and consistently you interrupt the life cycle of the mites and over the course of 12 weeks you eradicate them from the skin, or at least knock their numbers way down. If you have followed the protocol to the letter and your dog is far worse, you may be dealing with a resistant strain - at which point I would not hesitate to see your vet and discuss options [avoid amitraz dips at all costs] and also consider other skin conditions such as allergies. Please report back!

Thank you, Theresa. I believe we are on the road to wellness. I see new hair growth combined with less hair loss. I'll give him 2 more weeks and then re-evaluate. And will post back with an update. Thanks for putting this blog together and helping others! Blessings to you. :)

My dog, a black lab/pit has mange and is scared of water bottles and baths. What else can I try? Please help.

I've had very good success with using silicon oxide (desidin) in my dogs ears to control mites and it worked almost instantly. Desidin has a soothing effect and kills the mites fast. To get the other mites on my dog I will try the Borax solution. But please give Desitin a try.

Could be something else if it's not working.... or the environment is still infested... I would also consider allergies - they seriously can destroy an animal, just like people with massive allergies. Consider changing food, or fasting the dog for a couple days (cats can't fast), switch to a raw food diet or at the very least a wheat, grain free allergy free kibble. I would consider finding a homeopathic vet, you can find some oneline that will skype. I had to use one when we lived in the Bahamas and our guard dog had a reaction to the vaccines he had to get for us to take him into the country. His skin was a mess and so was he, she sent me remedies in the mail and he recovered rapidly. We didn't know about this remedy although I'm not sure if it would have helped ... we did however change his diet to a raw food diet, and added in vitamins, minerals, apple cider vinegar, etc. (as per Dr. Ian Billinghursts books) and within 3 months you would have thought he was a different dog - his coat was like velvet!!! Lots of things to consider, try Facebook groups for homeopathy for dogs, or raw feeding, herbs for dogs etc.

Can you use this solution around their eyes, jaws, nose, mouth and chin?

Hello CAr9l,

Yes, you can use the solution around the eyes and mouth, etc. I have had it splashed in my own eyes and it did not sting, however I would avoid bathing the eyes with it. It is not harmful if it is swallowed, and is safe for use in ears too.

My golden has got mange so close to his eye. How did you treat your dog's face without getting the solution in his eyes? Help!

Hello All,

What a wonderful site this is, and I wished I had found it a lot sooner. I have a question regarding the use of Borax and Hydrogen Peroxide for my 8 year (40kg) female Malamute. Every since I adopted her, she has had a blackish rash under both armpits, sometimes smelly, sometimes not. Vet had said it was pyoderma and that it is almost impossible to get rid of it. We have had years on antibiotics for this. Next is fungus/ringworm through her coat, Vet had said it was a skin infection, again antibiotics did not cure this. Left Laryngeal Paralysis has also been diagnosed, and was told to elevate her food and water bowls, but this seemed to make her cough constantly. Fungal Ear infections for the past 6 years. I am looking at the borax and hydrogen peroxide solution for both of us females and as I understand it the following is the recommended dosage.

1/8 teaspoon to 1 Litre Filtered Water for 1st week

1/16 teaspoon to 1 Litre Filtered Water for 2nd Week

Filtered water (No Borax or Hydrogen Peroxide) for 3rd week

Then start again at Week 1.

I cannot find the dosage amount for the Hydrogen Peroxide 1%, and would appreciate if someone could help.

I am also not sure as to how long to keep at this regime to rid the body of yeast, fungus etc., whether it be 6 months, 12 months or indefinite and would appreciate some more info on this as well.

Thank you EC, I only wish I had found your site sooner, it may have helped me avoid putting my Husky to sleep last week.

Thank you all and keep up the great work!!

Hi Hollie and EC,

This is the first mention of using it for cats. Are both hydrogen peroxide and borax safe to be used on cats and in their environment? I have 4 indoor kitties that are being treated for suspected mange by knowing what it is not. (Fleas or lice) Not sure if it is demodex or sarcoptic as no mites have been found with multiple skin scrapes and multiple fecal samples.

They have been on a two week schedule of Advantage Multi Cat and Revolution topical. We have done 5 of the recommended 6 treatments with no improvement. I myself have felt crawling and have gone to a dermatologist who of course could not find anything.

I have been cleaning like crazy and wearing out my washer and dryer. I tried an anti alleged carpet spray, a new hepa filter for my vacuum and an air purifier in case it was dust mites, mold or a pollen in the environment. I desperately need help. The cost has been crazy already and my vet wants me to go to a pet dermatologist but the closest is 2 hours away and very expensive. I have already been to two different vets.

I am at a loss and going crazy.

Do you think this solution would work for my cats and the environment? I don't want to end up in the emergency room from trying to bathe my cats. How did you do it? What if they lick themselves with it on them afterwards?

Hi Hollie and EC,

This is the first mention of using it for cats. Are both hydrogen peroxide and borax safe to be used on cats and in their environment? I have 4 indoor kitties that are being treated for suspected mange by knowing what it is not. (Fleas or lice) Not sure if it is demodex or sarcoptic as no mites have been found with multiple skin scrapes and multiple fecal samples.

They have been on a two week schedule of Advantage Multi Cat and Revolution topical. We have done 5 of the recommended 6 treatments with no improvement. I myself have felt crawling and have gone to a dermatologist who of course could not find anything.

I have been cleaning like crazy and wearing out my washer and dryer. I tried an anti alleged carpet spray, a new hepa filter for my vacuum and an air purifier in case it was dust mites, mold or a pollen in the environment. I desperately need help. The cost has been crazy already and my vet wants me to go to a pet dermatologist but the closest is 2 hours away and very expensive. I have already been to two different vets.

I am at a loss and going crazy.

Do you think this solution would work for my cats and the environment? I don't want to end up in the emergency room from trying to bathe my cats. How did you do it? What if they lick themselves with it on them afterwards?

Hey Jo,

Demodex mange is fairly uncommon in cats. Sarcoptic mange requires an exposure - ie cats getting out in the yard and taking down a squirrel or rabbit. And sarcoptic mange is zoonotic, so you can catch it and get 'scabies'. If you have been treating your cats for 5 months now, and you have not gotten the tell tale red rash and super itchy bumps associated with scabies, chances are you are not dealing with mange in your cats. Have you tried to trap for fleas? You have treated for them, but so many flea drugs stop working when the fleas develop a resistance. A simple lamp flea trap will reveal if you have any fleas or other biting pests in the house. One thing you do not mention is diet - what are you feeding your cats? If you are feeding a diet that does not suit you will often see skin issues. As for bathing the cats in the mange remedy, you might consider dipping them in a vinegar solution to see if that brings relief. A solution of 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts warm water will help balance the PH on the skin and can do wonders for some pets with an itch. Please report back.

I've used this treatment about once annually when my Yorkie gets mange. I normally keep her inside because there seems to be a correlation between allowing her outside around our duplex and her outbreaks! I treat her 2-3 in a week and then once a week for 3 weeks and she's always recovered her coat quickly where she's scratched. This time I think I caught it quickly so she might not even have any extreme hair loss. This treatment works!!

I rescued a stray puppy that a friend found he is about 8 weeks old. He appears to have Sarcoptic mange, he itches a lot ( with no fleas on him) and his ears have scabs from where it looks like he scratched them raw.

I have given him a bath twice and immediately after it both times he appears to be scratching even more, is this common?

You may want to try "lemon cream"- it is simply lemon skins boiled and after they sit awhile, take "slimy" part and rub into the skin (cover you puppy, including the very tip of tale), let it sit for a few minutes, rinse (or you can delete lemon juice- and do the same- lemon juice will sting more)- this is a recipe from Juliette of the Flowers (veterinarian who treated animals with natural remedies).

Please help me by looking at the image and tell me if it is mange.

Hello Roosmarie,

Can you tell me more about this picture? What am I looking at - what part of the animal? How old is this animal? If I were to guess, this looks like an inflamed skin fold and yeast may be the culprit, but again with no reference it is hard to know if I am close. Thanks.

Question-is this effective for demodectic mange cases too? My poor baby (yellow lab/maloise german shepherd mix) has battled "something" her entire life (12y); unfortunately nothing has worked and we've spent thousands of dollars at a few different vets with no cure and the last had her on kidney failing medications so willy nilly that her 100lbs dropped to 78 before I finally said no more "upping " the dosage, it's not helping her but it's killing her! Well we stopped taking her there and sadly I was laid off not long after and we could only try every known OTC "helpful" fix. We upped the omega oils, tried every shampoo for anti fungal/s. Mange/medicated and or natural cleansing wash, gave her food changes - gluten free/grain free/raw beef & boiled eggs, $80 bags to $20 bags of "stealthy" foods, tried to much yeast production treatments and even tried giving her benedryl daily like an allergy pill as the vet said which has helped a teeny tiny but not really. She literally looks like a rat right now. Her skin on her belly started getting black spots and then led to it basically looking like rhino skin. Then everywhere she could reach she licked, chewed her hair off and the skin is grey splotchy except the raw spots she can reach. Whe gutted her house & painted a mild free paint. Her room - which it literally just a little area off of my husbands workshop that she can access from outside. She has AC/heat change out her cedar shavings regularly. But I'm at my wits end? Does Ted's treatment work for other versions of mange because she look like the demodectic mange except not red? I'm just not sure if it's been known to help with other types of mange? Help?! Thank you!

Hello BayleasMom,

Ted's Mange Remedy is effective on both sarcoptic and demodectic mange, however what you describe does not sound like mange - it sounds like yeast. But the yeast sounds like it is secondary to the mysterious *something* that has afflicted her all these years. You have gutted her house and her room by the shop - so she is an indoor/outdoor dog but not a house dog. Having her in the house might help remove her exposure to outdoor allergens. But what may help a LOT is getting rid of the cedar shavings. Some dogs are allergic to cedar and pine; when the cedars bloom the pollen can cause many dogs to develop hives with intense itching. If your dog is sensitive to cedar then cedar shavings in her run will cause problems no matter how fancy a food you feed. So get rid of the cedar, do what you can to power wash it out of the run, and remove all traces. No pine shavings, no wood shavings, no cedar shavings. It might mean newspapers if you have to line her run. Use a clean blanket or few for her house to sleep on and wash the bedding weekly. Even though you are not likely to be dealing with mange I would go ahead and give Baylea a dip in Ted's remedy as it is a good overall skin cleanser and if she is dealing with yeast or a staph infection on her skin the dip will bring some relief.

You mention grain free food - great start. Because of the complications of the skin infection, consider starch free/low carb diets as starch feeds yeast. Consider battling the yeast from the inside out by adding baking soda, borax or epsom salts to her drinking water.

If you are dealing with yeast try adding 1/16 teaspoon of epsom salt in 1 liter of drinking water for 2-3 days - max; this is not intended for long term use, just to nip a break out in the bud. When you stop the epsom salt in the water you can then start adding 1 teaspoon baking soda to 1 liter of water; do this for 5-7 days. This is a 'break out' or crisis dose. After a week you can cut it back to a maintenance dose of 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the water. If you suspect a fungal component you can add 1/16 teaspoon borax along with the baking soda in 1 liter of water. In acute and extreme cases 1/4 teaspoon of borax in 1 liter of water is indicated. Many humans take 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon borax in 1 liter of water daily as a detox and antifungal/antiyeast, so long term use is not an issue, however all these remedies are something you should 'play by ear' and should be adjusted as you see fit. The water additives address mineral deficiency issues and should be addressed first.

I would also consider adding probiotics to help rebuild the healthy flora in her gut. Some use plain yogurt but I prefer buying acidophillus from the health food store - many brands and strains so I would just buy one bottle and give am and pm with food and when that bottle is empty buy a different brand with different strains of bacteria and so on and so on.

Please get Baylea off the cedar chips, and try treating her water, give her a dip in Ted's remedy and then please report back!

HELP. I have been reading the post and I am going to try the borax and peroxide solution. I have been dealing with what I think are mites. The vet did the scrape several times with a neg. results. (which I guess is common) I have four dogs and they all have the itchy skin with red bumps now. I have tried everything and we have now gotten bites.

So my question is, if I use the solution on the dogs can it be used on people too and does anyone know a good "bomb" to use in the house to rid of them? Thanks for any advice. I just want my babies to have some comfort.

Hey Ktk,

4 dogs with itchy skin and now you too? My first thought is fleas - although sarcoptic mange/scabies is a possibility, but for you it would give you a nasty rash and not just a red bump here or there. I would first treat for fleas and then see if things improve.

One of the easiest, safest, fastest and cheapest ways to treat for fleas is the lamp flea trap. Get a small desk lamp - nothing fancy, cheap from the thrift store works just fine. Place it on the floor in the area where your pet sleeps and then place a white plate or shallow dish under the lamp. Add water and a some dish soap. Mix the soap into the water, don't get it sudsy just blend it in. Turn the lamp on overnight and then check to see what you have caught in the morning. I have a lamp trap in each room of my house - it works to catch mosquitoes and other bugs, not just the fleas.

For the dogs' itchy skin, make sure you are feeding a grain free diet - read the ingredients on the dog food bag and if you see corn or grain it is time for a grocery upgrade and grains in the diet have been directly linked to skin issues in dogs. Alkalizing the water may help, as well as adding probiotics to the diet. Treating each dog with Ted's Mange Remedy may provide temporary relief from the itching as it cleanses the skin.

Please report back!

Do you put a cone on your dog after the treatment, how do you keep them from licking it off?

Hey Traci,

You don't need to use a cone or prevent your dog from licking the solution, it is safe to ingest in small amounts [in large amounts will cause loose stool]. The key is to stand your dog in the tub with the wet solution for at least 20 minutes - half an hour is better. In my experience, if you leave your dog wet in the tub with the active solution for half an hour, drying him off with a towel after the time is up is not an issue.

Does the solution need to be adjusted based on the size of the dog that needs to be treated? This might sound like a foolish question but I was wondering what to do for a medium to large size breed. I want to make sure before doubling the size not knowing whether or not it would become 'toxic' if I do.

Hello William,

The solution does NOT need to be adjusted based on size. The solution is NOT toxic when used for bathing, however if for whatever reason your dog somehow drank a few cups it might have very loose stools.

How do you mix this solution? My dog has mange & been using the medicated shampoo & happy jack mange spray. Used it one time & noticed that it made her sick & that was three days ago and she still not feeling well. So we gave her a bath seemed to be feeling a little better but she is throwing up again. Really need to get her to feeling better. Thanks

Hello Linda,

Your pet may be having a toxic reaction to an overdose of the medicated bath + mange spray. If this were my dog I would strongly consider seeing the vet for accidental poisoning and check blood for organ function. If that is out of the question you might consider giving your dog activated charcoal - you can buy capsules at most health food stores. Homeopathic Nux Vomica may also be indicated. Please report back.

Dear Louise,

I would try apple cider vinegar. 1 cup water plus 1 cup organic apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the itchy areas a few times a day or as needed. If the skin is broken though I would use 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 1/2 cups water.

~Mama to Many~

Hello Louise,

It does NOT sound like your dog has mange. And while Ted's Mange remedy is a good place to start with an itchy dog, now that you have given these treatments with mixed results, I think you can rule out the mange. It sounds like your dog has itchy allergy skin - this is JMHO.

I have found that natural remedy rinses and dips tend to have a lasting or working effect for about 24 hours, so you may find it helpful to dip your dog daily or every few days. I would consider dipping in white vinegar and water - 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water and see if that helps calm the skin; you can also use this to rinse out the inside of the ears IF they are not raw from scratching.

What will help is getting to the root of the problem, and in many cases itchy skin is directly related to diet. So take a peek at your dog food label and read what is in it; if you find corn/grains in the ingredient list you might find changing to a grain free diet without added sugar, colors and dyes will help tremendously.

Please report back!

I guess I should mention to that her skin looks good, there are no red areas right now, though there were red bumps that turned into crusty scabs at one point (but those have not returned).

She has never had food with any grain in it, since a puppy. She was getting homemade food for the first year and then I switched her to a dried raw food. When the itching started I went back to the homemade food but there was no improvement. I then switched her to Orijen Tundra and nothing changed, still scratching.

She does have times when it seems to be under control (the last couple of months), but just when I think it is gone back it comes again.

When I gave her the topical pesticide (which I really didn't want to do), the scratching pretty much stopped for a couple of weeks, then slowly and gradually started again.

Hi Louise,

I have a cure that I heard works, I personally have't tried it as I have never had too, but here goes, it is an Australian solution:

Make a lotion of minced garlic to rub onto animal's body:

Mince 30 to 40 cloves garlic place in gallon container. Pour boiling spring water and keep the container covered to prevent evaporation of oils. Use as a lotion by rubbing on to animal daily. Continue until condition clears up.

If you go this way please let me know how you go as I've never given this out before. Thanks

Is this solution for the itching or is it supposed to kill mange?

Hey Louise!

What pesticide did you apply that gave you good results?

While demodex is not contagious, sarcoptic mange IS, and if you are seeing this spread in your pets and your friends pets who socialize with your pets it is something to consider. Sarcoptic mange requires not just treating the animal but the environment - please read up and see if that sounds like what you are dealing with.

Red bumps that turn into crusty scabs - when I have seen it in my dogs - has been allergy related. It could be a pollen allergy, blowing in on the wind, or a contact allergy to a certain substance - grass. And it also could be a flea bite allergy; this is why I am curious about the pesticide that worked for you.

You might find of benefit alkalizing your dogs drinking water with baking soda; this helps balance their PH which improves the entire body system and can make them less appealing to fleas.

Please report back!

Louise, another thing you can try is CURASH. It is a powder that is for babies, but it helps with itchy dogs. Not sure if you can buy it there but maybe it's under another name there.

Hi Louise, the cure I gave you is suppose to help both.

My dog, my two cats and my friends 5 dogs all have this - so that rules out an allergy and demodex.

I did use Revolution at one point because nothing else was working, the itching did stop for a couple of weeks. I used it 3X and each time the itching did stop for a couple of weeks but then it returned. I didn't want to continue to put this type of pesticide on her so decided I would try the Borax/Peroxide solution. It seemed to be working well for about a month then stopped working.

Louise, it sounds like it is contagious, you are wise not to use pesticides, it wouldn't hurt with probiotics as well, you have a few suggestions up your sleeve but remember nothing is a overnight cure.

Hey Louise,

This, briefly on Revolution:

"What is Revolution?

Revolution is a ... monthly topical medication used to protect your pet from heartworms, fleas, and ear mites. It also protects dogs from ticks and sarcoptic mange .... Revolution ... requires a prescription from your veterinarian. (3 Pack = 3 doses which lasts 3 months.)"

Source: http://www.1800petmeds.com/

If you are dealing with something contagious, which it appears you are, and the Revolution was effective when you used it, the most likely contagious culprits are fleas and sarcoptic mange [not demodectic mange]. Sarcoptic is itchy and can easily be caught from your pets going outside and messing in squirrel poop - that is how one of mine caught it. And fleas are everywhere.

You said Ted's Mange remedy worked only temporarily- how long did you use it? One dip and it lasted a month or??

I can see you and your friend taking your pack out to an area and picking up something that may have been sprayed on the grass that would cause them to itch, but the cats too? Unlikely, unless your dogs sleep with your cats. So again back to the contagious pest thinking. Hm!

You might try a simple flea trap. Use a small desk lamp on the floor and place a white dish/saucer with water mixed with dish soap underneath the bulb. Place in a pet area or where your pets hang out, and turn it on and leave it on overnight. Check in the morning and see what you have caught.

Please report back!

Yes, I am pretty sure it is sarcoptic mange.

Revolution did control it temporarily but didn't eliminate it, and I did treat more than once. In both the cats and the dog

I think it came in on one of my barn cats. They do come up on the deck and do sit on the step so would easily spread to the dog when she went outside. Either that or my dog picked it up from my friends dogs.

Hey Louise,

Ted's remedy is effective on sarcoptic mange, but the problem as you have found is that after treatment your pets are getting reinfected; unless you can get to the source of the infection, this will be a super annoying and uncomfortable cycle. ALL animals will need to be treated and all animal areas will need to be treated to remove the source of infection, with particular attention to bed areas. If I were in your shoes, I would be tempted to treat all of the critters with the topical medication because it would be so much easier than power washing a barn. You might try for a definitive diagnosis of sarcoptic mange before you start.

All animals have been treated with the topical stuff from the vet, first Revolution several times then I switched the cats to Advantage as the Revolution did not seem to be working and that is when I started the dog on the Peroxide/Borax mix as I didn't want to give her any more topical stuff.

One cat did have a reaction to the Advantage so I don't know what I am going to give him now as the Revolution did not seem to work.

The dog has been to the vet twice and they did try to find something but nothing showed up. They did say that most of the time they can't find it and it is just easier to treat rather than put the dog through a really deep skin scraping.

Can the Borax/Peroxide solution cause skin irritation, I wondered if that could be the issue?

I really don't want to put any more topical pesticides on the dog if I don't have to, especially after one cat having a reaction.

Hey Louise!

I have heard of Ted's remedy causing skin irritation when used every other day for weeks on end. I have treated demodex by using Ted's remedy every other day for the first three treatments and then weekly there after for a time span of 12 weeks and have had no issues with skin irritation. I did have one of mine catch sarcoptic from the environment and I did do the Ivermectin shot for him and that resolved it, but I know many are hesitant to use ivermectin products. I am with you avoiding the use of topical pesticides if at all possible, particular given the one bad reaction. If you are indeed dealing with sarcoptic there doesn't appear to be anything you can take orally to ward it off, but dosing garlic and / or vitamin B1 may make your pet's less tasty to mosquitoes so maybe it would make them less tasty to mites.

It could be skin irritation and I did consider that. I put it on 3X for the first week and then once a week after that for 8 treatments over a 5 week time period. Was working great at first.

Now I haven't used it for about a month and the scratching continues ...

My Sicilian Grandmother used garlic as a cure for pin worms it is anti-parasitic. She would mash it up into a paste and put it in the rectum of the child who had pin worms, it would work almost immediately. So it makes sense that garlic water would kill parasites.

Did you try cleaning her bedding and anywhere she might lay? I'm going through this now and one website I was reading says to treat all areas of the house. I'm assuming by treat meaning to clean thoroughly. Good luck! I hope your poor baby gets some relief

I suggest you give a shot of ivomec plus in your dog. It will resolve all problems related to your dog´s skin.

Hello Lisa,

Red & oozing = skin infection IMHO. Have you been to the vet for this condition? Did they diagnose mange?

The remedy when I have used it did not sting; that your dog seems ouchy from it means something else is going on.

Dogs with severe demodex can develop a secondary skin infection and it sounds like your dog has gone that route. IMHO conventional antibiotics are helpful here, however you can also use a natural remedy but it can take much longer to take effect. Turmeric and colloidal silver are two remedies that can be helpful here, but there are a host of others as well.

Did you soak your dog in Ted's mange remedy per the directions? The feet being affected/pododemidicosis can be very hard to treat; standing your dog in a vat of the remedy for half an hour would be my approach, all the while pouring the remedy over and over him during the half hour. Some find a small amount of the dip to be effective but if I have to treat - and I use the mange remedy as a general skin funk dip - I make up a big batch and fill a large plastic storage bin for a small dog, or make as much as I can in the bathtub for a big dog. The key is to keep wet and working for as long as you can, and in the case of the feet to have them soaking in the solution.

In your shoes I would strongly consider taking my dog to the vet to check out the bacterial skin infection. I would NOT do an Amitraz dip, though I would consider Ivermectin if you do not see any improvement after 5 dips [every other day].

Also to consider; diet - make sure you are feeding good groceries, no diets with lots of food dyes and grains or corn as these can cause skin problems. You might consider alkalizing your dog's drinking water OR doing Ted's borax protocol for dogs - again in the drinking water.

If this is mange, you will need to treat it 2-3 times a week for up to 12 weeks - so keep in mind this is a long term condition that heals slowly.

Please report back!

Hi Theresa, thank you so much for your response to my post.

About 3 weeks ago I discovered my dog's paw pads were cracking, peeling and oozing a little bit of pus. Concurrently, he had suddenly developed red bumps and scabs and crusty areas on his back and in various other places. Took him to the vet and she did some tests and found yeast everywhere, and an infected ear. Blood tests revealed all his internal organs are healthy. So the vet's first thought regarding the crusty red spots was environmental allergies. My sense, however, was that he had some sort of parasitic skin disease. But I followed her instructions and gave my dog anti-fungal and antibiotics and stopped giving him snacks containing grains. The ear infection cleared up but the skin problem and paws worsened markedly. I came in for my follow up visit and she could see that the skin was worse and talked about just continuing with the antibiotics and anti fungal pills and to add an antihistamine. I gave the dog the antihistamine and it did not help. I called the vet's office back and she took her time getting back to me. I told her I still felt he had some sort of parasitic skin disease and she agreed and said that based on "everything" he probably had mites. I asked her why she didn't think that in the first place and she said because of my dog's age. My dog is 9. She said it's very unusual to see mites in a dog my age. (obviously that sort of floored me.) She told me to come back in for a skin scraping and from there I would need to go to a specialist for canine skin diseases. I have already spent over a thousand dollars and the only thing I got out of it was my dog's ear infection cured. But I'm not all that surprised at how this has gone. This is why I'm here.

Anyway, I completed the antibiotics and anti fungal - they did help his ear but prompted the skin problem to spread. I looked at many pictures of dogs with demodex mange and my dog looks pretty similar: red scabby bumps, crusty spots, some oozing, not a lot of itching, but my dog wants to lick himself constantly. His feet hurt to walk on and he lays around most the day, though he is alert and affectionate and his appetite is great. So, I made a decision not to go back to the vet. Three reasons: I don't think she really knows what she's doing. I can't afford to be ripped off. I don't feel they will cure my dog.

I still firmly believe my dog either has mange or some sort of dermal parasite and so I'm going to commit myself to the borax treatment. If he does not get better at all after six treatments I will know that mites are not his problem. Good news is, he does appear to be slightly better after two baths. Yesterday, in between bath days, I did do an added borax-solution blotting, with a cotton ball, of the areas that are hardened from the dried lymph. I also blotted his feet this evening. I think they're slightly better. He will get another bath tonight. By the way, I said he turned very red after his last bath but the red changed to pink after about two hours. Isn't this an indication that we're dealing with mange?

Sorry this got so long, but I thought it might be good to give you all the details. I really want to make my dog better and I intend to do everything possible. Thank you again for answering my post and I look forward to hearing any advice you have for me.

Cheers!

Lisa

Oh and p.s. Yes, I've been doing the baths exactly as prescribed. Really drenching him and covering him from nose to tail, everywhere. The solution doesn't sting him, he was shaking because we kept him in the tub for a half hour and he got cold despite the water being warm. Also just from the excitement and stress of the ordeal. I was told not to wrap a towel around him and so we warmed the house but it was still too cold for him to be wet for so long. Next time I'm going to lay a few towels over him. I'd also like to post some pictures of him. Can I do that here?

Thanks again!

I gave my dog his third bath tonight and things are looking very good. He's improved and I'm feeling very good about this. I just posted a longer more detailed description of how he's doing but ran into some technical glitch so I don't know if it went through or not. Anyway, everything's going well and I will continue on with it!

Lisa

My dog just got his 4th borax bath tonight and he is dramatically improved. His red spots on his body are about 80% gone - and it's been just a week. His feet, however, still have a ways to go. It's very tricky with the feet because apparently when mites set up house in the paw pads they bore in very deeply. His paws are still a bit swollen, so I am going to soak just his paws every day. I do also dry them with a cool hair dryer after the soak so it gets good and dry between his toes. (It's not always easy to get him to lay still for that! )

Anyway, this treatment is incredibly effective if you do it exactly as you're supposed to. I am also giving the dog borax in his water. 1/8 teaspoon per liter/quart. I will stop that as soon as the swelling in his paws goes down.

My warning is about Tea Tree oil, but I'll get back to that later... It's been over a week since I last posted. Everything is going great with my dog's skin problems (which I believe was either mange or a really bad fungal infection; he had red crusty sores everywhere and his paw pads were infected). So it's all going well except for my dog's feet which are a major challenge, just as I was warned. They are still a little scabby and crusty and the front paws are still oozing a little and somewhat swollen. So what I'm doing now, in addition to the bi-weekly borax treatment, is on the rest of the days standing him in the tub after putting in about two inches of warm water combined with two to three tablespoons epsom salts and two tablespoons milk of magnesia. He soaks in this for about 20 minutes and we swish the water between his toes and gently squeeze and flush the ooze out. He has been showing improvement, but it's been very incremental.

So, that said, I had a horrible experience yesterday. I applied tea tree oil to his feet in hopes of speeding things up. Instead he had a terrible reaction to it -- he turned red all over and developed a fever of 104.2 degrees. Needless to say I was really frightened but I suspected it was the Tea Tree oil so I gave him an epsom salt soak in the tub for 20 minutes to get the stuff off of him. I then took him out, put him on his bed and put a fan on him to cool him down. Then I gave him ice water and steak pieces. His fever broke soon after the bath and the steak. So I would say STAY AWAY FROM TEA TREE OIL!! It even made me sick, just inhaling the fumes. Awful!

EDIT and UPDATE - May 8 2016

Turns out the problem with my dog's feet was auto-immune disorder. Probably an affliction called pemphigus foliaceous. Found this out by taking him to a different Vet who was more experienced. He was put on Prednisone which put it into remission, and he's now doing well and phasing off the drug. I'm adding Curcumin to his med routine and hoping I can soon eliminate steroids entirely. I'll be trying medicinal mushrooms too.

I am following up on my initial posting of March 3,2016. It had been suggested by my vet that my dog might have mange because he wasn't responding to the medications she gave him for yeast and allergies - he still had red spots & little scabs all over his back. So I had decided on my own to try the borax/peroxide baths, because that is known to be helpful for either mites or a fungal infection so I figured it was worth a try. I did give my dog a series of Borax baths (about 6 total) which hugely improved the red spots on his back and legs, but did nothing for the more major problem with his paw pads. I did finally go to a new vet last week and she immediately diagnosed him with autoimmune skin disease. My dog was prescribed Prednisone. It's been three days on this medication and my dog is walking again for the first time in two months and it is really a rather amazing improvement. So, overall she said he had chronic yeast with the development of this autoimmune problem. The chronic yeast may or may not have led to the autoimmune situation. Anyway, this drug my dog is now on is one that comes with a price if it's continued for a long time, so as soon as I can I'll be phasing off of it and into natural immune supporting supplements. I've heard good things about medicinal mushrooms, like Reishi, for the treatment of autoimmune problems. But I have much to learn on this subject!

Regarding the Borax baths-- I don't regret trying the Borax treatments because they did help with his yeast, and the baths certainly did no harm. I had also been soaking his feet in Epsom salts regularly, which I think helped detox him. So anyway, now I need to learn all I can about natural methods for keeping my dog's immune system healthy and normalized.

Hi Theresa, thank you so much for your response to my post. I am updating and changing this post which was originally posted on March 8th. It is now April 27th and I've learned a lot about my dog's illness. He did not have mange.

I recently took him to a new vet and his skin problems and the chronic inflammation of his paw pads was identified immediately as autoimmune disease: pemphigus foliaceus. This is why the borax treatment didn't work on the paws. (Oddly, it did appear to help with the red spots on his body.) Anyway my dog was prescribed prednisone and his feet were on their way to healing in less than a day. The borax baths did not harm him, and ultimately everything led to the right treatment. Now I will need to educate myself on natural remedies for Pemphigus foliaceus. Prednisone has to be taken with great caution and I'm hopeful that I can find herbs or a medicinal mushroom combo that will normalize his immune system.

Cheers, Lisa

As it turns out, my dog did not have mange, he has an autoimmune problem. I found a great new vet last week and she was able to diagnose him immediately. Prednisone was the treatment that finally worked for his paws. The red spots that looked like mange apparently were some sort of allergic reaction. Anyway, my dog is doing great now. Sometimes it really pays to switch vets -- don't even hesitate to do that if things aren't going well for you pet.

Hello Lisa,

So glad to hear that you got a diagnosis! I found this to be a very informative veterinary article on this condition - it covers various medications and cautions about weaning off of the steroids carefully:

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/canine-and-feline-pemphigus-foliaceus-improving-your-chances-successful-outcome

Please keep us posted on what you find helps boost /normalize your dogs immune system.

Tea Tree oil is a pretty strong oil, you probably should have cut it with a carrier oil. Oregano oil is powerful stuff and it is a hot oil. I've accidentally doused myself with oregano oil and it feels like you are literally on fire. The only way to stop the burning is to slather on a carrier oil to cut the hot oil. Like coconut, almond, olive, etc. I did this because I was battling a really bad flu, once I cut the oil and the burning wore off, I felt like a million dollars. I recovered that day. So it is powerful but you have to know how to use it.

Hi, I have just been reading your post about the red sores and oozing puss, bad ear infection, and your poor dog sounds like he has a cute moist dermatitis or a more common name for it is hotspots, my dog has suffered with it, like you it took me thousands of pounds at the vets for them to tell me it was an allergy, to what? They didn't know, wanted to do more tests, more money I didn't have, so googled hot moist dermatitis took a look at the pics and found many non expensive normal things you can try to treat it, I have tried many different things, non of which have harmed my dog I would like to add, but the one thing that cleared it up 80% and helped was coconut oil, I smoothed the oil on the parts effected and inside his ear, I also gave him a small spoonful ( he is a big dog by the way) ir, a pinch of turamic and an anti histamine in his dinner every night. If your unsure Google the benefits of coconut oil in dogs and the benefits of turamic in dogs, you will be surprised I know I was. Good luck my friend

My dog is also worse after using this for the 3rd time. Under his arms are very red and bumpy. He's so itchy and dry. Did this go away with your dog? If so how long did it take? Thank you.

Hello Lee,

Ted's Mange remedy works on many other skin issues - not just mange. However if not nipped in the bud early on, some skin issues can get out of control. It sounds like your dog may have secondary skin infections going on. To get a handle on this you need to look at the big picture. Are you feeding a quality diet? Diets with grains - corn, wheat, soy - have been linked to skin problems in dogs and doggie 'leaky gut' which causes sensitivities to food and other things. Consider alkalizing and also Ted's Borax Protocol for dogs to help treat a systemic yeast infection from the inside out. Consider topical application of coconut oil, or topical creams boosted with healing essential oils such as lavender. Your dog may benefit from wearing a t-shirt to protect the raw skin, as well as a good nail trim/file to limit the damage the nails do when your dog scratches. Oral supplements of turmeric. quercetin and yucca can help with inflammation and oral colostrum along with vitamin C, found at health food stores, may help boost your dog's immune system.

My dog has an eye autoimmune disease. I have read on several sites, that Krill oil is really good. Also, I do a apple cider vinegar rinse. Two tablespoons in two cups of water for a good rinse. Also put 1/2 drops of Thyme oil, or lavender in bottle of natural shampoo. Also, if a flare of itching happens, I have a bottle of acv/water mixture that I can spray on area before she scratches too much. A few days a week, I give her a slice of garlic that has been chopped, allowed to sit for 15 mins. before putting in her homemade dog food. So far, yeast is very under control. I just started her on the krill oil, should know in a month or two if it is helping. I also give all my dogs and cat, a few drops of coconut oil and a few drops of olive oil. And give a high quality probiotic. If the guts bad, it shows on the skin. Many, many dogs are showing signs of leaky gut. They will have all of infections and health issues.

What type of Borax do I use? Thank you.

Hi Leonard!

Sorry but I didn't see your post until today at night. I use 20 Mule Team Borax for the mange solution. I make my own Laundry detergent my husband found on line (Rebecca's Homestead) so I luckilyhave Borax on hand at all times.

My dog was washed and I used Ted's mange cure formula yesterday and my dog smells nice and isn't scratching. I noticed that she slept though the night comfortably. And in the morning she had some itching near the back legs. I divided the formula in half (my dog is small) for the hot spots, again 2 cups of warm water, 1 cup 3% peroxide, 3 heaping teaspoons of Borax (20 Mule team). And I dab the hots spots with cotton balls. You can also use a spray bottle on the dog.

Today she is just lying comfortably on her bed not itchy. Works so well. Remember not to pat dry or towel the dog. But I do use the blow dryer because its cold right now.

Ted's cure - I have a question about the solution, I have tried the solution for a few weeks, but the scratching occurs the day after I have dipped my dogs.

If I mix up a large batch in a tub to dip them in.... Can I reuse the solution or do I need to mix up a new solution each time?

Hey Michelle,

The solution has a working life of 12 to 24 hours and generally does not keep.

Are you treating for mange - or are you using the dip to treat for itchy skin?