Experimental Infection of Dogs with Sarcoptes scabiei Derived from Naturally Infected Wild Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes): Clinical Observations

Abstract

Sarcoptes scabiei, derived from wild red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes) gave rise to self-limiting sarcoptic mange (pseudoscabies) in 12 experimentally infected beagle dogs. The experimentally induced Sarcoptes scabiei infections caused skin lesions typical of sarcoptic mange in dogs on recognized predilection sites. The incubation periods varied from 6 to 13 days depending on the mode of infection. When six dogs were re-infected two months after complete clinical recovery from a primary infection, the incubation period was three days.

Clinical Response of Captive Common Wombats (Vombatus Ursinus) Infected With Sarcoptes Scabiei Var. Wombati

“…Alopecia and excoriation did not become evident until several weeks after erythema and parakeratosis had developed. A similar progression of dermatologic changes was reported in coyotes (Canis latrans), dogs, and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) (Stone et al, 1972;Samuel, 1981;Bornstein, 1991;Arlian et al, 1995;Bornstein et al, 1995). Alopecia and excoriation were caused by scratching or rubbing, which occurred more frequently in infected compared with control wombats.…”

“…However, in this species, most of the body became involved within 4 wk after an initial dose of 5,500 mites (Little et al, 1998) reflecting a more rapid spread of mites than occurred in wombats. Mites also spread rapidly, within 5 wk, from the back to body extremities in dogs infected with S. scabiei from a red fox (Bornstein, 1991). Mites spread more slowly in red foxes infected on their midback with few mites, Ͻ200, with most body extremities infected within 4 mo (Bornstein et al, 1995).…”

“…Mites also spread rapidly, within 5 wk, from the back to body extremities in dogs infected with S. scabiei from a red fox (Bornstein, 1991). Mites spread more slowly in red foxes infected on their midback with few mites, Ͻ200, with most body extremities infected within 4 mo (Bornstein et al, 1995). Rapid migration of mites from the body to the head in foxes is thought to be due to foxes gnawing at infection sites (Gerasimov, 1953).…”

Coexistence of two different genotypes of Sarcoptes scabiei derived from companion dogs and wild raccoon dogs in Gifu, Japan: The genetic evidence for transmission between domestic and wild canids

“…Using these microsatellite loci, the results in the present study strongly suggest that the difference of host species did not disrupt the gene flow of Sarcoptes mites between domestic/companion dogs and raccoon dogs, which would be caused by the transmission of sarcoptic mange between raccoon dogs and domestic/companion dogs, at least around the Gifu area of Japan. In several cases, S. scabiei could be transmitted from a mangy host to a healthy host, whether they are of the same species or not (e.g., the successful experimental cross-contamination from mangy red foxes to dogs; Bornstein, 1991). In Japan, there was also a case report of mange in a companion dog suspected to have been transmitted from the carcass of a mangy wild raccoon dog (Mizutani et al, 2010).…”

Use of 0.25 per cent fipronil spray to treat sarcoptic mange in a litter of five‐week‐old puppies

“…This results in muscular paralysis and death of the arthropod (Colliot and others 1992). Anecdotal reports of its use against Neotrombicula autumnalis infestations (Famose 1995) safe, effective scabicide, but further studies are necessary to confirm whether this product can reliably eradicate S scabiei infestations in dogs as scabies can be a self-limiting disease; however, it seems unlikely that spontaneous resolution occurred in the pups described because naive dogs infested experimentally with mites have been reported to take at least 81 days to completely recover (Bornstein 1991).…”