Sarcoptic Mange is a common skin disease caused by infection of your Beagle with the Sarcoptic Scabei Mite. These mites are microscopic so you can not see them with the naked eye. They have a lifespan of 3-4 weeks and after mating the female will burrow into your dog’s skin and deposit 3-4 eggs. When the eggs hatch they travel on the skin and the process begins again.

Symptoms

Symptoms that your dog is affected by Sarcoptic Mange include red scaly and itchy skin. Hair loss also can occur as well as secondary infections caused by the excessive itching and scratching. The mite prefers less hairy parts of your dogs body so stomachs, elbows, arm pits and ears are at particular risk.

Diagnosis

The most common way of diagnosing Sarcoptic Mange is through a skin scraping. A sample is taken and diagnosed under a microscope. The diagnosis is made either by seeing the mites or a skilled pathologist might simply recognize the type of inflammation present as that being caused by this type of mite. A negative skin scraping however does not mean that your Beagle does not have Sarcoptic Mange. Because of this, your vet will often just treat your Beagle for Sarcoptic Mange without a 100 percent sure diagnosis. It is a simple treatment that works very well so if it is Sarcoptic Mange your dog will show signs of improvement within a few weeks.If there is no improvement they will then rule out Sarcoptic Mange.

Treatment

Luckily this condition is easily cured with a number of different medications. This can range from topical treatments to injections to shampoos. You should treat all of the animals in your home since it is so easily spread from dog to dog. Humans need not worry about treatment since the mite can not complete its life cycle on humans and infection will not last. You should also be sure to wash or replace all of your dogs bedding