Mange (cattle)

MANGE

A chronic mild to moderately severe dermatitis depending on the mite involved. Chorioptic mange is generally mild while sarcoptic mange can be very severe. Psoroptic mange is also severe but is not common in U.K.

AETIOLOGY

Chorioptes bovis, Sarcoptes scabiei and Psoroptes ovis var bovis.

PREVALENCE

Mange in cattle is common in Britain but is often ignored or goes unrecognised. It is more common in beef cattle which are housed together in the winter. More than one animal is usually affected at a time and the whole herd may well be affected.

CLINICAL SIGNS

Chorioptic mange causes excess scaling and flaking of the skin with mild pruritis. A marked itch is usually seen with sarcoptic mange which is often called ‘neck and tail mange* indicating common sites. Lesions are often widespread, and if the condition affects adult cows, the back of the udder may well be affected. In bulls the lesions often commence on the underside of the body. Lesions in many cases are mild with minimal loss of hair. Severe cases are less common and in these there may be quite marked loss of hair with thickening of the skin and excess scaling. Areas where the hair is reduced or lost do not have well defined borders. Generally mange is a dry crusty condition in cattle but in severe cases, the hair may have a wet, damp appearance. There may be fissures on the thickened skin.

PATHOGENESIS

The pruritis associated with mange results in secondary abrasions caused by licking and rubbing and the activity of the burrowing Sarcoptes can cause marked skin thickening.

EPIDEMIOLOGY

The disease is spread mainly by direct contact since mites cannot survive for more than a few days off the host. Cattlemen may acquire a temporary infection with Sarcoptes.

DIAGNOSIS

This is based on clinical signs usually in groups of cattle during winter or spring. Confirmation is by microscopical examination of a skin scraping. Chorioptic mites are very numerous and are readily found because they are on the surface of the skin. Sarcoptic mites may be more difficult to find.

TREATMENT

Ivermectin and doramectin are effective in the treatment of sarcoptic and psoroptic mange and are an aid in the control of Chorioptes bovis. Both drugs have long meat withdrawal periods (21-42 days) and cannot be used in milking cows. Other suitable drugs are amitraz and the organophosphorus compound phosmet; these can be used in dairy cows as the milk withdrawal periods are less than 2 days.

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