58 replies to this topic

[JaderBug]

Jade is losing hair around her right eye. I noticed it first last Tuesday, and while it seemed at first that it wasn't getting worse, it seems to be getting worse now.

Her eye doesn't seem to be irritated, not red or anything, nor does she seem to be rubbing it. I haven't seen her rub it once.

There is a possibility that she got some Frontline in it on Tuesday when I applied it (although I'm almost positive she didn't), but I would have thought it wouldn't be getting worse almost a week later.

Do I need to call a vet? What might be causing this?

Here is the normal eye (also of the weird fibers in her left eye):


and here is the eye that's losing hair (this picture doesn't look as bad as it is):

[Liz P]

Could be a little irritated, could be a bacterial or fungal infection, could also be mange. No way to know without a trip to the vet.

I am wondering what that yellow spot is on the other eye (reflection? ulcer?).

[JaderBug]

I am wondering what that yellow spot is on the other eye (reflection? ulcer?).

The vet told me that the fibers in her left eye are fibers that are in the puppies while they are still inside the uterus, and they usually go away before they are born. But, for some reason, Jade's didn't. It doesn't bother her at all, nor does it impare her vision in any way.

[bcnewe2]

Raven had some hairloss like that. It was seasonal allgeries and fleas. She was rubbing her eyes. I only saw her rub them a few times but the hair was off either way.
The fiber thing is strange. Never seen it. Glad your vet says its not impairing her vision.
Kristen

[JaderBug]

Raven had some hairloss like that. It was seasonal allgeries and fleas. She was rubbing her eyes. I only saw her rub them a few times but the hair was off either way.

It certainly could be seasonal allergies and I wouldn't know it... this is her first fall after all... I'll call the vet in the morning and ask about it

[ragtimedog]

I've got 2 dogs with a weird hair loss around eyes too. I've treated for mange, but no change. You'd think it would get worse or it would spread to other dogs. I did have some weird mite thing here when I moved here. I had to treat the sheep, the goats and dogs. It was not fleas or allergies but that seems to be gone for the most part. I read that if a fox sat under a tree and had mites/mange, another animal could come by that tree later and pick it up.
lil

[Root Beer]

Speedy usually loses fur around one eye every year around this time. Not quite that much, though.

In his case it's allergies. This year he has itchy legs instead, poor guy.

I'd get it checked, though.

[Journey]

Have the vet check it - could be demodex as that is one area it is expressed.

[Colton's_Mom]

Do you know if demodex is permenant? Colton has no hair around either of his eyes and it's been that way since I got him. The vet has given him 'all clear' on his physical check ups but should I bring it up?

[juliepoudrier]

Colton's Mom,
Usually the hair grows back once the demodex mite is cleared up.

J.

[PSmitty]

I thought maybe demodex, too. Jack's eyes looked like that when he was younger and fighting it. And whenever he has a flare up, the first place I notice it is around his eyes.

[JaderBug]

Well, I called the vet, and they have walk-in hours this afternoon, so I'll be taking her in after classes today. I'll update later.

How contagious is demodex? Do I need to worry about myself or the cat too?

[Journey]

Well, I called the vet, and they have walk-in hours this afternoon, so I'll be taking her in after classes today. I'll update later.

How contagious is demodex? Do I need to worry about myself or the cat too?

Not to worry, it's not contagious. All dogs have it (born with it) and generally when seen, it's in young dogs due to stress on their immune system that they just can't overcome at the time. When we get a pup around here with it we just place a PrevenTick collar on them as it has Amitraz in it and they seem to clear up - of course, my vet recommended this - so good thing you are seeing your vet today.

Karen

[JaderBug]

Just got back from the vet.... it's demodex. She only found one in the scraping she did, but doesn't want to risk it. Apparently a Collie came in a while back with the same amount of hair loss as Jade, the owners decided they wanted to wait and see what happened, and by the time they came back to the clinic, the dog was losing hair all over its body.

The options the vet gave me were Ivermectin or a series of dips. I've always been told to stay away from Ivermectin with Border Collies, so she goes in for her first dip tomorrow. She told me with as small of an area as she has, it shouldn't take long to clear up, as few as 3 dips. She also said, like Journey said, that it occurs when the immune system is compromised.

Glad I know what it is and was able to catch it early enough...

[osioda]

IF you use Promeris that will clear up the demodex and also will clear up any bit of mange they may have, although not labeled for it it does do the job
Steve

[Chesney's Girl]

I heard from a friend that works in the vets office that the amount of Ivermectin that is given usually isn't an issue for the majority of Border Collies. I always wonder about the dips that people put on their dogs that require a human to put gloves on to administer the dip.... So its poisonous to us to get on our hands but we can soak it all over the dogs body? Kind of half back asswards if you ask me.

Hope it clears up soon!

[bcnewe2]

So its poisonous to us to get on our hands but we can soak it all over the dogs body? Kind of half back asswards if you ask me.

Dogs are different than us. But when we first moved to AR I was getting as many ticks as the dogs, I seriously wondered about using frontline on me! I didn't but like you said, if it's safe for them then why not us? Probably cause there are not enough studies done on humans with dog stuff.
Ya never know.

I'd go with the ivermec for ease of use. Border Collies are not known to have the MMRI gene like collies. Now if you use Comfortis for fleas you can't use ivermec off label like the treatmeant for demodex. The 2 drugs can cause issues if used together in that manner.

Good luck, now I wonder about Raven cause we never looked at a scraping under a microscope but her eyes look better now that it's fall.

Kristen

[trailrider]

Dips are much more dangerous than ivermectin. It depends on the dosage for ivermectin. Ivermectin sheep drench can be used on the skin safely. We have even used ivomec sheep drench orally for heartworm prevention - on border collies and collies and shelties and german shepherds, etc. Once I had a dog with demodex, and it cleared up by itself in a few weeks - natural immune system got back into gear. This happens often. Beware the dips unless the demodex is getting deadly. What chemical do they want to use for dip material?

[Liz P]

At this time the mutation that causes a reaction to ivermectin has NOT been found in purebred Border Collies. I believe that Denise has the link to the study. A lot of vets still don't know that. If you want to treat with ivermectin (probably safer than the dip) you can test for the mutation. http://www.vetmed.ws...-vcpl/test.aspx

[Liz P]

At this time the mutation that causes a reaction to ivermectin has NOT been found in purebred Border Collies. I believe that Denise has the link to the study. A lot of vets still don't know that. If you want to treat with ivermectin (probably safer than the dip) you can test for the mutation. http://www.vetmed.ws...-vcpl/test.aspx