Prevention and management of scabies in pets vis-a-vis human health

Scabies is an emerging global infectious disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei that effects both humans and animals equally. Canine scabies (sarcoptic mange, sarcoptic acariasis) is a common, transmissible, zoonotic, pruritic skin disease of dogs caused by infestation with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei var canis , burrowing into the host's epidermis. Sarcoptic mange is also an important veterinary disease engendering significant morbidity and mortality in wild, domestic and farm animals, such as pigs. Clinical symptoms include intensely itchy lesions that often are a precursor for secondary bacterial pyoderma and septicemia. It is manifested by erythema, scaling and papules occurring initially in the axillary and inguinal areas. Mites may be discovered in scrapings from the ears and intertriginous folds of the dog. Conventional treatment will often not work as it relies heavily on a highly toxic method of treatment. Using homeopathic remedies for scabies, on the other hand, can enhance the animal's immune system, so that the body can defeat the scabies mite infection, itself. This work presents the efficacy of homeopathic remedies in four clinical cases of scabies, treated successfully with homeopathy, resolving not just the primary condition of scabies, but also the patient's accompanying secondary symptoms. Homeopathy takes into account the holistic nature of diseases, past and family history of similar diseases (e.g. scabies) etc. The treatment was appended with appropriate cleanliness, isolation of affected pets and providing good nutrition in order to treat effectively and holistically.