How to Treat Mange, Scabies & Fleas in Dogs, Goats & Pigs

How to Treat Mange, Scabies, and Fleas in Dogs, Goats, and Pigs: A Complete 2025 Guide for Farmers

Mange, scabies, and flea infestations are among the most common parasitic problems affecting domestic animals across Africa, especially in smallholder farming systems. These conditions cause itching, hair loss, skin wounds, poor growth, and low productivity, and—when untreated—can lead to dangerous secondary infections.

In Rwanda and across rural Africa, livestock such as dogs, goats, and pigs often live close to humans, making parasite control both an animal health priority and a public health requirement. This guide provides a complete, practical, evidence-based overview of how to identify, treat, and prevent these parasites using affordable, proven solutions.

This article follows 2025 SEO standards, integrates high-demand search keywords, and includes professional veterinary guidance supported by reputable international sources such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and global veterinary experts.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Understanding Mange, Scabies, and Fleas

3. Signs and Symptoms in Dogs, Goats, and Pigs

4. Step-by-Step Treatment Approaches

o Treating Mange and Scabies

o Treating Fleas

o Natural and Low-Cost Solutions

5. Drug Options and Dosages

6. Biosecurity and Prevention

7. How to Protect Your Farm and Household

8. Conclusion 

9. References

1. Introduction

Across Africa, smallholder farmers depend on livestock for income, security, nutrition, and resilience. Skin parasites such as mange, scabies, and fleas, though common, significantly affect animal welfare, productivity, and farm profitability.

According to FAO, untreated parasitic diseases reduce livestock performance by 20–40%, leading to economic losses for households.

Understanding how to treat and prevent these diseases is essential for every farmer, animal keeper, and rural household.

2. Understanding Mange, Scabies, and Fleas

What is Mange?

Mange is a skin disease caused by microscopic mites. The most common types are:

 • Sarcoptic mange (scabies): highly contagious, zoonotic

 • Demodectic mange: affects animals with weak immunity

Both forms lead to intense discomfort and skin damage.

            Mange symptoms in dogs

What is Scabies?

Scabies is simply sarcoptic mange—the most contagious and dangerous form. It spreads fast between animals and can also infect humans temporarily.

What are Fleas?

Fleas are external parasites that live on the skin surface, sucking blood and laying eggs in the environment. Unlike mange mites, they are visible to the eye and often cause:

 • itching

 • skin inflammation

 • flea allergy dermatitis (FAD)

 • transmission of worms like Dipylidium caninum

3. Signs and Symptoms in Dogs, Goats, and Pigs

a) Common Symptoms Across All Animals

 • Intense itching

 • Skin redness and inflammation

  • Hair loss

 • Scabs, wounds, crusty skin

 • Weight loss

 • Reduced feeding and productivity

b) Symptoms in Dogs

 • Bald patches around ears, elbows, and belly

 • Foul smell from bacterial infection

 • Severe scratching and biting

c) Symptoms in Goats

 • Crusts around the neck, udder, legs

 • Restlessness

 • Reduced milk production

 • Decreased body condition

d) Symptoms in Pigs

 • Thickened, wrinkled skin

 • Reduced weight gain

 • Ear tip crusting (common in sarcoptic mange)

 • Poor feed conversion ratio

4. Step-by-Step Treatment Approaches

   How to treat mange using veterinary-approved acaricides

 A. Treating Mange and Scabies

 1. Isolate the affected animals

This prevents rapid spread, especially in goats and pigs.

 2. Clean the animal

Use warm water and an antiseptic soap (e.g., chlorhexidine or Dettol solution) to remove crusts.

 3. Apply acaricides or veterinary-approved topical treatments

Common effective treatments include:

 • Ivermectin injections

 • Amitraz dips

 • Permethrin sprays

 • Lime sulfur dips

4. Disinfect the environment

Mites survive in bedding, wood, floors, or dog houses.

Use disinfectants such as:

 • bleach solution (1:10)

 • cypermethrin spray

 • boiling water for equipment

5. Repeat treatments every 7–10 days

This breaks the parasite lifecycle.

B. Treating Fleas

1. Treat the animal

Use any of the following:

 • Fipronil spray

 • Selamectin spot-on

 • Permethrin powder (dogs only — never use on cats)

 • Ivermectin for severe infestations

2. Treat the environment

Fleas lay hundreds of eggs in soil, bedding, and floors.

Clean by:

 • washing bedding with hot water

 • sweeping and burning waste

 • applying insecticides in pig pens, goat houses, or dog shelters

3. Treat all animals at once

Treating only one animal leads to reinfection.

C. Natural and Low-Cost Solutions for Rural Farmers

While chemical treatments are most effective, farmers can combine them with natural alternatives:

1. Neem (Azadirachta indica) oil mixture

Neem has strong antiparasitic properties.

Mix and apply:

 • 50 ml neem oil

 • 200 ml warm water

 • 1 spoon mild soap

2. Aloe vera gel

Reduces itching and promotes healing.

3. Coconut oil

Repels fleas and moisturizes dry skin.

4. Wood ash

Traditional African solution for pigs and goats.

Helps dry wounds and suffocate mites.

(These remedies work best as supplements, not as full replacements for veterinary drugs.)

5. Drug Options and Standard Dosages

(Always follow veterinary guidance.)

Drug	Dosage	Species	Purpose
Ivermectin injection	0.2–0.3 mg/kg SC	Dogs, Goats, Pigs	Mange & scabies
Amitraz dip (0.025–0.05%)	Apply weekly	All	Mange mites
Fipronil spray	As per label	Dogs, goats	Fleas
Permethrin powder	Light dusting	Dogs, goats	Fleas & ticks
Lime sulfur dip (2–3%)	Weekly dipping	All	Mange

Never overdose ivermectin—especially in herding dog breeds.

6. Biosecurity and Prevention Strategies

Prevention is more cost-effective than treatment.

Key preventive measures:

 • Maintain clean housing with regular disinfection

 • Conduct monthly parasite checks

 • Avoid overcrowding, especially in pig pens

 • Provide good nutrition to strengthen immunity

 • Quarantine new animals for at least 14 days

 • Regularly apply anti-parasitic sprays or pour-ons

FAO emphasizes that consistent sanitation and proper stocking density reduce disease outbreaks by 60% in smallholder farms.

7. How to Protect Your Farm and Household

    Biosecurity practices to prevent mange and flea outbreaks

Since mange (scabies) can be zoonotic, protect your family by:

 • Wearing gloves during treatment

 • Washing hands after touching animals

 • Keeping children away from infected pets

 • Disinfecting the compound

 • Burning contaminated waste and bedding

Healthy animals equal a healthy home.

Read more related topics if interested:

 •“How to Improve Livestock Housing in Rwanda”

 •“Common Parasitic Diseases in Goats and How to Prevent Them”

 •“Smart Animal Health Practices for Smallholder Farmers”

•FAO: Animal Health Guidelines

•WOAH (OIE) Parasitic Disease Standards

•US CDC: Scabies Information Page

9. Conclusion 

Mange, scabies, and fleas can severely undermine livestock health, productivity, and farm income. But with timely detection, proper treatment, and good hygiene practices, these conditions are completely manageable, even for smallholder farmers with limited resources.

Healthy animals lead to better performance, higher income, improved food security, and stronger rural livelihoods.

If you found this guide useful:

 - Share it with other farmers

 - Leave a comment to tell us your experience

 - Explore more animal health articles on FarmXpert Group

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9. References

1. FAO (2024). Livestock Health Management Guidelines.

2. World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals.

3. CDC (2023). Scabies – Causes, Prevention, and Treatment.

4. University of Pretoria, Faculty of Veterinary Science. External Parasites of Domestic Animals.

5. Merck Veterinary Manual (2023). Mange in Animals.