Just how long does it take to get rid of mange?!

[AHP84]

When I rescued my dog, Bryce, back in July, I brought him home with demodectic mange. He began treatment with Ivomec a few days before I brought him home, and was treated for about 40 days, each day.
His skin cleared up and his coat grew in around his neck, underarms, and muzzle.
Then last month, he developed a severe hot spot on his muzzle, so I began the Ivomec again, only this time, for two days in a row every other week three times (so three treatments of two times over two days every other week), because this was the treatment plan my vet told me to use for my other dog, Blackie.
The hot spot healed up after the second week and by the third week the hair grew back on his muzzle.
Now, as of Saturday, the same hot spot is back in the same place on his muzzle, and there's one under his collar. I've put Biocane cream on the spots and again began the Ivomec, but this time I plan to do it each day again for just over a month.
Also, I'll be taking him to the vet the second or third week in November for his annual shots, and I'll also ask them to test him for mange--again.
Could this be mange though, or just hot spot problems? When dogs get demodectic mange, does it usually become a chronic problem?

[Wlskb]

I would avoid giving shots!! You need.to improvement your dogs immune system first!!

[AHP84]

Thanks Jaybay. :-)

[Searria]

My dog has mange but I have no money to take her back to the vet because I just took her to the vet and it coasted me 201.29 just to get a shot and some samples for flee stuff is mange some thing that could kill my puppy she is about 6 months now or would it be ok to buy the shampoo and let her fight it off ?

[Jaybay]

You should definitely have a scraping done to make certain it IS mange before treating him again.

Chronic mange in the face of treatment indicates a poorly functioning immune system in the dog.  Sometimes it's just something that takes time - years really - before it kicks in.  I rescued a puppy who had the worst case of mange I've ever seen (his photo is in my profile pics) and it took 4 years for his own immune system to deal with it.  Back then we only had mitaban dip as a treatment, and while it was a royal pain, it did work.  Old Travis was the best dog we ever had too.  :-)

You might post your question to Dr. Cheng on the Ask a Vet board.  She's an expert with alternative veterinary medicine and she'll certainly have some good ideas to help keep your dog as healthy as possible so his immune system isn't constantly challenged.  Worth a try anyway.  :-)