What is mange?

[dorkyD]

What is Mange? I have a 2 year old black lab.  A few weeks ago I noticed that he had dandruff really bad.  Then I noticed that he started losing his hair in areas.  I thought he got in a fight with 2 new dogs in the neighborhood.  He has red/scally areas where some hair fell out that seem crusty/dry?  Could that me mange?  He seems fine like he isn't sick.  He is allergic to bee's and probably some other stuff but he hasn't been able to get into anything?  

[krickett]

Mange is a mite but there are many different types of skin conditions that could cause hair loss. It might be mange, might be staph, maybe it's ringworm, or maybe it's just allergies. You'll need to take him to the vet to be certain. Don't risk not taking him and it being something you could get.

[mami1323]

My dog had this as well.  It's called cushings disease.  Is your dog losing hair on the sides and by the ears?  Are the legs and head the main areas that have hair and everything else is thinning?  My dog developed little scabs and the hair would fall off of those scabs.  It's treatable.  I'm not saying this is what it is but I would take your dog to the vet.

Below is a description of what cushings is:

Cushing’s syndrome is a disease with very distinct clinical signs in your pet. It is also called hyperadrenocorticism. Two small glands, the adrenal glands, that lay just ahead of your dog’s kidneys are responsible for this problem. When these glands over-produce the hormones, cortisones, hyperadrenocorticism results. All the symptoms of Cushing’s disease are due to this excess of cortisone in the body. Cortisones relax the ligaments of the abdomen and causes enlargement of the liver. This is why dogs with the disease have a potbelly. Cortisones decrease the growth of hair and thin the skin. It increases appetite and thirst, which results in weight gain and excessive drinking and urination. Cortisone decreases muscle mass resulting in limb weakness and debility. The production of connective tissue that stabilizes the joints decreases. Cortisones also regulate the mineral content of the blood.

The adrenal glands are regulated by the pituitary gland situated in the brain. The pituitary produces a hormone, ACTH. ACTH stimulates the adrenal gland to produce cortisones. Occasionally, an ACTH-producing tumor will form in the pituitary gland. This is one form of Cushing’s disease. It accounts for 85% of all cases. A second form of the disease occurs when a cortisone-producing tumor forms within the adrenal gland. A third form of the disease is man made. It occurs when a dog receives too much corticosteroid supplementation either in pill form or by injection. Sometimes this is the price of controlling some other serious disease.