Can I Give My Dog Cattle Ivermectin for Demodectic Mange?

We understand money is tight, and we're glad you want to help him. But please don't give him the cattle injection. Livestock ivermectin is far more concentrated than anything made for dogs, and it's very easy to overdose. Overdoses can poison any dog, causing tremors, blindness, seizures and even death, and dogs with the MDR1 gene mutation, found in Collies, Australian Shepherds and other herding breeds and their mixes, are especially at risk.

A sore near the eye could be mange or something else, so it's worth having him seen. In young dogs, a small localized patch of demodectic mange often clears on its own; in adult dogs it more often needs treatment and a check for an underlying cause. Demodectic mange isn't contagious to people or other dogs. Try to keep him from rubbing the area, and watch whether it spreads.

For a proper diagnosis and safe treatment, look for a low-cost clinic, a humane society or animal shelter, or a veterinary school near you, or call a vet, explain your situation and ask about lower-cost options or payment plans. Widespread mange is now often treated with chewable flea and tick medicines prescribed off-label. Read more about demodectic mange and safe treatment options.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.