Cheap Home Cures for Mange

• Mange mostly affects dogs. dog image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com

  Mange is a skin condition caused by an infestation of minuscule mites which commonly affects dogs and sometimes affects cats. To combat mange, a range of cheap home cures is available, including chemical treatments, baths and a number of products found in your kitchen. Mange can be life threatening if not treated, but the quicker you tend to your pet's coat the speedier its recovery and the less likely the mange is to spread.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Borax

• The most effective way to treat mange is with a hydrogen peroxide solution which you can buy at your local drugstore. Mix 1 percent hydrogen peroxide with 1 to 2 tablespoons of borax, and 1 cup of water per tablespoon of borax, ensuring the mixture is completely dissolved. Wash your pet with this solution once a week, allowing the coat to air dry. Repeat this for no longer than two months.

Treatments from the kitchen

• Lemon slices steeped in hot water can soothe the itching. lemon slices on plate image by Aussiebloke from Fotolia.com

  Cooking oil will kill the mites and stop the spread of mange. It will also sooth the irritation and soften the skin. Apply two drops of cooking oil directly onto the mange patches. Use 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt containing acidophilus to cure mange on the inside of ears. You can also use vinegar or lemon and honey to treat the mange once the mites have been killed. Apply 1 tablespoon of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar or honey to the coat to lessen the itching. Lemon is another remedy; drop lemon slices with the peel on into boiling water and let them steep overnight. Sponge the mixture into your pet's coat the next day.

Healing the skin with good grooming

• Warm, soapy baths will help to get rid of the mites on your pet's skin. Regular baths will heal the afflicted skin and stop the mange from spreading to other parts of the body. Regularly brushing out the coat will also help to remove scabs from the skin. Wash your pet's bedding and any other places it sleeps to make sure they don't get infested again.