Fort Dodge Animal Health’s product can treat demodectic mange

Fort Dodge Animal Health has asserted the relabeling of its ProMeris Duo gives veterinarians another option in treating canines with demodectic mange.

The European Medicines Agency has approved claims that the drug can manage the problem in dogs.

It is a skin disease caused by a mite called Demodex. Animals with a poorly developed immune system are susceptible to the lice and mothers often pass them on to their newborn puppies.

Symptoms include skin lesion, hair loss, irritation and an oily appearance. It is possible for the condition to develop into a secondary infection, causing lethargy, fever and weight loss.

Rami Cobb, senior vice-president of pharmaceutical research and development at the company, explained the product is an easy-to-use spot-on formulation to manage the problem.

“When we conducted field studies for the label claim, the before and after pictures of the dogs treated with ProMeris Duo were remarkable,” he said.

As well as resulting in visible improvements, most canines showed no signs of demodex mites a few months after therapy had begun, Mr Cobb concluded.

Fort Dodge Animal Health has been a division of Wyeth since 1945.