Demodex Mites and Your Bulldog's Immune System

Demodex Mites and Your Dog: "Demodectic mange is also contagious, in that most dogs acquire the
infection from their mother. The mite usually lives in relative harmony
with the dog and it is assumed that most dogs have Demodex canis mites on
their body. If the dog's immune system is competent the mites are
suppressed and never achieve large enough numbers to cause
damage. Sometimes, local areas of the skin are affected by hair loss
(alopecia) and secondary bacterial infections are common. When there are a
number of spots, or the spots have spread over large areas of the body and
when these spots do not clear up without treatment in four to eight weeks,
the dog is said to have generalized demodectic mange. Localized demodectic
mange is thought to occur due to transient stress or a decrease in local
immune function at the affected sites. Generalized demodectic mange is
thought to be due to a specific deficiency in T-cells that suppress these
mites. This is thought to be a hereditary condition "

--more genetic problems for the bulldog
E.S.