Question of the Day

Demodex & Cheyletiella.

Demodex is easy to identify with its “pine cone with a tail” appearance.

The larger mite is Cheyletiella. Cheyletiella mites have 3 pairs of long legs and one pair of short legs (adjacent to the head).

Look for hooks rather than suckers at the end of the legs (Chorioptes and Sarcoptes have suckers). The Cheyletiella mite is also larger than Chorioptes or Sarcoptes.

Dorsal seborrhea is a typical clinical sign of Cheyletiella (hence the nickname, “walking dandruff”) with only mild pruritus. In contrast sarcoptic mange causes severe pruritus.

Chorioptes is not known to affect dogs. Psoroptes causes dermatitis in small ruminants; Otodectes is the ear mite of dogs and cats.

Refs: Scott & Miller’s Equine Dermatology, 2^nd ed. pp 287-93 and Cote, Clinical Veterinary Advisor-Dogs and Cats, 3^rd ed. pp. 176-7, 264-6. Image courtesy of Dr. Patrick Hensel.