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Mitaban Toxicity: Evaluating Effectiveness vs Risks

Dogs > Skin and Hair Conditions > Mitaban Toxicity: Evaluating Effectiveness vs Risks

Mitaban is used for treating dog's with skin parasites that lead to demodex mange and to control ticks. You will also see it called Amitraz, which is the active ingredient in Mitaban. It's primarily formulated as a topical medication for bathing or dipping your dog.

Risks, Studies, Clinical Information

There are some risks associated with treating dogs with Mitaban. Here is a sampling of the official risks, but they depend on the level you use on your dog and other factors specific to some dogs.

Risks Discovered in Lab Tests

May alter your pet's ability to maintain homeostasis
Animals should not have stress for at least 24-hours after exposure
Caused liver tumors in female mice
Depending on treatment dosage, some dogs experience sedation within 8 hours of treatment
Some female dogs experienced elevated blood glucose levels
Dry skin and coat
Low blood pressure, decreased body temperature, and slow heart rate
Ataxia (neurological indication showing lack of coordination of muscles)
Vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures
Safety tests have not been established for testing on pregnant dogs or very young puppies (less than 4 months old)

Effectiveness vs Risks

Overall, many animal professionals indicate that out of all the dogs administered Mitaban (for various conditions) they do not suffer ill effects. Like all medications, some dogs are more sensitive to the drug than others. If your dog gets a life threatening condition, forgoing treatment can be more detrimental to his health than not using a topical solution.

Your best bet is to use this product safely to avoid complications. A problem can arise if you use the wrong amount of the solution on your dog, such as bathing him too frequently.

When a dog gets a condition such as demodex mites, which antibiotics cannot help, you need a good solution to keep your pet safe. Mitaban is approved by the FDA for treatment of demodex mange and it is consistently effective as a medication for dogs.

Use the shampoo on your dog every other week for 6 to 8 applications or until 2 consecutive skin scrapings come back negative. This likely gets rid of 80% of the demodex mange cases.

Tips for Administering Mitaban to Prevent Risks

Bath your dog with a mild soap and water and dry him before treatment
Clip your dog's hair if he is a long or medium haired breed before treatment
Use the correct dosage for your dog's size and breed. A normal dosage is 10.6 ml (one bottle) to 2 gallons of warm water (that's 250 ppm of the active drug).
A different amount of water and shampoo is required for each dog depending on his size; follow instructions thoroughly
Use a different batch of water and shampoo for each dog. If you own more than one dog and bath them in the same water, it can spread dermal infections. The product will also be less effective.
Remove all scabs and clean all sores prior to application. Sponge or pour the solution onto your dog's entire skin surface.

Take as many safety measures as you can to prevent mange and ticks. In high season, check your dog manually for ticks and always feed him a nutritious diet. Dogs that have low immune systems are more prone to developing serious illnesses like mange.

If your dog does not respond well to Mitaban, other treatments for demodex mange are available, including Ivermectin (injection or oral) and milbemycin (Interceptor Rx).

also see How Dog Bald Spots Develop

also see Mange Mites - Demodex Treatment

also see Sarcoptic Mange, Scabies, Red Mange

also see Zoonotic - Ringworm