This is a hurry-up-and-do-it article. In other words, we’re going to tell you that something needs to be done, and soon. If you see (or think you see) mange in your pet, do something right away.

Mange is the kind of condition where it simply gets worse as time goes on. In nearly every case of normal mange, it doesn’t clear up on its own. It gets worse. Heads up to these four facts:

1. Mange becomes more set in the longer it persist without treatment. Mange is caused by mites–little creeply crawlies. The life cycle of a mite is simple:  live, reproduce, die. As the mites produce mange, they are producing more mites that produce more mange. And so on. Mange gets worse the longer this cycle goes on.
2. Mange causes intense pain and itching which grow progressively more agonizing the longer it goes on. Mange is really, really uncomfortable. The sad thing is, the longer it goes, the worse it gets. Mange sometimes becomes so bad that animals literally tear their skin in an effort to relieve the pain and itching. Not treating the mange causes this pain to grow worse.
3. Mange is more difficult to treat the longer it is left alone. The toughest cases of mange are usually cases where mange has just kept going without treatment. The longer mange is left without treatment, the longer and harder it will be to actually treat it.
4. Mange affects more animals as it persists. A final reason to treat mange ASAP is because the longer it goes, the more animals will probably get it. Mange is super contagious, and allowing it to go untreated is to allow those mites to spread to other pets.

Mange is nothing to mess around with. It’s a serious condition that requires a serious response. And the sooner, the better.