Generalized demodicosis in adult dogs almost always indicates underlying immune dysfunction, making investigation of the cause as important as treating the mite infestation itself.
Adult-onset generalized demodicosis signals serious underlying immune dysfunction and causes significant skin disease. The uncontrolled mite proliferation leads to hair loss, skin thickening, secondary bacterial infections, and in severe cases, deep skin infections that are extremely painful. The skin disease itself causes welfare harm through pruritus, pain, and the distress of extensive skin lesions. More fundamentally, the underlying immunosuppressive condition causing the demodicosis - often cancer, Cushing syndrome, or another serious disease - requires diagnosis and management to address the root welfare problem. Treating only the mites without investigating the underlying cause leaves the fundamental welfare issue unaddressed.