Evaluation of the acaricidal efficacy of the combined use of tea tree oil and clove oil against demodectic mange in dogs

Canine demodicosis is a skin disease that is a major global health problem in dogs. In addition to the small number of drugs used in canine demodicosis, its treatment is time-consuming and difficult to apply. This study aimed to evaluate the antiparasitic activity of cream containing tea tree oil and clove oil and/or sarolaner application in dogs with demodicosis. 24 dogs with generalized demodicosis were randomly divided into three groups. Dogs in Group 1 were treated with oral sarolaner (twice) monthly. Cream containing tea tree oil (5%) and clove oil (2.5%) was applied topically to Group 2 for 56 days. Sarolaner (twice) and the cream (for 56 days) were applied to dogs in Group 3. Mites were counted monthly in deep skin scrapings and the severity of skin lesions was evaluated. At the end of the study, parasitological cure was achieved in 75%, 14.2% and 100% of the dogs treated in the groups, respectively. On day 28, the number of mites decreased by 96.96%, 66.08% and 99.31% for groups 1, 2 and 3 and by 99.57%, 89.78% and 100% on day 56, respectively. The number of dogs with >90% hair regrowth at the end of the study was 5, 1 and 8, respectively. Erythema, hyperpigmentation and lichenification were completely healed in Group 3. Monthly oral sarolaner application was safe and highly effective in the treatment of generalized demodicosis in dogs. The antiparasitic effect of the cream in dogs with demodicosis was lower than soralaner. The combined use of the cream and soralaner can be recommended to shorten the duration of treatment and increase the healing of skin lesions.