What is Cheyletiella (a.k.a. "walking dandruff")?

Cheyletiella is a parasite that lives on the surface of the skin, causing both itchiness and dandruff, primarily on the back of the dog. Mainly puppies are affected. Cheyletiella can spread between species; dogs, cats and rabbits can be affected. If you own several dogs or cats then all animals need to be treated at the same time. Even people can get bitten by Cheyletiella which results in an itch. There are several types of treatments available against this skin mite. To get rid of the mites you need to decontaminate the home properly so you eliminate them from the environment, otherwise there is a risk for a re-infection. Decontamination involves hoovering every week (throw the bag away after each session), as well as washing all beds and blankets the dog usually sleeps or lies on. The treatment against Cheyletiella tends to last up to a couple of months since the mites have a long lifecycle and can survive without a host for 14 days. The infected dog should not meet or interact with other dogs until the treatment is over.