• Question: What is the most interesting medical problem in an animal that you have ever come across?

    Asked by biginside to Charlotte, Jo, Kevin, Louise, Valeria on 19 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 19 Jun 2012:


      Demodex – it’s a near mircroscopic arachnid type creature found in nearly every anaimal that has hair. It lives in follicles quite peacefully, we proably both have the in our eyebrows right now but they cause no distrubance most of the time, and the same can be said for many of them found in other spoecies.

      However, demodicosis, which is a medical condition caused by demodex occurs seemingly at random in some people/animals. It’s like a rash and can get quite severe sometimes. What is interesting to me is that so many animals, including can have them yet it only a tiny few react to them badly – its not allergies, but some underlying reason we don’t yet know.

    • Photo: Joanna Cruden

      Joanna Cruden answered on 19 Jun 2012:


      I think dogs being allergic to fleas is an interesting problem and one that is treatable.

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