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Fox Mange, Dog Mange and Canine Mange do not exist, there are no such conditions! They are names that have been wrongly applied to a very irritating condition called Sarcoptic Mange.
A very small mite who burrows under the top layers of skin on canine animals causes this condition. This causes a reaction that makes the fur fall out and the animal often becomes emaciated and dehydrated.
Sarcoptic mange does not kill foxes, however, the secondary effects of mange can. Dehydration can cause kidney problems and a build up of toxins in the blood. As the mite burrows under the skin this can cause it to crack and sores may appear. These can become infected and may, like the toxins in the kidney, lead to septicaemia setting in.
During the spring and early summer foxes will look scrawny and they also start to moult, this can sometimes be confused with mange.
If caught early enough it is possible to treat foxes suffering from mange quite easily. All foxes that are suffering from mange should have easy access to fresh water in order to combat the dehydration.
The use of multi-vitamins are not normally necessary but olive oil and other similar oils can be hidden in food to help improve the skin condition and help the flaky skin fall off – helping to prevent it building into a thick crust.
Foxes which suffer from mange – as with most sick and injured foxes – will take more risks and will like sun bathing in safe gardens during the day time.
Collapsed foxes should be reported to your local Wildlife or Fox Rescue as soon as possible. |
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Fox suffering from minor mange. |
Same fox with fur regrowing after 14 days. |
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White spots in the coat can be a sign of a recovered mange fox . |
This fox is being rehabilitated back in to the wild. |
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| How do you treat mange? |
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| There are several ways in which you can treat mange. |
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There is a homeopathic medication called “Arsen Alb – Sulph” which can be obtained from Helios Homeopathic Pharmacy at Tunbridge Wells , Kent .
It is used by applying four drops to a sandwich every night. This is then fed to the fox. However you must stop treatment as soon as you see an improvement otherwise the medication will have the opposite effect and cause a skin irritation. |
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Garlic is also a very good way of treating mange. It helps in three ways. When you crush fresh garlic a chemical reaction takes place producing a substance called “Alicin” which is similar to Penicillin. Russian soldiers during World War One used it before Penicillin was invented. Garlic is also known to help boost the immune system.
In addition to the above, as the garlic oil escapes through the pores in the skin, the mange mite is put off burrowing through the skin and will leave the host.
The best and most effective way of using garlic is to hide a quarter of a clove (¼ of one segment of a bulb) crushed and hidden inside each of four sausages per night. You may need to use jam to hide the taste of garlic on the outside of the sausage.
Garlic is a good treatment and a preventative measure if mange foxes are in the area. This treatment should be continued until fur is seen growing back. (Normally about 3-4 weeks.) |
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Cage Trap and Conventional Treatment with the use of Ivormectin or Selamectin. Foxes in a severe state can be caught and be treated with the help of a veterinary surgeon. However, foxes with failing kidneys may not be fit enough to be treated with conventional medication straight away. This course of treatment is guaranteed and takes about 2-3 weeks to complete – but can be highly stressful on the fox.
Recovering foxes will at first become flakier as the dried skin is pushed away by new fur |
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Can other animals catch mange from foxes?
Apart from dogs sarcoptic mange is found only in canine animals. There are other different forms of mange, which affect other species, but they do not cross species. Cats, rabbits and guinea pigs are not affected by sarcoptic mange in foxes.
Humans can carry the mite for short periods of time and it has been known for some humans to have allergic reactions to the mite. However, this is mainly a risk to rescuers and carers who handle foxes and come into bodily contact with them.
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