Update and Summary: Foxes with Mange

A quick summary of previous posts about foxes in the Colvin Run Habitat and about mange illness in foxes. There many postings about Red-tailed Foxes visiting the Habitat, but only three postings about foxes infected with mange. I am posting this update to make sure that all information we know is easily found in this blog.

First and foremost, regardless of how cute they are, foxes are wild animals. Kids - talk to your parents. Parents - make sure you use good judgment and appropriate caution.

Fact and Fiction about Foxes with Mange:
>It is very common for individuals to believe that if they see a fox near their homes, looking or acting sick, that it must have rabies. 99% of the time this is not the case.
>The animal most likely is suffering from mange; a debilitating condition that causes severe scratching, open sores and loss of hair. >The good news is that it is easily treatable.

Information to help you understand an animal with mange:
>A fox with mange is very weak from an inability to hunt for food.
>They are tired and suffering from constant itching and burning sensations.
>Because they must eat they will venture close to homes looking for food. Pet food that is left outside is a frequent choice.
>The fox will not attack cats, dogs or children. Even under normal circumstances it is not aggressive. It will react however, if trying to be captured.
>They do not want to take up residence in your area permanently. If treated and allowed to recover they will move on.

However, mange, like many illness, needs to be treated with medication:
>See this site from upstate New York for details
>Mange in foxes is treatable with Ivermectin which is inexpensive and easy to obtain.

I am hoping that the recent anonymous commenter from Great Falls, Viriginia (a community adjacent to the Colvin Run Habitat), will continue to keep us up to date on the progress of treating his foxes.

If you have observations of foxes with mange and especially if you are able to treat mangy foxes with Ivermectin, I hope that you will post a comment and let us know your actual experiences and results.

In the meantime, 9 months have passed since we have observed a fox in the Habitat. But hope springs eternal, and we continue to wait for another blessing of foxes.

Update: Fox with Mange

amanda in the city asked in a comment last week, 'Whatever happened to the sick fox?'
When I last observed the sick fox, I had begun to put food out each night. The food disappeared; whether eaten by the fox or some other animal, I never knew. However unable to make contact with a previously mentioned wildlife recovery group, I had no strategy for treatment other than providing food.

After a few nights, the food was no longer eaten. Given a reading that a fox with mange seldom lives longer than 4 months and that I have not see the fox again, I assume that this fox died.

Since that time, I have found a rescue center in upstate New York offering a treatment strategy. If another fox with mange appears in the Colvin Run Habitat, I will employ the recommended strategy.

In the meantime, we await the arrival of a new fox, or two, or even a family.

The photo in this post is the signature Colvin Run Habitat fox - not the fox observed sick with mange.

Fox Returns Sick with Mange

I am starting this new post, with photos previous posted. If you prefer not to see a seriously ill fox, go no further than these first five photos.
I am writing this posting for two reasons. First, I think that it is appropriate to show that life for the animals in the Colvin Ron Habitat can be tough.
Second, I believe that this is an opportunity for wildlife education. Specifically, to discuss a fox infected with mange versus a fox with rabies.
These photos show a 120-day progression. In early October, this fox appeared healthy. In fact, I commented in a post that he looked healthy. By mid-November, even though he appeared to look (to me) healthy, he was beginning to stop and scratch himself. A sign of possible mange.
Here are three photos from the last week in January. Clearly, he is ill and in bad shape. I included the last photo to show his face as a comparison with the photos from October and November - this is the same fox. In the last photo, he did not stop and turn around to look at me - rather he stopped to bit at his shoulder.
After taking these photos, I again turned to the Web seeking an explanation. I would like to thank the National Fox Welfare Society for their photos of foxes with mange.
I would also like to thank the Wild Bunch Rehabilitation folks for their exaplanation of mange. Please visit their site. In fact, their information is so useful that I am repeating it below. Remember, you should not be approaching animals in the wild. Contact a local wildlife relief agency in you area.

Help! There's a fox outside during the day. What do I do?

Do you observe any of these behaviors?
>It is scratching, chewing or licking its skin.
>It has open sores or wounds.
>It has a bare tail, squinty eyes and/or a crusty film over mouth, eyes and nose.
>It moves slowly and often lies in one place for a long period of time.
>It appears thin, ragged and malnourished.
>It walks very slowly with stiff movements of hind legs.
>It is searching for food in daylight and close to humans and does not seem afraid.

Fact and Fiction about Foxes with Mange:
It is very common for individuals to believe that if they see a fox near their homes, looking or acting sick, that it must have rabies. 99% of the time this is not the case. The animal most likely is suffering from mange; a debilitating condition that causes severe scratching, open sores and loss of hair. The good news is that it is easily treatable.

Information to help you understand an animal with mange
>A fox with mange is very weak from an inability to hunt for food.
>They are tired and suffering from constant itching and burning sensations.
>Because they must eat they will venture close to homes looking for food. Pet food that is left outside is a frequent choice.
>The fox will not attack cats, dogs or children. Even under normal circumstances it is not aggressive. It will react however, if trying to be captured.
>They do not want to take up residence in your area permanently. If treated and allowed to recover they will move on.

What can you do?

>Stay calm and remember you are not in an unsafe situation.
>Call the Wildlife Rescue League at 703-440-0800. You will be put into contact with someone that can give you more information to handle your situation.
>Don’t attempt to capture the animal.
>Provide food and water for the animal - preferably in a safe quiet area.
>If being treated for mange, allow the fox to rest and heal in a place where you can monitor progress.
>Keep information available for neighbors that have questions or concerns.

Ill or Injured Red-Tailed Fox

I am adding this note on January 31, 2008. I now know that the fox discussed and pictured below has mange. A complete write up addressing a fox with mange is posted at January 20, 2008.

I wish I could report that all is well in the Colvin Run Habitat, but that is not the case. Our red-tailed fox is quite ill or injured. One day last week at 10:30 in the morning, the fox was observed under the bird feeder eating sunflower seeds by the mouth full. This is not unusual behavior as the fox was seen eating sunflower seeds a year ago. As you look at these photos, do not be disturbed by his mouth as what you are seeing is the fox chewing on the seeds and spitting out the shells – much like baseball players do.

Clearly, this fox is not in good health. His eyes show a lot of stress and appear to be discolored; the area around his right eye is pull and extended – perhaps even swollen or ulcerated. He appears sunken at the hip and gut; his coat lacks luster and appears to have thinned. The black spot on his forehead is new and may be an area lacking coat. The fox was noticeably limping and favoring the back right paw (you might notice in the third photo that he is not putting weight on that right back paw). This limping (back, right paw) was observed previously in January. The fox allowed me to take photos for a full two minutes and approach him as close as 35 feet. He looked up and directly at me on two occasions; finally, he trotted off through his normal place in the brush.
I suspect that you might have three questions. First, what is causing this condition? My thoughts and those of a colleague at the office are: an injury, an infection, or age. An injury could have been caused by a fight with another animal – another fox or a coyote (coyotes have not been observed in the Habitat, but I have observed one at the Meadowlark Garden Park about 2 miles away) – or by being hit by a car. The eyes could have been injured in an animal fight. The back right paw could be the result of an animal fight or a car hitting. Of course, the injured paw (as observed with the limping) means a lost step and the inability to successfully hunt food.
Second, could this fox have rabies? My colleague suggests most likely not – as he was not staggering, not falling down, not making small circles (like his balance is off), nor acting confused (signature of advanced rabies). Further, he was not at all interested in my presence – previously over the last 12 months he has allowed by to approach him as close as I did this time. Additionally, he would not be eating at all with rabies, but looking for lots of water. He clearly was there to eat the sunflower seeds and water was available (but not approached by him) in the bird baths and the tub used for the birds.
Third, is this the Colvin Run Habitat signature red-tailed fox? I think so. All of the fox photographs taken in the Habitat over the last 12 months included our signature fox. His behavior allowing me to approach, finding him at the base of the bird feeder, and his departure directly through his normal perch in the brush all suggest that this is our fox. However, the black mark on the forehead does not show in the previous photos.

I hope that future news will be about a much improved fox.