Treating Sarcoptic Mange in Red foxes

  I often get calls and e-mails from people who have a Red fox around that is acting lethargic or unfearful of humans.  They will stay close to houses and will eat under the bird feeders, seek refuge under decks and often lay in the hay in barns.  A scruffy appearance usually indicates that the fox has Sarcoptic mange. 

Sarcoptic mange is the name for the skin disease caused by infection with the Sarcoptes scabei mite.  The mites are microscopic and can't be seen by the naked eye.  Female Sarcoptes mites burrow under the skin and leave a trail of eggs behind. This burrowing creates an inflammatory response in the skin similar to an allergic reaction.  The motion of the mite in and on the skin is extremely itchy, as is the hatching of the eggs. This creates further allergic reaction and more itching, loss of sleep and reduced immune response.  Loss of fur, scaly skin  and a general unthrify appearance is characteristic of a Sarcoptic mange infestation.  The condition worsens as a skin infection sets in.  The Foxes immune system is even more compromised and internal parasites (tape, hook and round worms) begin to take over and absorb any nutrients that fox may find.  Mangy foxes are usually starving in the late stages. 

These foxes are not a threat to people, dogs, cats, etc.  They are close to people and buildings because there may be easy food such as cat or dog food left out in dishes, bird seed, garbage, insects, worms, roadkill and a mouse or two.  They are also losing their ability to thermoregulate  and need protection from wind, shade, sun, whatever the present need of the body is.  Mangy foxes (and coyotes) often seek out a pile of hay to lay in. Hay seems to relieve the itchiness and provide a source of comfort.

Sarcoptic mange is treatable if the animal is treated in time before the process of organ failure begins. The drug of choice is inexpensive and easy to obtain. Although it is an "off-label use" according to the FDA, Ivermectin injection for cattle and pigs is a very effective cure for Sarcoptic mange in foxes.  This injectable solution works orally and can easily be slipped into food. The ivermectin also treats a lot of the intestinal worms and any ear mites. The catch is this: it kills the mites living on the skin but doesn't kill the eggs .  These eggs will hatch and reinfect the fox, so it has to be administered  many times to kill the mange mites that hatch after treatment.  I strongly recommend treating Red foxes very aggressively, giving them the Ivermectin every three days for the first three weeks.  A daily feeding station using cat or dog food can be set up  to facilitate the administration of tasty treats laced with ivermectin.  A spoonful of canned cat food, a chunk of cooked chicken or venison can easily be injected with the solution.  Weeks four and five give the ivermectin every five days.  Weeks six through nine put the ivermectin every ten days.   

Ivermectin comes in two strengths- the 200 mL tall blue bottle  is a dilute 0.27% solution for Grower and Feeder Pigs.   0.5 ml (or cc) will treat a 10 lb fox. if your fox is an adult or young adult, it is a 10 lb fox.  A lot of people think they weigh more than that , but trust me, a mangy fox does not tip the scales past 10 lbs.  Fox pups may weigh less, and you can cut the dose in half.  You will need a large needle to draw the solution out of the bottle because the solution is rather thick. A very fine needle and small syringe will make it difficult to draw.  Ivermectin is a non- perscription product and available online through many livestock suppliers, such as Jeffers.com  Here is a link to the stuff I  recommend  http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=2&mscssid=WFQNXHV0PGK99JNWUX83NEEQSK27F9A6     tractor Supply stores carry Ivermectin too, and if they don't have the 0.27% solution, you can use the 1% cattle solution- but the dose will be considerably smaller.  You will need to get a needle and syring from someone to draw it out though. Don't use the pastes for horses or the pour-on for liestock!

The second  strength of Ivermectin is in a much smaller bottle  (50 mL) and is a concentrated 1% solution.  This injection solution is for cattle and large swine.  It costs around $45 at most farm stores- but it will last forever!  1 mL will treat a 110 lb cow. 0.5 cc will treat a 55 lb fox - of course we know that there are no 55lb foxes... so, you will need to really give a small amount!  I use 0.2 mL (or 0.2 cc) .  Giving the solution orally is much safer and has a larger margin for error than injecting it in foxes.

Of course other wildlife might get to the food before the fox does, so try to use your judgment and administer it the best way that will target only the fox.  Ivermectin is a pretty safe drug and won't harm most wildlife.  Some breeds of dogs can be very sensitive to it, particularly the collie family and Australian shepherds .  Use extra caution around domestic animals.  They use Ivermectin in third world countries to treat different things, such as scabies in humans.  Ivermectin is also used to treat dogs and cats for mange, though it is an off label use according to the FDA . 

A topical product called Revolution can be obtained through your veterinarian and used to help prevent your domestic dogs from picking up mange in the grass surrounding your property.  I have found Revolution to be a very effective preventative for mange, but a very ineffective cure for mange.  I apply Revolution to all my foxes just before they are released back to the wild as a preventative measure for them.  I have tried Revolution as a treatment on several foxes and a dog that had mange, and it simply did not treat the mange infestation at all. 

Can people get mange? You bet, but it won't live and reproduce on your skin.  It will give you one heck of an itchy red allergic reaction if you are sensitive to mange mites though.   I have had it more than a few times. it won't bother some people, and others it will.  I happen to be one of those sensitive to it.  In fact, I have used my own skin reaction as an indicator of if an animal's skin condition is actually mange or not.  Often a veterinarians skin scrape can  miss the mites,  but, my skin doesn't.  I have diagnosed mange in fawns, coyotes, dogs, very young fox pups and other tricky things that a skin scraping  had missed.  I will share my personal mange experience in a future blog  :0)   

Comments

[vicki]

please help , my 14 yr old collie has contacted sarcoptic mange has been treated but is now covered in a yeasty skin infection and my vet really is unhelpful , i am desperate and she is close to being put to sleep , am heart broken , the derbishire fox rescue have sent medicine through the post but i feel it may be too late please help . ps i live in the uk, thank you.

[katie]

Hi i'm worried about a small mangy fox in my garden. i live in the UK and can't find ivermectin but can get ivomec for cattle- is this the same stuff?
Many thanks

[Melanie Tilghman]

Regards!

I wanted to thank you for the information you posted on this site, and for assisting me in helping our local fox. When I first started treated the fox, it was totally devoid of fur. It has been over 10 weeks, and through careful administration of the ivermectin, our fox, his wife and young child now all are beginning to grow fur coats once more. They are more difficult to catch sight of these days at the feeding station, as the healthier they get, the stealthier they appear to become as well. We are delighted that we have been able to help this young family become healthier, and that they will all have fur once more before winter.

Once again, thanks so much for your shared information, supplier information, and for taking time out of your hectic schedule to answer my initial questions. The only question I have remaining is whether these foxes are now dependent on us for their regular meals (they come nightly), as it would help as far as dog food bag planning (they love the chicken and rice Pro Plan kibble)?

Though I have been unable to catch a picture of the family once again growing their fur, I do have pics of the original "naked" fox should you desire to see how he started out with us.

[501 (c) 3 Not For Profit]

The Ivermectin would be a good wormer for the cats. It wont hurt them at all

Elise Able

East Concord, NY

http://foxwoodrehab.typepad.com/

[Emily]

Will Ivermectin harm the stray cats that I also feed. We've watched the fox's health deteriorate rapidly. It doesn't even look like a fox anymore. It almost looks blind. I wish I could catch it to have it put down. It breaks my heart.

[Keith]

There are no foxes or coyotes where I live, but instead of people calling them "chupacabra's", they should be trying to treat the mange in these native animals. Why let an epidemic like this kill innocent creatures when locals or any rangers can try to help rehabilitate them.

[Amymichel]

Thanks so much for this article. I know of at least one fox who lives in the cemetery where I walk my dogs, and is displaying classic signs of mange. Thanks to this article, I have ordered the ivermectin and am in the process of cooking chicken livers to medicate and leave out in a place only the foxes can access. One question, though: can ivermectin be toxic to foxes with heartworm, or is this a chance one should take? Anyways, I really appreciate all of the information. I will do my best to get pictures.

[Christine O'Keefe]

I can't seem to find the .27% solution on the Jeffers website - just a 1% solution. Am I reading this incorrectly? If you can let me know exactly which product I should buy for treating our foxes, I'd appreciate it! And thank you so much for your website! Great to know someone cares and offers a solution other than having the animals shot!
Chris

[LInda Izett]

A mother fox was killed on my road in May in Berwyn, PA. My neighbor and I have been feeding the six babies for 3 months. We have used ivermectin on all of them with success but our runt still has mange. The other 5 are hunting and just having a snack with us. We hope they will disperse in the fall. We are going to try to up the dosage of ivermectin in hopes of curing our last one who is still small, mangy, and very dependent on us.

[LInda Izett]

A mother fox was killed on my road in May in Berwyn, PA. My neighbor and I have been feeding the six babies for 3 months. We have used ivermectin on all of them with success but our runt still has mange. The other 5 are hunting and just having a snack with us. We hope they will disperse in the fall. We are going to try to up the dosage of ivermectin in hopes of curing our last one who is still small, mangy, and very dependent on us.

[Linda Baker]

I am just beginning an Ivermectin treatment for some mange infested fox which are frequenting my yard. What is the likelihood of the rabbits and birds and (me?) contracting this mite from the fox being in the yard?
Thank you for the great info in your website. Without it I would not know what to do for these suffering animals.

[James crawford]

I live on a farm in Michigan and have a fox den under a barn the a mother and three kits the mother had mange some guy spotted her and came to the house and said I had to shoot her I told him to leave her alone the S.O.B must have came back and shot her skined her and through her pelt in my driveway Iam just sick its A fruit farming area and fox are beneficial well there are still three kits I fed them some dog food is this the right thing to do what should I do I whish I got that guys plate number when he pulled out of my driveway Iam very angry I never seen him before In my life thats crazy I guess my question is will it be alright to feed them and if so should I put a half dose of Ivermetin In food

[Bob in Boston]

This is great. My in-laws have a family of foxes near their house in the Rocky Foothills (Colorado). A number of the foxes have developed mange, hopefully this will help them if we can get the treatment going. They are such beautiful animals, a shame to see them go sick and suffer. Thanks again!

[cson johnson]

thank you for this detailed information. we have had fox with mange on our property and yes, being a rabies vector species no one wants to trap and get them to rehab, just euthanize. we have been treating our fox with ivomec injected into a hard boiled egg and she has no problem accepting the snack. we set up a "feeding station" of sorts (raised up off the ground) and though we have no positive results yet, i will be looking for them.

[Nicole Macleod]

I have a fox as well in my yard and it comes very close to my kids and everything around here. I can see that she is in trouble. As a human i feel it is my job to help out, and so that what i have done. I called for help for the fox. Now I'm waiting for the help!!

[Gary Morgan]

Thanks so much for the info. on ivermectin, I just got back from tractor supply and have put out a plate for a very sad looking red fox with a pretty bare looking tail. I am not sure how long I should do this for and would appreciate it if someone could advise me. Thanks, Gary.

[Rob Wilson]

I have a mangy fox in our yard that I thought I would treat. I see the 0.2 ml ivermectin advice but not the frequency. On another site, I saw a recommended treatment of once a week for 5-6 weeks. Is that right?

[Wendy Graziani]

We have a fox on our farm that definielty has Sarcoptes. I am a vet so we are going to treat it with Ivermectin. Thank you for your article, it was very helpful.

Dr. Wendy Graziani
Friendsville, TN

[Bob Russell]

We have fox that come around our bird feeders, chase squirrels, etc. Saw one of them today and his tail was completely void of fir and his rump was balding.

Is this mange or did he get in a fight?

I guess i didn't get much time to study him but he looked generally "mangy" I guess I was wondering if it could be rabies.

Thanks for your time.

[501 (c) 3 Not For Profit]

Wow!

How nice!

Thank you! I am so happy for your fox that she found someone compassionate to help her through that mange! Thank you very much!!!!!

Any photos of her?

Elise

Elise Able

East Concord, NY

http://foxwoodrehab.typepad.com/

[Steve Glovinsky]

I thought you would be pleased to hear about a success story, following your instructions – We have a fox den on our property in Westport CT – a real “foxhole”, dug out under an old stone wall in the woods about 50 yards from the house that’s only visible in the winter. In early spring last year we saw a red fox there, feeding a goose to her two kits. Then in late October I saw her a few times running by the house, but most of the fur on her hind quarters and tail was gone. Having spent many years in developing countries, it was easy to recognize as mange, which was confirmed when a neighbor mentioned seeing a hairless fox on the road near his house. The local wildlife shelter said they don’t treat foxes because they are rabies vectors, and I should call the DEP who will shoot it. A relative who’s a vet said that she was not allowed to give me advice without a wildlife rehabilitation license. So I googled “red fox mange”, and here I was. I ordered the Ivermectin and needles from Jeffers Livestock, and when it came I put it in dog food in a bowl and put it in the den in the evening. Next morning it was gone - and so was our bowl. So I switched to paper plates and continued the treatment… I followed the feeding schedule, but as it got colder I added some untreated food in between, since I figured that she would be in no shape to hunt without a coat. Over this time we didn’t see her at all, but the food got eaten. Then in the first snowfall, around Christmas, I checked for prints, and they were there. Last week, with the treatment done, we saw her come out of the den, looking fit, with her fur short but growing back, and off she went….

So many thanks for your advice; it is nice to know there’s a place to go to for help…

[s]

Thanks!
I have begun folowing your advice ... i am hopeful it will work

[Jeramie Dreyfuss]

I use the Ivermectin 12 oz powder and can promise that it works. I keep running out because I give it to everyone here in Idaho because if fish and game had their way all red foxes would die from mange. It is so sad. Sometimes you think they are healthy and they come close and their eyes are almost sealed shut. I treat with the powder one week in a row then every three weeks to kill any eggs that reinfect or hatch. Hair all growing back, eyes open. I mix it with a can of dog food on top of dry food and always put out clean water. They love eggs and always put out 8 eggs every night. Nutrition alone will not save them from mange. Only Ivermectin can do it. Please treat these poor babies. The death is a terrible one. We can save them. I have saved foxes that looked like it was too late.

[Tina Farnsworth]

Thank you for this info. We had a fox on our deck one day and then came out from under our deck the next. It ran fairly quickly from our home, so I was not able to get a good look. At first sight, I did not think it was a red fox since it did not have its red furry coat and a skinny tail. Just today, I came face to face with it in our driveway as I went out to the car. I got a good look this time and it was a red fox (the tip of the tail was white). The poor thing looks horrible, and since it has been lurking around our house, I am assuming that it has mange. I think I may call my vet to see if she can do something. Thanks again for the info.

[Peggy Bashline]

I cannot thank you enough for this invaluable information. I was crushed to discover my pal behind the fence developing what looks like a crusty muzzle. When I noticed his eyes appeared sleepy about three weeks ago, I had suspicions .... until I googled 'sleepy eyes red fox' and found your article. Maybe I will be able to save this magnificent sweetheart.

I still worry about the spread of disease ... for me, my husband, my dog and cat .... who relish the back yard??? Presently, we're very healthy with good immune systems I suppose, but we would like more info regarding just how possible it might be to become infected. What scenarios might put us at risk? Should we avoid rolling/sitting on our lawn? Are wet lawns more dangerous? Does cold weather kill the mites? Will the other foxes in the area likely contract this disease from the infected fox? I have noticed they do not come close him as of late, as if he is being shunned. It is all so painful to watch. I must see the sick one well and happy again, playing with his buds.

Details, Details, Please. Thank You So Very Much!!!

Peggyb