Help me help Fox with mange!!??

[alto]

[QUOTE=mildot;5869503]

I, OTOH, would just shoot it to end its suffering and be done with it. [/QUOTE]

Repetition seldom wins converts - this course of action has already been rejected by the OP, read her introductory post

I’m trying to get the exact dosage and treatment plan for Ivermectin

& choose your response thereon.
Why even add your 2cents at all in this instance & especially why so argumentative/defensive about it - to the point of hijacking/derailing the OP’s thread: start your own topic on shooting foxes with mange if you want to stand on your soapbox & pontificate.

@mildot;5869503

I would not leave a piece of meat or other bait laced with pharmaceuticals in a field hoping the right animal would take it.

Perhaps you would leave the bait in a field, I rather suspect the OP was intending to leave it in the old horse shed as that would be far more practical :rolleyes:

Gil’s Girl you might contact the
American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians

The lovely vets at Tufts thought this fox desrved something different than a few bullets
Tufts clinic contact

[Equibrit]

That fox lives by natures laws. The weak get mange, and some die; the strong survive. You either take the animal in, fix it and become responsible for it’s future wellbeing, let nature take it’s course, or humanely destroy the animal. YOUR choice.

PS. He is not a cuddly Disney character looking to you with gooey eyes, in the hope of your being his saviour.

[Gil_s_Girl]

Thank you to everyone with helpful info, I’ve found the correct dosage with helpful contacts - I appreciate the information.

Think it’s probably time to stop this thread, since the question was answered, and I don’t want it to go on for pages with a ton of divided opinion being shared, whether asked for or not:)

Thanks again.

[wateryglen]

Just my 2 cents!!

I have treated them and heard of them treated thusly:
The dose of the 1% Ivermec you get at the feed store in the large vial is .05 CC injected into some meat source and left for them to eat. Of course I would consult a wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian on this but local foxhunts have done this. The hard part is getting YOUR fox to get it of course. So since you know where he sleeps; perhaps leaving it there at night.

First I’d establish a “feeding station” of dog kibble, hot dogs, chicken necks. Watch your fox’s daily habits. Many use the same route out hunting. I saw one I treated every evening out in the back edge of the pasture so I started leaving food out every evening. He got so he waited almost for me. I’d be walking away and he’d pop out and gobble it up. Then you can leave the injected meat for him and keep feeding him every evening so he comes in to the feeding station. Make the feeding station on the edge of a covert or fenceline/woods. Feed him for the whole time you’re treating him to see if he’s getting it, getting better etc. You can assume he misses some of your doses unless you’re sure. Anything will help. Feeding him regularly will allow you observation opportunities. Of course keep a far distance. When you’re sure he’s doing well then start weaning him from the feeding station by leaving food only every other night. Then every third and so on. Don’t want him dependent on it but while he’s weak it will help.

DO do a search on this subject on this forum. You’ll find some good suggestions as we’ve previously covered this…without the other comments…:winkgrin:

Tip! I suggest you practice injecting water into your meat first before using the Ivomec. Use a small tiny needle to prevent it leaking back out the meats skin. I’ve injected hot dogs and seen it all leake back out. Chicken skin can be pulled sideways then injected into muscle tissue then the skin pulled back over that site to “seal” it in! TA DA!!!

And cheers to you for caring and asking and doing something…we are blessed to live with them and it doesn’t hurt a thing to help some. Not a thing. Those doses won’t harm most dogs & cats. It’s wise to make sure that your barn cats & dogs stay away of course so they’ll come in. You may have to restrain them some. Don’t let THEM find out you have a feeding station or your dog may suddenly start putting on weight!!

[Gil_s_Girl]

Thank you - the wildlife rehabber I spoke with said .2 cc of the Eqvalan 3x wk to start, which seems like a lot, I gave .15 this evening, hope it wasnt way too much… .05 sounds more correct for weight.

I’m the child of documentary wildlife film makers, raised in and around nature of all kinds, I don’t have any issues with disney type ideals, but I have compassion and perspective and hope I always will. Thanks to everyone who has had good ideas, and if anyone else has been in the same position and has any more tips or suggestions, please feel free to pm me, I would love to hear from you.

[AKB]

I believe our local wildlife rehabber gives 0.12ml of the 1 percent solution. I think she uses a 1ml syringe and injects it into a hot dog that she gives to the mange covered fox. I think she does it once or twice a week for several weeks. That is the part I don’t remember.

[omare]

I think the biggest danger is to make sure a nonmangy fox does not get the treated meat for if the nonmangy fox has heart worm, the wormer will kill the heart worm and the fox indirectly. (So I have been told.) I think if a mangy fox has heart worm…well it was not going to be end well anyway.

Good luck.

[Foxtrot_s]

Thank you for caring… Nature is Nature, but somehow ignoring something’s suffering when something can be done seems quite wrong to me.

[altjaeger]

If you are this concerned about the fox, OP, why not live-trap it and take it to a vet who can cure the mange and check for other health problems?

[JSwan]

That’s illegal, altjaeger. And extremely dangerous.

[altjaeger]

Not sure why it would be dangerous, but yeah, sometimes “the law is an ass”, as they say.

[JSwan]

Um, because mange is contagious and the fox is a rabies vector species.

Her trapping it and taking it to the vet is likely to result in the fox’s destruction, her getting a series of rabies shots, and every animal in the clinic getting exposed to mange. Plus a hefty fine for breaking her state’s game laws.

But hey - if you want to think the law is an ass go right ahead and trap a mangey fox and try and try and wrestle it out of the trap without getting bitten or exposed to saliva or mange. Let us know how that works out.

[altjaeger]

Well, I had in mind no wrestling, just hauling the trap with fox inside to the vet – no touching at all. I think the law is an ass in this case because it is probably intended to prevent people abusing wildlife – not helping it.

[JSwan]

The law is there not only to protect wildlife, but to protect people as well. Especially when it comes to rabies vector species.

Those laws are also there to prevent people from trying to trap or handle wildlife with the purpose of making them into pets. There are idiots out there who do try and turn raccoons and other animals into pets - then when the animal grows out of his “cute furry” phase - dump it. And the animal dies of starvation or exposure.

People handling wildlife are required to be licensed.

Wildlife rehabbers are licensed, and do work with vets.

For the rest of us, our options are limited - and they are limited because it is in the best interest of wildlife to limit ignorant humans from “helping”. Even if those humans have the best of intentions. Putting out some ivermectin laced bait is pretty benign. Arguably.

[Kryswyn]

I thought I’d heard that there are other foxhunters who have put out rabies vaccine in chicken to keep their territories free of rabies. Must be some different kind of rabies vaccine though because I thought rabies had to be injected intra-muscularly.

[jawa]

Jswan,

I had typed, but hadn’t hit post, the following:

Or the law is there to protect people from their own stupidity.

Thanks for putting it in kinder terms.

[jetsmom]

[QUOTE=Kryswyn;5872609]
I thought I’d heard that there are other foxhunters who have put out rabies vaccine in chicken to keep their territories free of rabies. Must be some different kind of rabies vaccine though because I thought rabies had to be injected intra-muscularly.[/QUOTE]

Out here, they put out bait with a rabies vaccine in it for coyotes. It isn’t as effective as the injection, but it’s better than nothing. It’s just a bitch getting the collar and rabies tag on them. (jk)

[wateryglen]

JMHO!

I believe the rabies vaccine used for dogs is not supposed to be used for wild animals. Ask a vet why. I forget. I’ve seen it kill foxes. Doubt an oral dose works at all.

But just as a caution…mange is catchy for all animals AND HUMANS. It creates a horrible itchy rash. I’ve had it & know this first hand. You can catch it from the bedding and anything that’s touched the fox. Real pain to get rid of it once it’s transferred species!! If you get it; you can give it to your pets and so on. Wear gloves, wash hands, avoid direct contact, be careful. Pretend it’s “Cooties” and you don’t wanna catch it!! :winkgrin:

Be sure to let us know how it all worked out! We wish you luck!

[gothedistance]

Resurrecting this thread because one of our sets of fox kits that were born on our property this spring - who loved to play in my stable in the early morning behind my back! - well, I “bumped” into one of them yesterday unexpectedly in my stable. It quickly scooted out the back door, but not before I saw the tell-tale mangy rat tail and beginning hair loss on the hindquarters. It ran a few yards then turned around to look at me. I walked forward and studied the young creature. It regarded me for a few seconds, then trotted further away before stopping and looked at me again. I got a good look at the fur and hide - the mange hasn’t quite overtaken as yet. There was still some hair on the tail, and hair on the hindquarters. If treated, I’m willing to bet my little fox has a sporting chance to be healed.

Then it trotted away over the rise behind one of my fields and disappeared, taking pretty much the same track as a GORGOUS fox that crossed me and my Shelties path just two weeks ago, loping right across our path as we were walking up our property line. That drop-dead beautiful adult fox with a droolworthy deep red coat with white-splashed tail tip, had trotted across my neighbor’s big field in full sight of me and my dogs walking, and passed within 10 feet -if it was an inch!- of my bitch’s nose - who was only 3 steps in front of me, and 5 in front of her brother lagging behind me. It sure took my two 13 year old , pretty much blind and mostly deaf, blue merle bro and sis by complete surprise. Me too. I laughed to myself and kept walking and watched the fox casually disappear in an easy lope over the rise, gone in a twinkling, even before it registered in the two dogs minds what had happened. They both stopped, lifted their ears, then turned and looked up at me as if to say “WTF was THAT???”

LOL!!

Herding dogs. Gotta love 'em.

Anyway, back to my little mangy teenage cub. I know it frequents the stable, and would not be surprised to find it sleeps in there. The stable is currently empty since my ponies (quite warmly dressed in expensive turnouts) are out 24/7 with warm dry sheds. I want to lay out some chicken necks with Ivermectin for the little critter. Only problem is - that stuff is deadly to the Sheltie and Collie breeds so it can’t be left anywhere where my dogs even have a remote chance of finding it. I do NOT bring my dogs down to the stable anymore - their being hard of hearing and too sight-poor anymore, I have to spend all my time watching them instead of doing other things. So they have their back yard, but spend 99% of the time in the house, sleeping. I can tuck the baited chicken away in places in the stable that are hard to reach for a dog, but not for a fox.

Anyway, I need to know if the OP was successful in treating her little fox before I take steps in treating my little guy. Catching or killing it isn’t on the table.

[Gil_s_Girl]

My fox appears to be doing very well:) It’s hard to tell, bc we have two on the property, but the ivermectin laced food was eaten pretty regularly, and I gradually stopped putting it out - the fox no longer sleeps in the shed for warmth, and I’ve seen a healthy looking one around every few weeks - I can’t say for sure that it’s the same one, but I hope so…

I have a border collie too, so the ivermectin is a real worry, but my pastures are fenced with no-climb wire and boards, so quite dog-proof, so I felt safe leaving it out. I followed the instructions I found that had it on a dose every other day for a month, then gradually decreasing - I used hot dog, or any leftovers from my dog’s food - chicken bones, a bit of cat food, etc. Is there anywhere safely away from your dogs that you can place the food?

Good luck!