Sarcoptic mange is caused by a parasitic mite (Sarcoptes scabiei) that burrows just beneath the surface of the skin. Sarcoptes scabiei mites bury into the skin of healthy wildlife and feed on material in and on the skin.  Sarcoptic mange is also known as scabies and is zoonotic, which means it is transmissible to humans. The the female sarcoptic mite burrows into the skin to lay her  eggs, this causes intense itching and scratching that can cause open wounds. The tiny mites crawl out of the skin to feed and the cycle repeats. The scratching causes fur lots and can lead to infection and if untreated the wild  animals l will usullay die of the symptoms .  An affected fox  will constantly chew and scratch its  skin. Diagnosis is made by a skin scraping examined under a microscope and a treatment given the first does kills the mite and the second does kills the new born mites. Homeopathic medicine will not work but can improve skin condition. As a veterinary surgery we comply with regulations and  we cannot prescribe medicine in the first instance, when we don’t have the patient. Our vets would need to see it. We would love to have a full mange block to trap and treats wild animals that have mange.  We need a fundraiser.   

Mange is commonly seen in fox populations in the UK and can be symptomatic of a poor diet so is most commonly seen in towns; it is however a very easy thing to treat. 

This letter is to confirm that we have supplied you with the medication to treat mange in foxes where you have seen fur loss accompanied with scratching and sores. We ask for a donation of £35 to cover the cost of purchasing the medication.

This medication will need to be administered orally through food that the fox will readily take. You will have already set up a feeding routine that is the same time every evening to ensure the right fox is eating the treated food – this would have been discussed when you first called us. 

We have found that jam sandwiches are a favourite and the dose is easily put in the sandwich and easily taken. 

PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU START 

Administering medication

• • You will need to feed the fox for one week prior to administering the first dose. It will not work if you feed the wrong fox.

  • You will need to choose a time when you usually see the fox. You will need to make a distinctive sound. We recommend banging a spoon on a tin tray. This sound is very loud and distinctive.

  • Once you have seen the fox and made this sound, place or throw a dummy jam sandwich on the ground and walk away. Foxes are curious and should return and hopefully eat the food. You must leave the food out for one hour and then bring it in, if it is not eaten – repeat this daily for 6 days or until you can be sure that the fox with mange is eating the food. The fox will get used to the noise and wait for the sound. It is essential you do this at the same time everyday.

  • Once you have the fox in a routine you can administer the dose.  You must persevere to get the routine and then the rest will be plain sailing

We cannot emphasise enough how important it is that you get this routine established before administering the dose. 

If the fox doesn’t get the medicine it will not work

• • Please wear gloves when administering the medication into food. 

  • Make a jam sandwich and cut into quarters. Foxes are well known for burying any excess food so we just use one quarter for each dose. 

• You will need to snap the top off the vial and dot the liquid into a quarter of the  prepared jam sandwich.

• The second dose can be given one week after the first. Administer this in exactly the same way as you have done before. This will ensure that any remaining eggs that have hatched since the last dose are killed.

Dogs are susceptible to sarcoptic mange but if they are healthy then they should be fine. The same medicine is used for pets but is administered differently. If you are concerned for your dog, you will need to consult with your vet. In our experience transfer is extremely unlikely and we have no reported cases of transfer in the last 30 years.

You can donate  to cover the cost of the medicine below and then you must email us your name and address  to info@hawr.co.uk putting ‘mange treatment purchased’ in the subject bar.  We will then send the treatment directly to  you. If you are local please call to arrange  a time to collect the treatment 

If you have any questions or concerns or need further advice, please do not hesitate to call us at the rescue on 01344 623106 between 8am and 4pm, seven days a week.