Mange and fox excrement.....

[rebeccabloor]

Hi all!!!

Just a query re: fox poo. I've been told that if Bentley rolls in poo while out on country walks that its quite important to shampoo it off as soon as possible as the high levels of bacteria in it can cause mange. As can badger poo also.

Can anyone confirm that this is correct or not?

Is it also true that mange is difficult to treat and contagious??

Oh and is it a case where the fur will always fall out??

Any info would be great 

Ta very much

Rebecca and Bentley xx

[joanne_v]

Hi all!!!

Just a query re: fox poo. I've been told that if Bentley rolls in poo while out on country walks that its quite important to shampoo it off as soon as possible as the high levels of bacteria in it can cause mange. As can badger poo also.

Can anyone confirm that this is correct or not?

Is it also true that mange is difficult to treat and contagious??

Oh and is it a case where the fur will always fall out??

Any info would be great 

Ta very much

Rebecca and Bentley xx

Never heard that about fox poo... but yes mange can be highly contagious, there's 2 types. Sarcoptic mange is the nasty one. Both require a lot of bathing to cure it so in that way its difficult. The skin flakes so much that the hair will fall out but only after prolonged periods when they havent been treated. Mild cases just mean lots of itching as opposed to the cruelty cases you sometimes see where the whole dog is pink and wrinkly.

[rebeccabloor]

Thanks joanne,

Do you know what causes it then??? 

[Joules]

Yes, mange is nasty but have never heard of it being transmitted by poo     If that were the case it would be far more common among cockers than it seems to be 

I thought it was from contact with an infected fox or other dog and is a parasite 

[joanne_v]

Its mites I think. Demodectic mange isnt contagious and its an overgrowth of skin mite naturally found on dogs. Sarcoptic mange is the contagious one that can be caught of other animals but not sure there would be mites in any poo as its a burrowing mite.

[loppylugs]

Fox mange is very contaiguos,dogs can pick up this mite by going through bushes or places where the fox has brushed through and left traces of the mite on leaves,twigs,etc.Its rife in my area,has been all summer,my friends 2 cockers got it and had some special sampoo to kill it.

[Karma]

The RSPCA and The Fox website both say it is highly unlikely that a pet dog would contract mange from a fox - they would have to come into close contact with a live fox (or perhaps a recently dead one).

But then the Fox Website says that the only time Fox mange was passed from Fox to Dog was several years ago in Bristol when the fox population was excessively high, so if loppylugs' friend's dogs got it, maybe this info isn't as accurate... 

[Helen]

The RSPCA and The Fox website both say it is highly unlikely that a pet dog would contract mange from a fox - they would have to come into close contact with a live fox (or perhaps a recently dead one).

But then the Fox Website says that the only time Fox mange was passed from Fox to Dog was several years ago in Bristol when the fox population was excessively high, so if loppylugs' friend's dogs got it, maybe this info isn't as accurate... 

I don't think that is accurate Karma, a friends lab got fox mange last year, so I agree with Loppylugs here.

[amanda.seal]

Marley has mange at the moment and the vet has told me that it is getting quite common because there are more foxes around. I took him to the vets before cus i thought it was eczema and the vet didn't mention mange and it cost me £50 today i noticed that he has lost a small amount of hair  so took him back to the vets to be told by a different one that its mange He's now being treated so it will hopefully start to clear

[Karma]

The RSPCA and The Fox website both say it is highly unlikely that a pet dog would contract mange from a fox - they would have to come into close contact with a live fox (or perhaps a recently dead one).

But then the Fox Website says that the only time Fox mange was passed from Fox to Dog was several years ago in Bristol when the fox population was excessively high, so if loppylugs' friend's dogs got it, maybe this info isn't as accurate... 

I don't think that is accurate Karma, a friends lab got fox mange last year, so I agree with Loppylugs here.

Certainly seems like the Fox Website is spouting untruths, then.... suprised that the RSPCA is similarly inaccurate...    (Not doubting the people who have seen/heard of cases, just think it is concerning that there is such inaccurate info out there!).