An Update: Fox Deaths Project, Mange Treatment and More

 

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The British Fox Study's Fox Deaths Project has submitted more foxes for post mortem examination and I am trying to keep track of them all.

Zoe Webber does the hard work and produces excellent maps for future study. I think we are up to Fox 42 so far (there are other foxes in freeze not yet submitted.)

The Fox Deaths Register which records the foxes we submit as well as foxes killed on the roads around Bristol is up to 15 since January of this year and these are only the ones we get reported to us.

Regarding mange this is endemic to Bristol and after the hostile reaction to my 2019 proposed project to reduce mange by 80% in five years all I can really do is monitor and advise. However, feeders seeing the fox that visits them and they are treating for mange or something else SHOULD let people know they are doing so to avoid overdosing or unnecessary trapping and taking to a rescue to treat.

Three times since 2019 I have asked local feeders whether any were treating foxes with mange and there was absolutely no response. Seriously, I have been fighting for foxes since 1976 but obviously that still makes me untrustworthy😁

I have seen the outcome in cases where two people (at least) were treating mange in a fox and they had both purchased the meds from a private individual. This person was not interested in finding out whether the people involved were treating the same fox or not and, legally, should not be selling meds that only a pet store or vet practice are approved to sell and buying in bulk from the internet does not mean you are getting what you think.

I have even seen how people have let foxes get into such a bad state with mange that the fox involved has no great chance to live much longer. The excuse was that a "new super mange" had developed. No, that just shows that some people have no idea what mange is and I was told the "drops" (homeopathic) used to work but were now ineffective against "the new strain". 😔 I have looked at the drops that various rescues send out (The National Fox Welfare Society, The Fox Rescuers and Fox Angels) and most ask how much of the tail or body is suffering mange and some will even ask for a photo. This is so they can assess whether fox has mange that is severe enough to require rescue and treatment or not.

I had very severe doubts about the drops -it all depends on the strength of the mix and "It's all water" is something only idiots state with their anti-homeopathic treatment stance and shows they have no idea. After having a mange infected young cub within feet of me and being unable to catch it as well as seeing other foxes die off from mange I was willing to try anything and first I wanted to destroy the whole "homeopathic drops work" myth. I had two foxes with early stages of mange so I treated with the drops but was making arrangements to treat them properly.

The mange cleared up over time which I was almost unwilling to believe but I then looked at the subject in more detail and looked at the success rates (not from the rescues that some might say were tipping the scales in their favour -in fact the NFWS and The Fox Rescuers send the drops out with an advice leaflet for free). In the early stages and with a lot of vets unwilling to sell the product required because "it's just foxes" then the drops are worth trying but monitor the affected area on the fox -it usually shows in the tail or rump- so if there are signs it does not work go for the available treatments -there are posts on this blog and The Fox Project has a useful page: https://foxproject.org.uk/fox-facts/sarcoptic-mange/#:~:text=Mange%20treatment%20given%20to%20captive,over%20a%20two%20week%20period.

Facial injuries in foxes that are not really looked into, however, again with Bristol foxes, Zoe Webber is investigating and researching this and while foxes captured tend to be put down; this is the kindest thing as the injuries are rather horrific to look at and are a slow death for any fox. Although most injuries seem to be car related there are aspects that need looking into more.

In some countries any dead wildlife found -whether dead through car collision or otherwise- is picked up and officially submitted for post mortem as a standard. Unfortunately, the UK is not geared up to look at wildlife or study dead animals -from which you can tell the overall health of a species and see if there are any underling health conditions or diseases. I would love to see every fox found dead given a full post mortem, however, the money is not there and the pathologist who does an excellent job beyond anything we could have expected, does not have a huge budget. What he finds out is amazing and I have certainly had my aging eyes opened to what goes on with foxes before and and after death.

To date Bristol is leading the way in the UK when it comes to studying foxes and fox centred projects and I just wish there was financial support (I hate to think what Zoe spends on fuel) but you are dealt a hand and go with it.

The work we are doing -and I should get far less credit than Zoe or the pathologist- should help fox rescues and vets involved with wildlife around the UK. "It was wobbly then collapsed" or "It behaved oddly and had trouble breathing then died" are no longer seen as "just another RTA fox" and there can be far more involved. I have followed cases over the last few years where I have read all of these and when I ask the rescue what the vets have said it is always the same: "RTA" and that is as far as it goes (vets are expensive so rescues...take the hand they are given). When I have asked about suggested poison cases I have been told "We think it was poison" and other deaths -"We don't carry out post mortems" but the vet used by the rescue can ask the Animal Plant Health Advisory (APHA) to carry out a post mortem just to make sure no disease is involved. No interest.

We are keeping an eye on the Avian Influenza Virus and foxes and although I have mentioned it before I need to point out that, unlike what the popular press and others who should know better are saying foxes are NOT dropping left, right and centre from AIV. We do need to take nasal and anal swabs for testing before post mortems as a precaution but other than that regular personal protection equipment (face mask and disposable gloves) are worn.

I think this has been a rambling enough of an update so keep fox (and badger) watching!

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