What Killed A Vixen -Not All Foxes Are Killed By Cars

 

Above stock image NOT the fox involved

Don't worry no post mortem photos! This goes to show that, apart from cars and humans, foxes are dying naturally in many ways. Sadly, by the time this vixen was found the cubs may well have been dead a day or two and with no idea where the den was searching would be near to impossible.

PM back on the mastitis fox:

Clinical History:

BS16 ---- 13/5/23. Secret World call out for a collapsed fox in garden. Was taken to the vet, found to have septic mastitis and was PTS. Body is frozen.

Comment:

The jaundice was due to cholestasis in the liver. Uraemia may have been an end stage in a dying fog. Obviously mastitis due to Staphylococcus intermedius was very significant and may have predisposed the other problems.

Summary

Severe mastitis, jaundice and uraemia were confirmed as associated with the clinical signs in this vixen.

Notes: Cholestasis is reduced or stopped bile flow. Bile is the digestive fluid made in the liver that helps break down fats. Instead of leaving the liver for the small intestine, bile builds up in the liver. As a result, bile acids eventually enter the bloodstream.

Staphylococcus intermedius is a Gram-positive, catalase positive member of the bacterial genus Staphylococcus consisting of clustered cocci. Strains of this species were originally isolated from the anterior nares of pigeons, dogs, cats, mink, and horses. Many of the isolated strains show coagulase activity.