The Redland (Bristol) "Fox Poisonings" -The Facts

photo for illustration purposes

 There was a great deal of fuss about "poisonings" in Redland that involved foxes, at least one badger and a cat -the last two I have no info on as the PCSO never responded to the message I left. Very likely the badger was an RTA victim and likely the cat also.

It is annoying, to say the least, that the police did not publish the results of the post mortems carried out on the foxes as that might have shut down some of the near hysterical "fox poisoner" claims as well as belief that the police are covering up something.

Anyway, here are the results of the post mortem examinations so if you see anything online about poisonings of foxes etc in Redland you have the facts.

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This fox was put to sleep on the 7th April after being found in Ferbank Road, BS6. Clinical signs were collapsed, foaming at mouth and seizuring

This fox had been ill for some while causing its very poor body condition. The lesions over the hips may be a result of its poor condition but this could be an entry point to cause septicaemia. However there is a probable long standing subcutaneous infection in the neck, which might be the cause of the initial disease problem. It is possible that this infection was the result of a bite wound follow intra-specific fighting and is another site of bacterial infection. Whatever the initiating site this fox had a Group L Streptococcal septicaemia. Blackmore (1967) in a survey of disease in wild British foxes reported that 13% of natural deaths of 60 foxes were caused by streptococci but no further speciation was given. Beta haemolytic streptococcal

infections were found by Barrat and others (1985) as a cause of septicaemia in red foxes in France. Duff and Hunt (1995) reported the PM findings of 27 foxes, from East Anglia, that were examined between 1989-1994. Seven of these all adults (5-dog, 2-vixen) died in January-February from deep bite wounds sustained during the vulpine rut. They did not die due to haemorrhage as in this case but due to secondary bacterial infection. This case is later in the year but a bite wound is still possible.

I’m not certain if the bloody fluid in the body cavities could be a freeze/thaw artefact but more likely it may represent recent trauma causing haemorrhage shortly before it was found and PTS.

Summary:

This fox had long standing disease problems with resultant streptoccal septicaemia and shortly before being found possible trauma causing internal haemorrhage.

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This fox was found at Redlands allotments on 21st April. Poisoning was suspected.

This dog fox died due to blood loss following trauma most likely an RTA. Death presumably wasn’t instant but would have been relatively soon, as blood leaked from the damaged liver.