Treating Foxes In The Wild Over Treating At A Rescue

 

Interestingly, Sarah Mills, The Bristol Fox Lady, has been criticised by some for treating mange case foxes in situ. 

This despite the fact that the local rescue will not treat foxes with mange and during cub season, even though treatment can be given, flatly refuse. 

Most foxes with bad mange are "PTS" or put to sleep. End of treatment and story. 

I have seen what I would call severe cases treated and the foxes recover -almost unbelievably. The fact that there are before treatment and after treatment photos is all the evidence needed. Sarcoptic mange is very unpleasant for the poor fox but if treated quickly and if there are no underlying health conditions there is no reason why it should not survive and live on. 

The homeopathic drops can have some effect in very early stages but to be honest ivermectin is the best treatment -however, the drops are free and that is what people decide to get and some will continue to use them as the fox gets worse to the point that open sore are going to become infected. 

I have had one person declared that he had "found a new strain of mange that defies treatment".  Firstly, mange is due to a mite and not some virus. The photos he sent me were shocking  and it took a lot of effort not to tear into the idiot. I doubt the fox survived. The treatment that he was using and "always worked 100%" were the homeopathic drops. If you do not see an improvement in a week contact a rescue for advice and meds to treat the mange.

When it comes to treating mange in situ there are a lot of plus points; firstly, the animal does not need to be trapped so it means having to keep checking on traps is not needed.  Secondly, a trapped fox has stress levels that hit the roof. Add to that the journey in a car to a rescue and then captivity while being treated it builds up.  

Treated on site means gaining the fox's trust to an extent by leaving food and monitoring it to make sure the right fox gets it. There are antibiotics first and then on the next occasion the first mange treatment. Once the fox has had all of the treatments you know it has a chance and if there are people nearby who can keep an eye on it all the better.  The fox is treated in its home territory where it knows it can escape and is aware of the surroundings. That in itself helps.

I have found out that other animal rescuers and wildlife hospitals also treat in the wild which is also easier for them as they do not need to find pens for the foxes, extra food and bedding and so on.

In my opinion treating in the wild is how it should be done unless there is an obvious problem that needs a vet to check the fox over.  It benefits the rescues by not draining resources and badly needed cashflow and it benefits the fox.

We need to learn and change practices because our endangered foxes are far more important than "We decide what to do and it has to be done our way" humans.