Take a look at this fox from Bristol. The local 'wildlife rescue' considers it should have been put down -they have done so to similar in the past. Why? Because they refuse to treat foxes in the wild ()they actually tell people to contact the Fox Angels Foundation on the other side of the country for mange or sick foxes!) and insist any fox taken in should have a vet permission to put to sleep (they cannot without a vet permission).
photos (c)2024 Sarah Mills/Bristol Fox Lady
Luckily, foxes in Bristol and Bath no longer have to face the "PTS Centre" as they have the Bristol Fox Lady, Sarah Mills. Sarah has adopted, through obvious necessity, treating foxes in situ as it avoids trapping and transporting which for Bristol means you-know-where. Treating on site is the only option and the amount of dedication put into this work is incredible. Hot or cold (usually cold and definitely mostly wet) Sarah goes out daily to target feed fox with the right meds and monitors their progress,
Treating in situ has been adopted by other wildlife hospitals/rescues as the best option avoiding the trapping, animal stress as well as taking up space where the animals will need to be fed and bedded and that in itself is a huge strain on any rescue's finances.
Does it work? It was what I was wondering at first but if the animal is alert and not seemingly suffering any major health issues I thought "give it a go". Every fox that can be saved is worth the time and energy. I have seen the "before" photos that Sarah sent me and quite honestly with some of the foxes I thought it might be too late to do much. Seeing photographs of those foxes fully recovered with hair growing back is almost mind-blowing and shows that in situ treatment does work.
That fox above is now growing back its coat and to prove it here is a recent video of it.
photos (c)2024 Sarah Mills/Bristol Fox Lady
This is all done through target feeding so sitting out and making sure cats and other foxes do not get the food with meds. It is not fast and recovery in a week and with proper meds being used the recovery will happen. I would avoid the homeopathic drops because, after many years I have found that once mange is very noticeable the drops are not effective. PLEASE check with local wildlife rescues in your area and supply them with a photo of the fox with mange and most will gladly advise and/or help.photos (c)2024 Sarah Mills/Bristol Fox Lady
Above: "Slinky" took 4 months from first treatment to become the fine specimen on the right. It would have been put down. Below "Crusty" was the worst crusted case and nearly blind and was one I thought would not make it. Look at him months later. Another that would have been put down.
photos (c)2024 Sarah Mills/Bristol Fox Lady
And another before and after...
photos (c)2024 Sarah Mills/Bristol Fox Lady
Facial wounds in foxes are not as rare as people think. Faces swiped by vehicles as a fox tries to cross a road, fox fighting fox and perhaps even a cat swiping a fox ("cat scratch fever" is no joke and infections can be very nasty). I have been looking at facial injury cases and even had one on my own doorstep but it was nasty, fast and the stench was awful. The poor fox could not be saved. Some, however, can and they would have been typical "put to sleep" cases.
Cilla (below) healed with her teeth showing as the skin had gone. She was one of several foxes treated with facial and other wounds who recovered and have gone on to lead normal fox lives.,
photos (c)2024 Sarah Mills/Bristol Fox Lady
There are other images that I cannot show here but they are not nice but all were treated and all the foxes recovered. This is how wildlife care should be rather than the easy and uncaring "PTS" mindset. And it is a pity that with so many wildlife groups in towns and cities that none are interested in helping wildlife just the social media "Likes" (which mean absolutely nothing) for photographs.
Foxes can look very bad but once checked on by a person who knows what they are doing they can be treated and they can survive.
PLEASE share this post because every fox (and hedgehog or badger which also suffer from mange) need to be given the chance to survive and live.
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