Sarcoptic Mange is Caused by the Same Mite That Causes Scabies in Humans
The most common type of mange is caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite - the same species of mite that causes scabies in humans. Sarcoptic mange is most frequently seen in foxes and coyotes. These mites are easily spread in wildlife communities much in the same way human head lice is easily spread at public schools or inside family homes. In their larval and nymph phases, Sarcoptes scabiei mite can survive in the environment for weeks while awaiting a host animal.
While mange mites themselves are not necessarily life threatening to an infected animal, the side effects and subsequent symptoms of mange certainly can be. The extreme hair loss and itching these animals experience can lead to secondary skin infections. In addition to losing hair, the animal can become emaciated, lethargic, and depressed.
If you have ever seen a fox or coyote affected by Sarcoptic mange, you may have wondered if there is anything you can do to help. This is where Bi-State Wildlife Hotline of Missouri and Illinois can step up for an assist. They say that the months of September - November are "mange season," but also point out that the side effects of mange can make surviving the winter months incredibly difficult for these animals.
READ MORE: Unidentifiable Animal Spotted in KY Likely Fox with Mange
Bi-State Wildlife Hotline of Missouri and Illinois has a "Mange By Mail Program" that is available to anyone in the U.S (excluding residents of California) and Canada. For a small donation to the non-profit that covers only the cost of shipping, they will send you the necessary medication, along with the needed container, syringes, and printed instructions.
Of course, medicating a wild animal that is sick is no easy task, and should be done so with extreme caution. Additionally, Bi-State Wildlife Hotline points out that while it is perfectly legal for them to mail you the necessary supplies to help a sick animal, not all governmental wildlife authorities and DNRs appreciate them doing it.
Bi-State Wildlife Hotline advises those who may have concerns to research your state and local governments codes. They also emphasize that it is perfectly legal for these kits to be mailed to you via USPS should you decide you want one.
Bi-State Wildlife Hotline, Inc was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 2011, and its dedicated team has been working ever since to educate the public in a way that fosters appreciation and understanding for native animals in hopes of preserving wildlife and their habitats.
To purchase a Mange by Mail Program Kit, visit WildlifeHotline.com.
In addition to helping a sick animal with one of Bi-State Wildlife Hotline's Mange by Mail Kits, there is a way you can help local wildlife from getting sick with mange in the first place - stop using rodenticide poison.
This common bait poison used to rid your home of rodents is very slow acting - often taking three to five days to reach its intended purpose. In that time, while that animal is suffering, it often becomes an easy target for predators like foxes and coyotes. Once a fox or coyote ingests a mouse that has been poisoned, that poison then, while enough to kill the fox or coyote, is certainly enough to weaken and suppress its immune system making it more susceptible to mange and the secondary infections that can come with it.