Fox Health Although we foxes try to be self sufficient sometimes some of my friends do not have people who watch over them like I have and can end up down on their luck and start to suffer from ill health, this is one thing where we really do need the help of our 2 legged friends.

Sarcoptic Mange is one of the most visible and painful illness that a fox can get, it is caused by mites that  burrow into the skin and lay eggs, a new generation of mites will appear every 3 weeks  slowly covering the whole body causing hair loss and sores which become infected, general ill health, dehydration and if untreated can lead to a horrible end, the irritation is so bad the fox will claw and bite at themselves and leave open wounds which also can become infected. With the immune system suffering so badly we become defenceless against worms and other parasites. Humans cannot be effected by this.

The Cure is relatively simple, just some food put out which has a few drops of medicine in every few weeks till the sufferer becomes healthy and gets back on their feet.

Ivomectin is one treatment, this is a treatment usually injected into cattle but can be put into some food for foxes to eat (.2ml per fox every few weeks but it must be the 1.0% strength solution) the best way is to talk to your local vet who should be able to advise you. Only use this if you are sure you have the correct medicine and know that only the foxes will eat the food as it is very powerful and can make the fox and other animals ill (especially to some breeds of dogs, collies and related types). It will also get rid of any worms or lice picked up while suffering from mange.

Arsenicum Alb. & Sulphur 3 0c  is a herbal treatment so is much safer for all the animals concerned and is available free from the National Fox Welfare Society. It will only get rid of mange but once they are healthy, then a wormer can be used.

Limping is very common with foxes as it is easy to hurt a leg out in the wild, most of the time it can be a small sprain and they should be walking normally again after a few days but sometimes it can be more serious which can impact on their ability to find food for themselves and family.

Arnica 30c is also a herbal remedy made from the Arnica plant, it is a well diluted mixture so is safe for all animals and should reduce swelling and aid healing, it is available free  from the National Fox Welfare Society. If there is no change after the treatment please contact them for further advice

Please visit the National Fox Welfare Society web site for further information on sarcoptic mange and other fox welfare issues at http://www.nfws.org.uk