Red Fox Recovers From Sarcoptic Mange

The following story about a red fox was shared with us by Walden’s Puddle in Tennessee.

A red fox came into our care with sarcoptic mange, which is rampant among red foxes. It quickly became a life-threatening problem. Mange is a mite infestation that starts as some bothersome itching, but if the fox has a compromised immune system, the mites can spread rapidly.

With aggressive scratching due to the mites burrowing into his skin, he began to lose fur. His skin got raw and scabbed over into a hard crust. As his eyes began to crust shut, he was no longer able to hunt and became severely dehydrated and emaciated.

Once he was brought into our wildlife rehabilitation center, we began treatment for mange and secondary infections. He was started on fluid therapy, and we slowly worked up his caloric intake so his weakened body could properly digest and accept the nutrition.

EmerAid IC Carnivore was the perfect transitional food to build up his strength as he started to work toward a normal diet. As he continued to recover and gain weight, his skin healed and his fur grew back.

By the time he was ready for release, he was back to his original fluffy, healthy self!