On Friday morning, when Audun Johansen was about to accompany his mother to Sør-Varanger after a shopping trip, they were greeted by a somewhat unusual sight.
– We saw a fox full of scabies under the stairs, Johansen tells Dagbladet.
Johansen says that mange outbreaks among foxes have been happening in the area for many years and that he therefore knew this was what the fox was suffering from.
– But I’ve never seen a fox with so little fur. There are almost only bones left on the tail, Johansen says.
Johansen filmed the incident and shared the video on Facebook to raise awareness of scabies among pet owners in the area, he writes. iFinnmarkwho first mentioned the case.
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Fox scab is caused by the parasite Sarcoptes scabiei, which is very painful.
– When a fox is infected with mange, it will itch for many weeks before the fur falls out and the skin becomes crusty. Eventually they become so weak that they are no longer able to hunt. Here in the north – where there are very low temperatures in winter – they will eventually freeze and starve, veterinarian and director general of Kirkenes Animal Clinic, Terje Høiland, tells Dagbladet.
– Scabies is not something foxes get rid of. They are in great pain and should be euthanized for animal welfare reasons, he adds, while at the same time encouraging everyone to contact the game board if they see a fox with mange.
Sør-Varanger wildlife committee leader Aksel Emanuelsen tells iFinnmark that it is very difficult to find and kill scabies.
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Contagious
Fox mange can be transmitted to other animal species such as wolves and dogs, both by direct contact and by passing through the same thick bushes.
However, Høiland has good news for all pet owners:
– Even if foxes don’t get rid of mange, there are good ways to treat other animals that have been in contact with mange. If your dog starts to itch and you suspect he’s infected with mange, you should see a vet for treatment, he says.
