Mangy fox spotted in Hilltown. How to protect pets from mange from wild animals

Jess Rohan, Bucks County Courier Times
·2 min read

Residents of Hilltown Township in Upper Bucks County spotted a wild animal on Monday that appears to have mange.

Residents posted a photo of the animal in a local Facebook group, expressing concern about their pets catching the skin disease, which is caused by mites. The animal was seen across from the Hilltown Township municipal building, one resident said.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission confirmed to this news organization from a photo that the animal is a fox with mange, not a coyote.

Mange causes severe itching and hair loss, and may cause infection if the animal scratches their skin open. Mange can be fatal if untreated, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The Hilltown police department said that it had not yet received a report of a mangy animal in the area, but that they would be looking into it. If the animal is found by police and appears to be very sick, the police would kill it, the department said Tuesday.

Are pets at risk of mange from wild animals?

File - Pets can catch the parasite that causes mange from wild animals in multiple ways, said Leah Stallings, executive director of the Aark Wildlife Center in Chalfont.
File - Pets can catch the parasite that causes mange from wild animals in multiple ways, said Leah Stallings, executive director of the Aark Wildlife Center in Chalfont.

Pets can catch the parasite that causes mange from wild animals in multiple ways, said Leah Stallings, executive director of the Aark Wildlife Center in Chalfont.

"Pets can get mange from wildlife if they are in direct contact with the animal or if they roll in an area that the animal with mange has been rolling and itching [in]," said Stallings, who is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. "The best way to protect pets is to keep them on a leash when not in their own yards."

She also cautioned that foxes may linger in yards looking for food.

Wildlife with mange must be trapped in order to be treated, Stallings said, as the mange mite has become resistant to over-the-counter medications.

Dr. Adrienne Breaux of Dublin Veterinary Hospital said that parasites in the area have become immune to the most common preventatives, including Frontline. Other medications, such as NexGard, can effectively prevent mange in pets, Breaux said.

Hilltown police advised that as with any wild animal, residents should keep their distance from the mangy fox.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: How to protect pets from wild animals with mange after fox spotted