Mange, Is Mother Nature humane?

Mother Nature pages: main page distemper mange rabies population control MANGE

This disease is caused by a microscopic mite that burrows tunnels through the host animal's skin. The mite is spread from one animal to the next through direct contact or one animal laying in the same bur- row or den that an infected animal has used.

However, the mange mite lives only a few days if not feeding on a host animal. It is easy to see how this disease could spread through a whole litter or to all the animals using one den.

...without treatment mange is 100 percent fatal in animals

This disease is also extremely contagious to dogs and cats. Depending on the type of mite this disease can be carried by foxes, coyotes, bobcats, etc.

Humans handling animals infected with mange will break out with red itching welts, each welt being a place where a single mite has burrowed in.

Fortunately, mange mites are very host specific, so the disease carried by animals is self limiting in humans. Not so for the infected wild animals or domestic pets. Without treatment the disease is 100 percent fatal in animals.

The mites multiply until there are millions burrowing and digging in the host animal. Soon the animal begins chewing on itself and self mutilating its body. Open sores develop and become infected. The skin thickens and oozes pus.

In six to twelve weeks time, the animal will die from bacterial infections or starvation. If this death was quick and humane it would not be so had, but this is one of the most painful, cruel and devastating diseases known in the animal world.

Yes, Mother Nature, if left alone, can correct over- population.

This photo shows a coyote with sarcoptic mange

You see in each picture a healthy red fox and one infected with mange.
The healthy fox was caught in a foot hold trap and humanely killed.
If you were a red fox, which way would you want to die?

next mother nature page: rabies

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Credit to Robert Wendt, D.V.M.,
and photographers of the
Conservation Education Division
and the Pathology and Rabies Control Section
of the Delmar Wildlife Laboratory.

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This photo shows a coyote with sarcoptic mange

next mother nature page: rabies

back to mother nature main page Credit to Robert Wendt, D.V.M., and photographers of the Conservation Education Division and the Pathology and Rabies Control Section of the Delmar Wildlife Laboratory.

Credit to Robert Wendt, D.V.M., and photographers of the Conservation Education Division and the Pathology and Rabies Control Section of the Delmar Wildlife Laboratory.

Copyright©2004-2008, furwoodnaturals All rights reserved Web Page designed by Lyas

back to mother nature main page
Credit to Robert Wendt, D.V.M.,
and photographers of the
Conservation Education Division
and the Pathology and Rabies Control Section
of the Delmar Wildlife Laboratory.

Credit to Robert Wendt, D.V.M.,
and photographers of the
Conservation Education Division
and the Pathology and Rabies Control Section
of the Delmar Wildlife Laboratory.

Copyright©2004-2008, furwoodnaturals
All rights reserved
Web Page designed by Lyas