Fox Bite
The issue of foxes and their potential propensity to attack other wildlife and even domestic pets is something that comes up from time and time. If you own small mammals such as rabbits and guinea pigs outside, or even chickens or other birds, you are probably already aware of the potential risks, and may be wondering what you can do to keep your animals safe from wild fox attacks. However, what about other pets? If you own a cat or a dog, are they also potentially at risk from attack by foxes?
Urban foxes
Contrary to most people’s awareness, the areas of the United Kingdom most people expect to provide a suitable environment for a large population of foxes aren’t actually rural, or even sparsely populated areas, but it’s now far more common to see foxes in the inner cities and urban regions. While foxes can of course still be found living in the wild across most regions of the UK and in the countryside, more than ever it’s the built up inner-city environments that are in fact the areas where you are now more likely to see a significant number of foxes. Foxes by nature are both hunters and scavengers, which does mean that they are just as happy eating prey that they have caught for themselves, as well as scavenging for abandoned food scraps amongst the local resident’s bins and local tips. The discarded human food, unguarded bins and people deliberately providing food for other wildlife in urban areas all lead to a significant fox population making their home among the urban sprawl of the inner city and the suburbs now a common feature.
Foxes are nocturnal mammals that are most active at night time. This means that protecting domestic animals from fox attacks during the hours of darkness is a big challenge. Foxes have been know to live for up to fifteen years in the wild, although most foxes living in urban areas tend to live for just five years or less.
Their diet consists of a wide variety of foods, including household rubbish, small animals, plants, berries, worms, insects, and generally anything else they can get hold of. While foxes unquestionably cause a variety of problems within the urban environment, they are nevertheless classed as a wild animal rather than a ‘pest’ and so there isn’t any legal responsibility for local councils to cull or eradicate the fox population in any area. Foxes have a very distinguishing odour, both on their bodies and in the areas of which they inhabit. It can only be described as pungent and musky, if you’ve smelled it once, you’ll never forget it, especially if your dog likes to roll around in the fox’s faeces!
What domestic pets are at risk from fox attacks?
Dogs are generally not in any danger from foxes at all, although very small dogs or young puppies may be slightly more at risk. Although fox bites on larger dogs do happen, but the chances are lower.
Parasites and Diseases carried by Foxes
As well as being potential predators of prey animals, foxes can sometimes spread parasites and diseases. Foxes are usually rife with fleas, and can also carry worms and a range of diseases and conditions that may be passed on to pets such as cats and dogs. If you suspect that one of your pets has come into close contact with a fox, ensure that they are up to date with their worming, vaccinations and flea treatment protocols. If your dog gets into a scrape with a fox, even if they appear unharmed, it is always worth taking your pet along to the vet for a check-up, and to ensure that no fox-related nasties have jumped ship to reside on your own pet.
Foxes are carriers of fleas, ticks, lungworm, sarcoptic mange, and the toxocariasis roundworm.
Fleas are a common parasite found on foxes, and are easily killed with a spot on treatment or even a shampoo. Although, it’s advised to check with your veterinarian before using over the counter treatments, not all are suitable for an infestation.
The tick is associated with foxes and badgers. I canisuga can infest dogs; however this can be easily dealt with usually a spot on treatment from a veterinary prescription.
Most parasites are transmissible between foxes and domestic dogs. Angiostrongylus vasorum is also a nematode (parasitic worm) commonly found in domestic dogs, foxes and other canids in North and South America, southern England and in many parts of Europe. It was first discovered in France and, for this reason, is commonly called French heartworm or simply heartworm. Although it is called heartworm, it actually lives in the lung arteries of its definitive host, such as foxes and dogs. Disease transmission requires an intermediate host (slugs and snails) and a definitive host (foxes and dogs), although frogs that have eaten infected slugs and snails have also been implicated in the transmission to dogs and, presumably, foxes. The disease has severe consequences for the infected animal, including heart failure and death. The disease is not easily treated in dogs and, since foxes have been implicated as a reservoir, this is a matter of concern. However, regular de-worming is effective in preventing all diseases due to nematodes (roundworms).
The parasite causing sarcoptic mange in foxes, Sarcoptes scabiei, is a mite that can infect both foxes and domestic dogs. The disease can be fatal in foxes but can be easily treated in dogs. However, you will need veterinary treatment to ensure that the sarcoptic mange is fully eradicated.
Toxocara canis is a roundworm that can be found in both dogs and foxes. Research using genetic data from worms found in dogs and foxes have shown that they belong to the same population, and so Toxocara canis can be transmitted between dogs and foxes.
Most parasites are transmissible between foxes and domestic dogs. Angiostrongylus vasorum is also a nematode (parasitic worm) commonly found in domestic dogs, foxes and other canids in North and South America, southern England and in many parts of Europe. It was first discovered in France and, for this reason, is commonly called French heartworm or simply heartworm. Although it is called heartworm, it actually lives in the lung arteries of its definitive host, such as foxes and dogs. Disease transmission requires an intermediate host (slugs and snails) and a definitive host (foxes and dogs), although frogs that have eaten infected slugs and snails have also been implicated in the transmission to dogs and, presumably, foxes. The disease has severe consequences for the infected animal, including heart failure and death. The disease is not easily treated in dogs and, since foxes have been implicated as a reservoir, this is a matter of concern. However, regular de-worming is effective in preventing all diseases due to nematodes (roundworms).
First Aid and Treatment
If your dog is bitten by a fox, then you will need to contact your vet and get an emergency appointment where your vet will provide first aid by cleaning and disinfecting the wound with an antiseptic. Then they’ll dress the wound by bandaging it with an absorbent gauze pad and adhesive tape. Your vet will most likely give you a prescription of antibiotics, and they may well want to take some blood and test it to check for any diseases that your dog may have contracted through the fox bite. The tests are necessary so that an appropriate course of treatment can be arranged and so that any potential complications can be avoided. A fox’s mouth is a huge breeding ground for bacteria, and any wound not treated immediately accompanied with a course of antibiotics can potentially cause serious complications.
The issue of foxes and their potential propensity to attack other wildlife and even domestic pets is something that comes up from time and time. If you own small mammals such as rabbits and guinea pigs outside, or even chickens or other birds, you are probably already aware of the potential risks, and may be wondering what you can do to keep your animals safe from wild fox attacks. However, what about other pets? If you own a cat or a dog, are they also potentially at risk from attack by foxes?
Urban foxes
Contrary to most people’s awareness, the areas of the United Kingdom most people expect to provide a suitable environment for a large population of foxes aren’t actually rural, or even sparsely populated areas, but it’s now far more common to see foxes in the inner cities and urban regions. While foxes can of course still be found living in the wild across most regions of the UK and in the countryside, more than ever it’s the built up inner-city environments that are in fact the areas where you are now more likely to see a significant number of foxes. Foxes by nature are both hunters and scavengers, which does mean that they are just as happy eating prey that they have caught for themselves, as well as scavenging for abandoned food scraps amongst the local resident’s bins and local tips. The discarded human food, unguarded bins and people deliberately providing food for other wildlife in urban areas all lead to a significant fox population making their home among the urban sprawl of the inner city and the suburbs now a common feature.
Foxes are nocturnal mammals that are most active at night time. This means that protecting domestic animals from fox attacks during the hours of darkness is a big challenge. Foxes have been know to live for up to fifteen years in the wild, although most foxes living in urban areas tend to live for just five years or less.
Their diet consists of a wide variety of foods, including household rubbish, small animals, plants, berries, worms, insects, and generally anything else they can get hold of. While foxes unquestionably cause a variety of problems within the urban environment, they are nevertheless classed as a wild animal rather than a ‘pest’ and so there isn’t any legal responsibility for local councils to cull or eradicate the fox population in any area. Foxes have a very distinguishing odour, both on their bodies and in the areas of which they inhabit. It can only be described as pungent and musky, if you’ve smelled it once, you’ll never forget it, especially if your dog likes to roll around in the fox’s faeces!
What domestic pets are at risk from fox attacks?
Dogs are generally not in any danger from foxes at all, although very small dogs or young puppies may be slightly more at risk. Although fox bites on larger dogs do happen, but the chances are lower.
Parasites and Diseases carried by Foxes
As well as being potential predators of prey animals, foxes can sometimes spread parasites and diseases. Foxes are usually rife with fleas, and can also carry worms and a range of diseases and conditions that may be passed on to pets such as cats and dogs. If you suspect that one of your pets has come into close contact with a fox, ensure that they are up to date with their worming, vaccinations and flea treatment protocols. If your dog gets into a scrape with a fox, even if they appear unharmed, it is always worth taking your pet along to the vet for a check-up, and to ensure that no fox-related nasties have jumped ship to reside on your own pet.
Foxes are carriers of fleas, ticks, lungworm, sarcoptic mange, and the toxocariasis roundworm.
Fleas are a common parasite found on foxes, and are easily killed with a spot on treatment or even a shampoo. Although, it’s advised to check with your veterinarian before using over the counter treatments, not all are suitable for an infestation.
The tick is associated with foxes and badgers. I canisuga can infest dogs; however this can be easily dealt with usually a spot on treatment from a veterinary prescription.
Most parasites are transmissible between foxes and domestic dogs. Angiostrongylus vasorum is also a nematode (parasitic worm) commonly found in domestic dogs, foxes and other canids in North and South America, southern England and in many parts of Europe. It was first discovered in France and, for this reason, is commonly called French heartworm or simply heartworm. Although it is called heartworm, it actually lives in the lung arteries of its definitive host, such as foxes and dogs. Disease transmission requires an intermediate host (slugs and snails) and a definitive host (foxes and dogs), although frogs that have eaten infected slugs and snails have also been implicated in the transmission to dogs and, presumably, foxes. The disease has severe consequences for the infected animal, including heart failure and death. The disease is not easily treated in dogs and, since foxes have been implicated as a reservoir, this is a matter of concern. However, regular de-worming is effective in preventing all diseases due to nematodes (roundworms).
The parasite causing sarcoptic mange in foxes, Sarcoptes scabiei, is a mite that can infect both foxes and domestic dogs. The disease can be fatal in foxes but can be easily treated in dogs. However, you will need veterinary treatment to ensure that the sarcoptic mange is fully eradicated.
Toxocara canis is a roundworm that can be found in both dogs and foxes. Research using genetic data from worms found in dogs and foxes have shown that they belong to the same population, and so Toxocara canis can be transmitted between dogs and foxes.
Most parasites are transmissible between foxes and domestic dogs. Angiostrongylus vasorum is also a nematode (parasitic worm) commonly found in domestic dogs, foxes and other canids in North and South America, southern England and in many parts of Europe. It was first discovered in France and, for this reason, is commonly called French heartworm or simply heartworm. Although it is called heartworm, it actually lives in the lung arteries of its definitive host, such as foxes and dogs. Disease transmission requires an intermediate host (slugs and snails) and a definitive host (foxes and dogs), although frogs that have eaten infected slugs and snails have also been implicated in the transmission to dogs and, presumably, foxes. The disease has severe consequences for the infected animal, including heart failure and death. The disease is not easily treated in dogs and, since foxes have been implicated as a reservoir, this is a matter of concern. However, regular de-worming is effective in preventing all diseases due to nematodes (roundworms).
First Aid and Treatment
If your dog is bitten by a fox, then you will need to contact your vet and get an emergency appointment where your vet will provide first aid by cleaning and disinfecting the wound with an antiseptic. Then they’ll dress the wound by bandaging it with an absorbent gauze pad and adhesive tape. Your vet will most likely give you a prescription of antibiotics, and they may well want to take some blood and test it to check for any diseases that your dog may have contracted through the fox bite. The tests are necessary so that an appropriate course of treatment can be arranged and so that any potential complications can be avoided. A fox’s mouth is a huge breeding ground for bacteria, and any wound not treated immediately accompanied with a course of antibiotics can potentially cause serious complications.
