TxTechsan

I got a nice size yote today, but the rear left leg was almost bare. A few other places on the body were similar as well. Looks like this one was recovering from a mainge case. Have any of you seen this before? What about Humans and sarcoptic mainge?
Thanks

Boared

TxTechsan...

Most animals (excluding reptiles and birds) can get mange, there are actually two types of mange (Demodectic and Sarcoptic) both are mites and attack different areas.

The Sarcoptic Mange Mite burrows into the skin (also known as Scabies in humans), and causes intense itching, especially around the ears, elbows, and face. People can get this disease from animals and show symptoms of itching, but it usually goes away by itself, however, animals require treatment to shed the mites.

Demodectic Mange Mites infects the hair follicles. Most pups pick up these mites from their mother when they are nursing, and do not normally cause any problems. Animals that have a weakened immune system are usually the ones that develop this disease. But if the animal is infected so bad then sometimes the most you can hope for is to control the problem, not cure it (in domestic animals).

But as far as Coyotes getting it, they obviously have no hope for treatment, and after a while the disease may wear them down enough to die, but usually from an infection of some kind (like open sores from scratching) rather than from the mange itself, cause their immune systems are already weakened.

I have seen it several times in Coyotes here around Dallas, and as I said earlier it is highly contagious, even to humans...

TXTechsan... I had replied to another question about the same in a different message board and just copied and pasted it for the most part... however, if you have any specific questions about it, feel free to send me a message or email, I will gladly answer them for you...

coyoteseeker

well said boared,i always carry a plastic garbage bag in the truck when predator hunting. if i shoot a manged up critter i bag it, never touching it with my bare hands and try to maintain a safe distance away untill it is bagged.i then burn the bag and all when i get home.i feel as though removing the animal helps control the spread of the mites.

Nomercy

Both Boared and coyoteseeker are right, about the mange and about bagging the carcasses respectively. It's not absolutely necessary to bag and burn them b/c once the animal is dead, they won't have anything to feed on after the blood runs cold, however, it is a better idea to go ahead and do so, b/c if they have mange, it is likely that they have other diseases as well, b/c they can't fight them off as easily as they would if they were healthy.