A fox without a bushy tail?

[chriscml]

Hi,

I saw a fox early that had a tail but it wasnt at all bushy!! Is this common? It looked more like a very long cat tail than anything else, but still had the white tip. Is this the signs of mange (i think thats how you spell it) or is it just a rarity that occurs in the fox world?

Before anyone asks it was definately a fox as i had a good sight of it through binoculors!!

Thanks,

Chris

[tameblackbirds]

This happens a lot to foxes probably mange can get bad and they become very ill but generally they appear to cope with it

[mbaldw]

Hi Chris,

did you happen to notice whether the tail was completely bald (i.e. a pink-ish skin colour) or whether it had much less/shorter fur than normal? As tameblackbirds points out, mange is perhaps the most common cause of balding in foxes is infection with the mange mite (Sarcoptes scabiei), although mange typically starts on the rump and is accompanied by raw, usually scabbed patches that result from intense pruritus.

Cheers,
Marc.

[chriscml]

Hi Marc and Tameblackbirds,

Thanks for both of your replys.

I did notice that it still appeared to have fur, only shorter fur!! Im not sure what this means. I think i might go back when i get the chance and see if i can get a photo.

Thanks,

Chris

[Ironics]

I joined the forum today and this is my second attempt at a reply as I can't find the earlier one.
We saw a fox in a similar condition in our garden today, we watched him /her from the kitchen window, he was following the same route as when we last saw him two weeks ago, so it must be a run.
Today was in broad daylight whereas last time we picked him up in our headlights as we came home.
The colour was sandy , and it appears to be mangy. The tail is not bushy at all and the animal is quite thin.
We found where he has burrowed under the stout fence between us and our neighbours.
Nearby is another house where there are chickens but he wasn't going in that direction ( two dogs live there also ).
Ironics

[Words]

Sounds like mange, especially at this time of year when they should be putting on a heavy winter coat. It may recover, but worth keeping an eye on if you get a chance. I take it looks a bit like the third photo on this page. This shot is more typical of full blown mange.

You can get some more advice/treatments at the Fox Project and at the NFWS sites.

[dickybird]

hi chriscml,

dont know whether youve read any of the thread sick fox but the vixen in question had a tail similar to the one youre describing--in fact her whole coat was thin and short--but there were no bald patches on her. i think it was due to her overall poor condition. now she is putting on weight,her coat is thicker and longer and her tail much more luxuriant.

dickybird

[valleyforge]

Seasonal moult affects most of our native mammals, but is naturally most obviously evident in those with normally bushy tails ... foxes and squirrels.

Hair lost in the early part of the year is normally regained by the end of autumn, in good time for the onset of winter.

Hair loss on the tail and on the flanks may however also be indicative of an adrenal gland problem, caused by the overproduction of the hormone cortisol ... this is commonly called "Cushing's syndrome" and is normally a disease accompanying old age.

In dogs/foxes, this may be further evidenced by an animal that appears overly thin, but has a pot-belly. Sometimes the condition can have associated neurological symptoms ... look out for any tendancy for the fox to press the top of its head against a hard surface (post/paving slab/fence, etc).

[Ironics]

Thanks for your replies.
The fox is definately in similar condition to photo 3 from Words.
We saw it again last evening and in the night it left us a present at the back door ( very dark poo ) .
We will keep an eye on it but actually leave this house next week for pastures new.
Ironics

[zerowhite]

Hi.
Last night I had a close up view of a fox with a funny thin tail, which is how I came to google this site and find I was not alone. Last night I drove home over a narrow railway bridge near my home in Birmingham, blocking the path of a smallish fox. It waited politely on the pavement for me to drive by, but instead I kept the engine running and the fox and I were looking at one another from about two feet away for half a minute (well 15 seconds at least). It was most clearly a fox, but its tail was thin and bedraggled like a long cats tail as described above. The lay of the fur seemed to be lightly twisted, and the tip was lighter. I've seen foxes on the street and in the gardens a few times, but with usual tails. I guessed mange, though the rest of its coat seemed to be in teasonable condition. It seems odd that the tail alone should be damaged, but then what do I know?