Is Mange on the Rise in the Hudson Valley and Are Pets Safe?

Have you noticed more animals throughout the Hudson Valley with bad cases of mange?

We've been locked away in our cocoons for a over year now and we may not have noticed has been happening to our wildlife. If you follow Hudson Valley wildlife groups on Facebook you will notice that many people are posting more and more pictures of animals that have severe cases of mange. In some cases the animals have it so badly that they almost look like an entirely different species all together. One woman photographed a white tail deer with mange asking what kind of animal it was.

Some even reported seeing a Chupacabra in Beacon recently which turned out to be either just a fox or a coyote.

Are animals in the Hudson Valley getting more mange or are we just starting to see and notice the animals that have it more? If there are more cases should be concerned? Is it contagious to humans or even our pets?

According to Wildlife Center, Mange is a skin disease that is caused by tiny mites. There are a few different kinds of mites and they each cause different kinds of mange. Mange can affect most mammals in the wild like rabbits, bears, foxes and even coyotes. It spreads when an infected animal comes into contact with another. The larvae can land on an uninfected animal.

Can humans get mange?

Yes, humans can get mange from scabiei mites.

Mange is treatable if you believe you or your pet may have it.

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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

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