Need help identifying squirrel with possible mange

shmccarthy · Mar 17, 2014

Not chicken related, but I was watching the squirrels, and noticed this one was covered in bald spots and sores. I have dogs and a cat and don't want to take any chances with something infectious spreading, so I shot it, it died on the spot, no suffering.
This squirrel smells rancid, it's losing hair everywhere and is covered with sores and pus.
Is this mange? I know squirrels can get it, but I need to know if I need to bury this one and if I should worry about it possibly spreading to my dogs.

The Lazy L · Mar 17, 2014

I'd burn it or wrap it in plastic and put it out for garbage pickup.

D'Angelo N Va. · Mar 17, 2014

I would call the game warden or animal control. They will check it out.

shmccarthy · Mar 17, 2014

Thanks, the ground is too frozen to bury it, so I got him wrapped up and I will put him out tomorrow early morning when the garbage gets picked up. Poor little guy. I'm keeping an eye on the others, so hopefully it doesn't/hasn't spread. After reading a bit, I'm fairly positive it does have mange. Last critter I saw around here with it was a raccoon, a long time ago.
I will call the DNR or someone along those lines, it's especially hard to get anyone to even come out here when we call. We called the DNR 2 years ago to investigate 22 whitetail deer bodies, at various stages of decomposition, in a ditch. None had broken bones so we think it was a farmer or poacher. No one ever followed up, so I hope I can get someone out here. I don't want my dogs or anyone else's animals to contract it..

VulpesVulpes · Mar 17, 2014

doesn't look like mange. mange would be large areas of missing hair where the skin is irritated and bumpy and sometimes coated with puss.

jeepguy982001 · Mar 17, 2014

not an expert but i'd say not mange. looks more like it had warbles when the weather was warmer. and was healing up.

Beekissed · Mar 17, 2014

This time of year? Was it a male? If so, those could be fight wounds from another male competing for breeding rights...it's that time of year. The competition can be fierce.

It could even be puncture wounds inflicted by a predator that have become infected. Doesn't look like mange and mange wouldn't smell putrid, but infected wounds would.

shmccarthy · Mar 18, 2014

It had spots with hair missing under its arms and on its stomach too, there was pus coming out if some of them, not the ones on the back though. I probably should've gotten some better pictures...it would be kind of a relief if it didn't have mange, the dogs like to get into everything and I was just worried about it spreading to them somehow.

VulpesVulpes · Mar 18, 2014

if it had spots of hair missing under its arms....same thing happens to the squirrels here when tey get plague.

Folly's place · Mar 18, 2014

Fortunately, we don't have plague in Michigan! If you check with the DNR, they will sometimes post a dead critter as part of their wildlife survailance program. They have a path lab in the lower level of the MSU Diagnostic Lab, and I found a person to call on the DNR website. You will have to deliver it to them, not frozen but chilled, ASAP. I agree, infected wounds, poor guy. Mary

Need help identifying squirrel with possible mange

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