Out of all of the subjects I read about here mange is one that I have not seen. For a few years we were doing doog and it seemed like I wasn't catching anything with mange but this year it seems it has came back. Here is a coyote that I caught yesterday that wasn't looking to good. Does mange go in cycles? Is it all over the u.s. or just in certain areas? Last year I had a bunch with pink bellys and I was told that is caused from mange and the coyotes lived through the infection of mites?

Both Foxes and Coyotes get mange, even seen a coon once.

I have seen certain locations ALWAYS have mange an other areas have none. Some years are worse than others. Coyotes can survive mange red fox do not,here in Iowa very cold bad winters will kill off many coyotes with bad mange (Cupucabras) those with almost no fur. Have found several DOA in trap after being caught on cold or wet nights

I to have seen a coon or two at most with it. 1 fox belly was slick as a baby's bottom. I have pheasant hunted in iowa my fair share and your right those winters get pretty harsh compared to where I am.

I believe mites and mange are too different things. I have heard guys talk about coyotes having lice too. Not sure if mites and lice are the same. Do know some people can confuse the damage caused by mites for mange. Can't say for sure but that coyote in pic might not be mange. Around here it usually start down on legs and tail and works its way up. Usually always see some with mange but some years it gets really bad. First couple years I trapped I throw over 50% of the coyotes in the ditch because of mange. Last couple years mites have been bad starting in January
This year coyotes stayed surprisingly good for this area through January. The pink belly thing I'm not sure about
I'll catch a fair number each year of those.
Stand corrected..... did a little research. Mange is caused by mites. To different kinds. One kind is under the skin one is in the hair follicles..

I don't want to talk about mange, it's a itchy subject. Lol sorry I will see myself out.

I don't know what triggers mange. But hear it seem too follow a rabbit crash I've seen it multiple times the rabbits will die of in a wave and the mange seems to follow especially when the coyote population is left unchecked and maxed out for the food supply . The mange that I know of is from mange mites. I don't know if there are any other causes. Like most disease, some sort of stress causing a low immune system triggers the symptoms, such as Mal nutrition.

Mange is species specific. The mange mites wolves dogs and coyotes get is not the same mite fox get. There is some dispute whether or not its 100% fatal. Lee Steinmeyer says it is not. I have a lot of respect for him but I think it is. If its not 100% it is certainly close.

It was bad here for awhile. Me and a buddy trapped hard for a couple years. giving mangy coyotes a shot of Ivermec under the neck skin and releasing them. pelting the healthy coyotes. Its spread only by contact. the mites can not survive off the host. I think it made a difference. I still get them time to time but not nearly as often.

When they start getting bad they wander. Its nots possible to kill or treat them all.

Get around feedlots where coyotes constantly gather, pushing each around nipping one another there is always a lot of it from the constant contact.

Heres a bad case

That photo is sarcoptic mange. There is another mange called Demodectic Mange (also known as red mange or demodex) It is caused by an allergic reation to its own skin mites. Most animals outgrow the second type as they mature and immune system gets stronger

Lots of varying information out there. You'll have to sift through it and decide for yourself. Not sure it's fully understood in the wild but I'm sure there's some good studies out there.

I personally don't believe the pink belly is the start of mange. I feel it's an irritation of the skin from a bacteria or lice. Anyways I'll post a little information form the web on lice and mites. Hope it helps.


How long can mange mites live off of my pet?
Mange mites can survive without a host for up to 10 days before they must return for another blood meal. It is crucial to treat your pet’s environment for mange mites so they don’t become re-infested with mites temporarily living off of the host.

When you are dealing with mange, it is very important that you treat your environment. Mange mites can live off of your pet for up to ten days before they have to come back for a blood meal for their host. When your pet sleeps whether on the sofa, chair, bedding or the carpeting the mange mites transfer from your pet to the object they are laying on. The mites can then incubate there for up to ten days. If your pet goes back to that same spot which you know they will, the mites transfer from the object and back onto your pet for a blood meal. They sense your pet’s body heat knowing that a blood meal is waiting.

This is the reason it is highly important to treat your home for mange. Demodectic, sarcoptic, notoedric and walking dandruff mites are all guilty of coming back to reinfest your pet.By treating your home you can help with re-infestation of mange mites on your pet.

What Are Dog Lice?
Dog lice are small, flat, wingless, six-legged insects that live in the hair and feathers of mammals and birds. Strong hook-like claws at the end of each leg allow them to hang onto the animal’s hair shafts. The claws are tailored to the specific size of the host’s hair shaft or feathers, which is why lice are species-specific. They survive on skin debris, sebaceous secretions, feathers, or the blood of the host animal.

There are two types of lice:

Chewing lice survive by eating skin debris and surface secretions and are characterized by a blunt, flat head. There are two species of chewing lice that affect dogs and wild canids—Trichodectes canis and Heterodoxus spiniger. T. canis is found worldwide and typically lives on a host for 30 days. H. spiniger is found mostly in tropical regions, and although rare on dogs in North America, has been seen on the coyote, red fox, and gray wolf. Researchers have also discovered this type of lice on dogs in southeastern Mexico in a study in 2015.
Sucking lice need blood to survive. The species of sucking lice that affects dogs is called Linognathus setosus. Unlike the chewing lice, these have a sharp pointed mouthpiece. They are widespread in tropical and subtropical areas of North and South America, Africa, India, and Asia.
What Are the Signs of Dog Lice?
You can see the parasite itself by parting the dog’s hair and examining the hair shaft. Adult lice are large enough to be visible to the naked eye, roughly the size of a sesame seed — about 2-to-4 millimeters — and are yellow to tan or medium brown in color. They are distinguishable from fleas, which are very dark, almost black looking.

Chewing lice will move around more than the sucking lice, which, like ticks, embed their piercing mouthparts into the skin. If you suspect an infestation of dog lice, you might want to go over the area with a flea comb and examine the hair.

Lice, especially the eggs or nits, are sometimes mistaken for dandruff, and one way to distinguish lice from dandruff is by shaking hair removed from the dog. If the small flakes fall off, it’s dandruff. If they cling stubbornly to the hair, it’s probably lice. Other signs of lice infestations on your dog include:

Scratching and intense itchiness.
Rough, dry, or matted coat.
Hair loss, specifically around ears, neck, shoulders, groin, and rectal regions.
Small wounds or bacterial infections from bites by sucking lice.

More web info.

How Long Can A Coyote With Mange Survive?
Even though mange is highly uncomfortable, some coyotes can live with it for a few years. Harsh weather conditions and infections caused by exposed sores and intense itching are the most common causes of death for these animals. Once the illness and any secondary infections are irradicated, the coyote can live much longer richer lives.

Is Mange Curable In Coyotes?
The mites that cause mange can be eliminated by administering a specific medicine. Biologists, veterinarians, and other wildlife specialists are working together to discover novel drugs that can be used to treat animals with mange more effectively.

I deal with mange every year. Percentage’s in the coyote population go up and down every year or two. This year has been a good year since prices are low. I’m not sure about the pink belly bit. I’ve always thought that was just an older male thing. I’d like to hear other thoughts.

This is a good article on Trichodectes, this is what our “necker” coyotes had when they were tested. First sign of this is the pink belly.

https://gf.nd.gov/wildlife/diseases/trichodectes-canis

See the chewing lice infestation in wolves occasionally.
Some years very bad,then it goes away for a few years then start to see it again in the odd wolf.

Over the years, I have caught two coon that had some mange.
There are several diseases that animals can get as a result of overpopulation. Mange is one of them.

Sadly, animal rights activists would prefer to see an animal die from mange, distemper, ect. ,which is a lingering, slow, agonizing death because they see this as letting nature take its course. Hunting and trapping is a more humane way to control population levels.

It hit hard here 32-33 years ago, killed all our fox, I was catching 120 a year, it hurt the coyote some, but they moved in and took over, no more fox In numbers.
I see some sarcopic mange now and then. More mange last year.
The pink belly problem I think is a different mange mite.
My veterinarian said there are three different ones, affecting different areas
The sarcopic is the worse looking.
With the pink crotch, caused by saliva from licking it, there is usually long shoulder and neck fur missing