There are a handful of diseases that people should be wary of when they come in contact with a sick Augusta fox.
This article hopes to introduce to you some of the more common ones out there:
Toxoplasmosis
An infection caused by a parasite found in most species of Georgia animals, birds, as well as humans. It can affect certain
areas of the body including the:
• Eyes
• Kidneys
• Blood
• Brain
• Nervous system
Toxocara
A nematode roundworm, commonly found in dogs, is carried by Augusta foxes as well. Like toxoplasmosis, the be set way to prevent
any potential transmission is by the safe and quick disposal of the feces as the eggs from the roundworm are not harmful
until they have been exposed to the air for around 10-14 days.
Mange
Caused by a certain type of mite that burrows into the skin of an Augusta animal then feeds off of it and breeds constantly…The
good thing, if you can call it a good thing, is that the only thing you might potential get from a mangy fox is a minor
skin irritation and you will not contract mange from the animal. This is because these mites are particularly host specific
and do not cross-contaminate. Scientists and doctors have yet to figure out what causes manages. However, they have observed
certain things about Georgia foxes that do have manges which are:
• Foxes that have mange are those that have low immunity.
• Mange is spread between foxes through contact and that foxes that are found in urban areas are more susceptible
to it than Georgia foxes found in rural foxes because of the fact that it is more densely populated in urban areas.
Canine Infectious Hepatitis
This is a viral liver disease. It occurs not only in dogs but in Augusta foxes as well. An infected fox can pass it through
contact with its:
• Urine
• Saliva
• Feces
The only good thing about it is that it is not transmissible to people. However, a beloved pet dog could contract it through
an infected Georgia fox for instance. Its symptoms include:
• Lack of appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrohea
• Abdominal pain
• Pale gums
• Jaundice
• Neurologic symptoms
• Blue eye - a result of retina damage
Unfortunately, there is no actual cure for canine infectious hepatitis. However, if caught early on, the sick Georgia fox could be
treated in order to boost its low immune system, giving it a chance to recover. The sad thing is, canine infectious hepatitis is
rarely caught at this early stage and by the time any of the symptoms are evident, there is an even lesser chance of the fox
recovering. Another disadvantage of this disease is because of it's already low immune system, the sick Augusta animal can contract
other diseases such as toxoplasmosis which we have already discussed early. Both diseases are found concurrently in a sick
animal in many cases.
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