Fox Farming

Brucellosis

This disease is normally caused by Brucella abortus. It will result in abortions or still births. Diagnosis is by tests on fetuses and blood samples from involved females. There is no trreatment, but animals with positive blood tests would be […]

Security

Any industry that involves animals being caged has been met with opposition. In recent years, millions of dollars worth of damage has been done to research facilities and large ranches. Attention has started to focus on the smaller ranches. GPS trackers and the […]

Biotin Deficiency

Raw egg white contains an enzyme which destroys biotin in the ration. Experiments show with25 to 30 percent of the ration as raw egg whites, this condition will develop. Newborn foxes will show the deficiency if the females are deficient. […]

Ringworm (Dermatomycoses)

This is the only fungus infection of importance in foxes. This can become a problem on large farms with  ranchers raising mink in Canada reporting major problems. Symptoms would be crusts and hair loss, especially around the face. However, any […]

Pseudorabies

This is an important disease in countries such as Russia. It is a brain infection but it is not present in Canada. Infection is by feeding contaminated slaughter house products, especially from pigs. Fox Diseases. Novia Scotia Dept. of Agriculture […]

Rabies

Foxes are quite susceptible to this virus infection of the nervous system. Wild foxes play an important role in the spread of this disease when it is present. However, there appears to be little risk to ranch foxes so vaccination […]

Figure VI. Inclusion body (arrow) in liver cell due to infectious canine hepatitis magnified 2,400 times.

Fox Encephalitis (Canine Virus Hepatitis)

This disease is present in the dog population of Nova Scotia. Reports on this disease in foxes suggest the hepatitis or liver form is also seen frequently. One severe outbreak in Norway involved 2,700 foxes ina few days. Symptoms were […]

Figure II. Distemper inclusion bodies (arrow) in urinary bladder cells magnified 500 times.

Distemper

This is a highly infectious disease. It can attack susceptible foxes of any age. The same virus causes distemper in mink, dogs, raccoons, weasels, ferrets and skunks. Cat distemper is a different disease and is not contagious to foxes.   […]

Tubercolosis

This disease has been reported in apparently healthy adult blue foxes. The symptoms were high infertility, abortions and stillbirths. The tuberculin test was given using the eyelids of animals. Any with positive swelling were killed. The bacteria was found in […]

Salmonellosis

Outbreaks of Salmonella typhimurium have been reported in foxes between five and thirteen weeks of age. Main signs were of infection of the nervous system due to septicemia. Response to treatment using combined sulphonamides and furazolidone was excellent. Salmonella can […]