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EAR MANGE IN FOXES
By Karl B. Hanson, Biologist, Division of Fur Resources
Ear mange, or auricular scabies,
is a parasitic disease caused by in
festation of the inner surface of
the ears (auricular canals) by a
mite known as Otodectes cynotis.
Specimens of this parasite are just
barely visible to the naked eye, ap
pearing as small, white, and motile
bodies.
LIFE HISTORY
The female .mites are prolific,
producing large numbers of minute,
whitish eggs. The majority of these
usually remain in the ears of the
host, where they undergo an incu
bation characterized by the devel
opment of a six-legged larval mite
within the shell. After hatching
the larvae pass through a series of
molts, in the course of which they
develop a fourth pair of legs and
arrive at sexual maturity.
OCCURRENCE
Once ear mange is brought on a
ranch, it usually spreads rapidly
to practically all the foxes. It is
present on a relatively large num
ber of fox farms, though it is an
easy disease to eradicate when the
proper method of treatment is un
dertaken.
MODE OF TRANSMISSION
Natural transmission of the mite
and completion of its life cycle oc
cur within a relatively short per
iod, as is indicated by the fact that
pups only three or four weeks old
oftentimes are found to be heavily
infested. Infestation apparently is
spread chiefly by the mechanical
dislodgement of mites and eggs
when the foxes scratch the ears
and shake the head in attempts to
stop the itching. Under favorable
conditions the mites and eggs so
dislodged remain alive for a few
days, or long enough to permit their
getting onto a suitable host, fre
quently a different fox from that
on which they were before. It also
may be possible that some of the
mite£ migrate of their own accord
from one fox to another.
SYMPTOMS AND LESIONS
Many of the foxes that harbor
mites show no apparent symtoms
of infestation except occasionally
scratching the ears or shaking the
head. In serious cases one or more
of the following symtoms may be
observed A drooped or lopped con
dition of one or both ears, a foul
smelling exudate in one or both
ears, wry neck, spells of turning in
a circle, convulsions (fits).
In the early stages of infestation
the mites collect in the deeper
parts of the auricular canal, parti
cularly in the grooves. Sometimes
they are there in such large num
bers that they give the infested
areas a whitish or frostlike appear
ance. The irritation caused by the
mites makes the skin redder than
normal. Soon a scaly material
forms, and in course of time this
is combined with or replaced by a
profuse accumulation of a dirty,
dark-colored and wax-like sub
stance. The presence of this waxy
excretion in profusion is quite char
acteristic in infestation of long
standing.
After this excretion begins to ac
cumulate the number of mites
tends to diminish, but they seldom
disappear entirely. Raw sores and
thick scabs may develop, these us
ually resulting from injuries inci
dent to the animal scratching its
ears. Sometimes bacterial infection
with pus formation in the deeper
parts of the auricular canal may
occur. The discharge in these cases
invariably has a decidedly fetid
odor. At times the progress of the
inflammation may involve the mid
dle and internal ear, and even the
brain,
TREATMENT
Although a number of remedies
! have been recommended and wide
ly used for the treatment of ear
mange, several of these are either
; ineffectve in killing the mites or:
! are of a physical composition that
: makes them unsuitable for the pur
pose for which intended. Among
I the remedies that have been found
to be effective and satisfactory in,
other respects are the following:
j (1) Iodoform, 1 part; ether, 10!
parts; and cottonseed oil, 25 parts. !
j (2) Oil of cade, 1 part; and cot- >
itonseed oil, 8 parts.
(3) Carbolic-acid crystals iphen- j
jol), 2 parts; and either cottonseed j
I oil or liquid petrolatum, 98 parts, i
Application of the remedy is by
means of pledgets of cotton. These
are saturated with the solution and
the ears gently swabbed so as to
Unsure the entire inner surface as
| well as the adjacent external por
tions. From 10 to 14 days later re
peat the operation so as to insure
the destruction of any mites that
escaped the first treatment, as well
as any that may have subsequently j
hatched from eggs. When the sec
ond treatment is given, remove all
scales, wax, and other debris as
thoroughly as possible. Proper care
should be exercised, however, to
avoid injuring any of the delicate
structures in the deeper parts of
jthe ear.
ERADICATION
The only efficient way of hand- i
! ling ear mange is to eradicate it, j
i thereby eliminating the necessity |
| of wasting valuable time and ef- j
fort in treating the foxes for the j
disease at frequent intervals each I
year. The essential points to be1
observed in successful eradication j
are as follows:
(T ) Use an effective remedy and |
: apply it thoroughly to the entire I
I inner surface of the ears.
(2) Treat all foxes on the ranch j
at the same time, starting in on
! those at one end and going right
! through the ranch until all have :
been treated.
i (3) Give all the foxes a second
I treatment after an interval of 10
i to 14 days.
(4) Disinfect or torch the fox
I houses sometime during the per
iod between the two treatments.
When ear mange has once been
eradicated from the ranch, be on
guard to prevent its reintroduction.
Foxes coming from other places
should be kept under quarantine
and treated for ear mange before
they are liberated with other ani
mals on the ranch.
Editor’s Note—When using formu
lae published in this section, it
is advisable to have your drug
gist prepare for you the differ
ent ingredients contained in the
article.
UP
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept., 24, (JP)
—A conspiracy between San Fran
cisco underworld characters and
guards at Folsom to smuggle nar
cotics into the prison on a whole
sale scheme was believed nipped
• in the bud with the arrest in Sac
■ ramento of the San Francisco wife
| of a Folsom convict.
According to Sacramento police,
| the woman confessed her part in
the alleged conspiracy and impli
cated prison guards- At least one
guard will be discharged before
i the investigation is completed was
the terse comment of Warden
Court Smith who has been work
ing on the case for more than a
month.
!OHT NATURAL WEB
MAKES NtNILCKIK THE
i ARCADIA, COOK INLET
I -
! While Seldovia boasts its mod-,
j em waterfront and Kasilof will
; soon have a fine dock, being built
j by Capt Heinie Berger of the MS
| Discoverer, Ninilchik refuses to
! surrender the bun as the Arcadia
of Cook Inlet. The man who be
gins to spin the yarn about hot
cake trees, and buxon wahinies of
the South Seas, will find himelf
brought up suddenly with: “Wait
■ until you appraise Ninilchik.”
History has it that a Czar of
Russia in times bygone, growing
fed up with arguments about lib
: erating the serfs and prohibition,
J called in one of his sea-faring
cronies and told him to take the
agitators and sail west as far as
the 180th meridian, which he be
j lieved to be the end of the world,
and kick his passengers off.
| While searching for the day
| dropped by skippers as they cross
| the east and west dividing line,
| the good ship got mixed up in a j
; Cook Inlet tide rip and the an
j chor was tossed overboard at
what appeared to the captain
about the most likely spot from
which even a vigorous agitator
could not escape. Setting his
passengers ashore he sailed away.
! But he did not know that the
| same fault in the upper Kenai
j formation that made the creek
; and provided a convention centre
j for steelheads and rainbow trout,
; brought up with it a seam of coal; i
that the sand beachej were filled
with clams; that Ninilchik was
the rendezvous of the moose clan;
that the soil grew tons of spuds
to the acre and about anything
else in the hardy tuber and vege
table family, while salmon of
! everv variety crowded and elbow
i ed each other along the shore j
I line.
According to a traveler arriving!
| from the Inlet countrv. he ston
| ped off for a few weeks at Ninil-,
! chik He walked a few miles from
1 town and killed a moose. Taking
a rib roast he returned, sought of
I the natives and told them they
: could share the moose if they
I would pack it in. “Nothing do
■ ing”, said the Arcadians. “Bimeby
I the moose will be grazing in the
turnip patch out back and it’s not
so far to pack the meat”,
j With this great natural laider*
I from which to draw the primary
j essentials of life, the Ninilchik
j Arcadians see no reason why they
'should hire a press agent and
I start a town lot boom and spoil
| everything by having a ciV grow
up where the bulbous spire oi the
ancient Russian church, with »ts
hallowed memories, gives the lit
tle fishing village a touch of Mus
covite atmosphere and stands as
a reminder that instead :>f ban
ishment to an inhospitable shore
the first settlers of Ninilchik had
j the edge on the Czar.
---
POPE AND IL DUCE AGREE
VATICAN CITY, Sept. 24. (&)—
A new peace marked the 61st an
niversary of the fall of Rome be
fore Italian arms, with its subse
quent 58-year breach between the
Church and the State, during which
the Popes were prisoners in the
Vatican. Pope Pius XI and Pre
mier Mussolini had strengthened
the new agreement under the Lat
eran Treaty and the Corodat by
their accord actuated on September
2, defining more clearly the scope
of religious and civil authority.
TRAPPERS! Two Poxes in a day,
with only two sets out, is my
record. Methods guaranteed, $1.00.
Floyd Blackman, RD 3, New Ber
lin, N. Y.
Hartman’s Genuine Black Raccoons.
Registered stock. Prices reason
able. Satisfaction guaranteed. One
of the oldest breeders. E. L. Hart
man, New London, Ohio, U. S. A.
The Gateway has more corres
pondents than any paper in the
Territory. Subscribe today and get
a load off your chest.
KIND-HEARTED SHERIFF
CLEVELAND, O., Sept., 24, (JP)—
Sheriff John Sulsemann, announc
ed that he would evict no more
families from their homes during
present conditions unless he is
[convinced the associated charaties
have procured homes for the fam
ilies involved. “I know it is illegal
and against the law”, the sheriff
said, “and the courts will issue
mandates ordering me to put peo
ple out of their homes, but I won’t
do it”.
HIRPUNES USED SEARCH I
FOR ESCAPED CONVICTS
—
WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 24. (£>)
—Fourteen convicts, all armed,
were the objects of a man hunt
following a riot and wholesale jail
delivery at the New Castle county
workhouse.
Airplanes were employed in the
search in the afternoon, while
| bloodhounds are aiding police, State
! troopers and armed citizens in the
! night search.
The prisoners rioted and escaped :
| with the aid of mysteriously pro
cured weapons.
i
HOLDS OOOO PROMISE
The gold quartz prospect of the
Boadeker brothers in the Hidden
river district, northwest of Chulitna,
| has great possibilities, in the opin
ion of C. C. Tousley, who spent the
summer prospecting in that locality
with Gene Bartholf. Mr. Tousley
returned to Anchorage last week
while Bartholf went into the Wil
low Creek district, where he prob
ably will spend the remainder of
the season, reports the Anchorage
Times.
The Boedeker boys have what
Mr. Tousley believes will make a
real mine. They have been en
gaged all summer in developing the
property and will remain in the dis
trict until snow and cold weather
compel them to abandon their work.
The Boedekers appear to have
' found the only worth-while pros
I pect in the entire district. At any j
: rate, Tousley and Bartholf could1
not find anything and they cov- I
ered a lot of territory during the j
time they were out, extending their
prospecting some distance from the
Boedeker camp.
LIFE THREATENED
CHICAGO, Sept., 24, (A*)—In j
fear of her life, Mrs- Iva Knudson,
the woman who wrote “the let
ter from the grave of Mike De
Pike Heitler” fled from Chicago.
“I’ve just got to get out in a hur
ry,” she said. She is reported to
have been threatened with gang
land death several times.
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NEW YO»K
PORT OF MISSING MEN
Douglas C. ^Gordon, White
horse, Y. T., in a letter addressed
to the postmistress, Mrs. White, at
Kodiak, Alaska, states that he is
anxious to learn of the whereabouts
of a prospector named Collin Mur
ray, who was last seen in Anchor
age, Alaska, in 1921, where he was
operating three small mines or
claims.
He was born in Campbelltown.
New Brunswick, in 1872. He weighs
about 180 pounds and is five feet
10 inches in height. His hair is
brown and curly and his eyes are
blue.
If, by any chance, he is in your
district, I wish you would tell him
to write either myself or Mrs. F.
Fraser, of 4514 Marine Drive, Van
couver, B. C.
TRAPPERS!
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Address
N. E. SHARP
Publisher
Plymouth, California.
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W. W. WEAVER, Reading Michigan
KODIAK, the Home of the World’s Largest Bear
World’s record bear was killed 5 miles from the town of Kodiak and measured
IS feet, 6 inches. THE GENUINE KODIAK BEAR (Ursns Middendorfii) ARE
ONLY FOUND ON KODIAK ISLAND. THE GREAT ALASKA BROWN BEAR
(Ursns Guyas) ARE FOUND ON THE ADJACENT MAINLAND AND PARTS
or I ME KEN At PENINSUI*A.
World’s record moose, with
a spread of 78^£ inches, was
taken on the Kenai t*en
V SEWARD is the
Gateway to the world
famous hunting grounds.
KODIAK GUIDES ASSOCIATION
Chas. Madsen, Field Mgr.-KODIAK. ALASKA