Four Cases of Mange Reported in Fairhaven

Attention dog parents - there have been four confirmed cases of mange in Fairhaven this week. 

If you live in or around Fairhaven and frequently take your dog to Fort Phoenix, you may need to be wary of Mange. Of the four confirmated cases, all had been walking or swimming at Fort Phoenix in the week before being diagnosed.

Mange causes a severe itch and hair loss in pets and is picked up by a microscopic organism, which we cannot see with the human eye. Officials beileve that the mange is connected to the family of foxes that lives at the Fort. Mange CAN be passed to humans as Scabies. The Wildlife and Game Commission has been notififed, but there isn't anything they can do to treat the park.

If your fur baby gets mange, they have to be treated by a vet with sulfur and Prednisone to relieve the itch.

Coming from someone who has three dogs, I will probably be steering clear of walks at Fort Phoenix for a little while.

UPDATE: 

According to the Fairhaven Animal Control Office, it appears the cases are of ringworm - which cannot be contracted from skin to skin contact.

That was not a case of mange. The test came up negative for it. Although I appreciate everyone's concern for the health of all the pets in the area, there was never a positive test result for mange. Also, it can not be transferred from the water or the ground. It must be skin to skin contact.