Guidelines for the treatment of Australian wildlife with sarcoptic mange: Part 1 – Treatment guidelines

Sarcoptic mange, caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, is an emerging infectious disease that affects domestic and wild species globally. Mange has serious animal welfare impacts. It is chronically debilitating, causing significant morbidity and mortality, and is considered to be the most significant disease threat to wild wombats. It is known to have caused the decline and possible local extinction of some bare-nosed wombat populations in southeastern Australia. Mange has been documented in other mammals too, including koalas and bandicoots – species already under multiple threats.

This document consists of two separate sections:

• Part 1) Treatment guidelines (this document) including a summary mange treatment information sheet (Section 10, also published separately) and recommendations for future research around treatment (Section 9); underpinned by
• Part 2) a Literature review of current knowledge and treatment methods. 

The treatment guidelines are for stakeholders who are directly involved in managing and delivering treatment (veterinarians; wildlife carers, treaters and rehabilitators; wildlife managers and policy makers). The recommendations are for those trying to coordinate the overall response to mange so that innovation and expenditure are directed to the right places.