Sores on a Squirrel's Neck

Squirrels are a type of rodent species found throughout the world. Usually seen around parks and backyards, squirrels pose very little risk to humans; however, similar to other wild animals, they can fall victim to illness and get sick. Sores on a squirrel's neck can arise from a variety of different illnesses and behaviors. Usually sores are a result of a fight with another squirrel, but they can also be a result of parasite mites or an infection.

  1. Fighting Sores

    • Although squirrels appear harmless to humans, they are aggressive towards one another. Squirrels attack each other over food, nesting areas and regions they have marked as their own territory. Like other animals, when fighting occurs between squirrels, they will attack the neck region to injure or kill the other squirrel. Sores can appear because of the biting endured under attack.

    Botfly

    • Another cause of squirrel sores is the infestation of botflies that use the squirrel's body as a host. The botfly is a type of fly species from the family Oestridae. Unlike other species in this family, the botfly's larvae act as a parasite to the squirrel's body. The female botfly will burrow her eggs into the skin of the squirrel, primarily in the neck and torso region. From here the botfly's eggs will hatch, and its larvae will travel throughout the squirrel's body. The egg remains, and the feces excreted by the larvae cause inflammation; as a result, sores appear throughout the squirrel's body, primarily in the neck area. Aside from this, the botfly does not pose any risk to the squirrel.

    Mange

    • Mange is another animal skin infection, which is caused by mites and results in patches of the animal's fur falling off. As a result, the skin of the animal is crusted over and sore. Close physical contact with an infected squirrel and nest sharing are the main causes of the infection. When the squirrel is infected, sores will first appear throughout its neck and head. These regions are more susceptible to hair loss than other parts of the body. When the sores get big, they will eventually fall off along with the fur.

    Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

    • An upper respiratory tract infection is an infection that predominately affects the organs of the neck region such as the pharynx, the trachea and the larynx. The nose and sinuses are also affected. The infection will spread throughout these regions, and the squirrel will have symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, coughing and fever. The main causes of the infection are a number of common cold viruses that the squirrel can get through contact with other animals. Because the infection infects the organs within the neck, sores and swelling will appear around the neck and nose region.