Chances are fairly good that you see enough [606320]

ABNORMAL DEER
Chances are fairly good that you see enough
deer in your life, at some point you will stumble upon
one that looks sick, deformed, or otherwise strange.
These rare oddities can be shocking to witness, but
most of the time they are not a cause for concern and
don’t require the attention of a biologist. The
following are a few deer oddities that you may
encounter in the wild, and how they might affect you.

Deer shed and grow a new coat every
late summer and early spring . They
often look “scruffy” during this time, but
the new coat is usually visible under the
patchy remains of their previous coat.
Patches of bare skin could indicate
infestation with skin parasites such as lice
or mites, but this is fairly rare. Hair Loss Abnormal Antlers
Genetics plays a significant role in the
appearance of antlers, and random
mutations or gene expression can cause a
wide variety of strange growth forms. There
are infinite variations possible, but none
will affect the safety of the meat for human
consumption.

Lumpy Jaw
Some deer develop a large abscess on
their jaw. Commonly known as “lumpy
jaw,” there are several causes for this
condition, including arterial worms,
impacted food, and bacterial infection.
No matter the cause, this single
symptom is typically not fatal and will
not affect the meat. Cutaneous Fibroma
It is not uncommon to see a “warty”
deer. Like warts in humans, these
fibromas are caused by a virus, and are
transmitted to deer by biting insects.
Though unsightly, they only affect the
skin and are usually completely harmless
to the deer. Meat from a deer with
fibromas is safe to consume.

Nasal Bots
Botflies in the genus Cephenemyia
inhabit the throats of deer as part of their
natural life cycle. The larvae may look
disgusting, but they actually have very
little impact on the deer, and zero impact
on the quality of the venison. Foundering Hooves
Unusually long hooves are rare but can
be caused by an overabundance of
protein and carbohydrates in a deer’s
diet, such as those found in common
deer baits. Some or all of the hooves may
be affected. Deer with this condition are
safe to eat.

Hydrocysts
Hydrocysts can be large and dramatic
as in the picture above, or small and
barely noticeable. They sometimes
develop after a traumatic injury, when
lymphatic fluid gets trapped and
accumulates. Larger cysts can cause
discomfort for the deer, but otherwise
they are harmless and have no affect
on meat quality.
Hemal Nodes
Hemal nodes, resembling black beans
or sometimes a raw oyster, are part of
the lymphatic system and can be
found throughout a healthy deer’s
body. They are most commonly seen in
the fatty tissue behind the shoulder
blade. Even experienced hunters can
be concerned upon finding their first
hemal node, but they are completely
normal.

Liver Flukes
Large Lungworm
This leech -like worm is sometimes
found in deer livers, where it dwells in a
dark, fluid -filled capsule. The flukes can
cause substantial damage to the liver
and eventually cause it to fail, but this
is unusual. An infected liver should be
well-cleaned before consumption, and
care should be taken not to consume
any flukes. Muscle meat will not be
affected. Large lungworms are fairly aggressive
parasites that can reproduce quickly
and cause health issues or death in
deer. However, the parasite cannot
infect humans and deer that have
lungworm infestations are considered
safe to eat.
Photo credit: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study
Photo credit: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study

Meningeal Worm
Deer are typically unharmed by
meningeal worms , which reside in the
brain tissue. Deer become infected after
eating snails or slugs that contain the
larvae, as part of the worm’s natural life
cycle. Infected deer are common and
completely safe to consume.
Sarcocystis
This common parasite is found in deer
muscle tissue and resembles grains of rice.
The effects of these parasites on humans are
not completely understood, but there is no
risk when the meat is cooked thoroughly. It
is not recommended to feed the meat to
dogs or cats, which are hosts for this
parasite, though infection is typically
harmless for them.
Photo credit: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study
Photo credit: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study

Abdominal Worm
Larval tapeworms can be found
encapsulated on the surface of deer
livers. Cooking an affected liver will kill
any tapeworms, which can infect
canines or felines , but not humans. Deer can become infected with abdominal
worms by consuming the eggs as they
browse. This worm roams freely in the
abdominal cavity of a deer without causing
any harm. The worms resemble pieces of
spaghetti and are often found when field
dressing. They cannot infect humans, and
the deer meat is completely safe to
consume. Larval Tapeworm
Photo credit: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study
Photo credit: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study

Escaped Exotic Species/ Tagged Deer
Captive exotic and native deer sometimes escape and can be seen wandering in the
wild. Because exotics are not native species, they are not protected by state or
federal wildlife laws. However, these and tagged white -tailed deer may be protected
by property rights of the original owner. Conversely, escaped deer can pose health
risks to the wild deer population. If you see a free -roaming exotic or tagged deer,
please report it immediately to the DNR law enforcement hotline at 812 -837-9536.
You may be able to legally harvest the animal.

Some deer abnormalities are signs of contagious disease and are of interest to
state biologists. Spread of some of these diseases could possibly become a health
concern for humans. Contact the DNR if you see a deer with the following
symptoms:

1.Emaciation paired with heavy salivation or urination (CWD)
2.Exhaustion, listlessness, not running when approached (CWD, EHD,
or other sickness)
3.Tan or yellow lumps on the lungs or inside the rib cage (TB)
4.Coughing , nasal discharge, and difficulty breathing (TB)
5.Multiple dead deer with no apparent cause of mortality (EHD )
6.A dead deer with a swollen, bluish tongue and/or sores in the
mouth (EHD) When Should I Contact a Biologist?

Bovine Tuberculosis (TB)
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD)
For more information, please visit the IDNR wildlife disease page at
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5466.htm
Photo credit: Michigan DNR
Photo Credit: Dr. Mike Miller
Photo credit: Michigan DNR