Like other domestic or wild animals deer also suffers by some deer diseases and parasites. But diseases in deer is comparatively less than other animals.
For domestic deer raising, commercially or as a hobby the farmer must have to have the knowledge about deer diseases and controlling methods.
Production of deer get reduced if they get infected by any diseases. Which suffers the farmer economically very much. So, be very careful about the deer diseases.
Deer Diseases Information
Information about some common deer diseases and its symptoms are described below.
Cutaneous Fibromas
Cutaneous fibromas is a very common deer disease which are caused by a virus. This disease affect the skin of deer. Fibromas is not harmful for the meat. This disease is more in male deer than female deer.
Because the body of male deer get wounded while rubbing antlers and fighting with other animals. And the virus of cutaneous fibromas disease enter to the body of deer through the wounded place.
This virus do not infect other wild or domestic animals and humans. This diseases is confined to skin only and the meat is suitable for consumption after removing skin from their body. This virus do not damage the quality of the meat of deer.
Lyme Disease
Deer often suffers by lyme disease. A deer species named tick spreads this disease. People do not affect by this disease for consuming deer meat. Basically this disease is caused by bacteria.
The infected deer does not carry much bacteria and the disease is not spread from one deer to another or humans. Carry the affected deer very carefully from one place to another place.
And if possible use hand gloves while handling, dressing and processing. Because gloves helps to prevent the disease transmission. For consuming deer meat cook it in proper way and temperature.
Tapeworms
Sometimes the deer can be infected by several tapeworms. They mostly get affected by canine tapeworm. This types of tapeworms appears as a white oval in the liver of deer or on their membranes within their abdominal cavity.
The deer get infected by tapeworms by eating grass and plants which are contaminated with tapeworm eggs. This eggs get warmth and grow in the deer’s gut wall. This eggs can also enter in the blood vessels and emerge within the liver.
They grows very fast and move on the surface of liver and enter body cavity and eat tissue from the abdomen. Young deer get infected by tapeworm more than adult deer. It does not damage the quality of deer meat. So, consuming meat of tapeworms affected deer is safe.
Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic wasting disease was first recognized in captive mule deer in Colorado at the year of 1967. This disease affects for a group of disease known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
Chronic wasting disease spreads through the prions, which are abnormal proteins and attack the nervous systems of deer.
This disease spread from one animal to other animal by the affected deer’s urine, feces and by decomposition of an infected deer. The infected deer loos their weight, excessive salvation, stumbling and tremors etc. are the symptoms of chronic wasting disease.
This disease is very harmful for human body. So, don’t eat the diseases infected deer’s meat.<
Nasal Bot Flies
Nasal bot flies are very common parasites of deer which infect their nasal passages. It is not very harmful for deer and do not infect humans.
An adult female fly keep larvae in the nostril of deer and the larvae enter to the nasal passages and pass through some stage of development and growth. They do not affect the quality of deer meat.
Hemorrhagic Disease
Epizootic hemorrhagic diseases and bluetongue virus both are liable for hemorrhagic disease.
This disease infected deer show some symptoms like excessive salvation, fever, sloughed or interrupted growth of hooves, swollen of neck, tongue and eyelids, reduced activity and emaciation. Hemorrhagic disease do not infect humans body.
