09-10-2008, 09:39 PM
DNR expects more Oakland deer to die before frost
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September 10, 2008 - The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) estimates 50 to 100 white-tailed deer in Oakland and Macomb Counties will die from epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) before the first frost of the year can kill the disease-carrying biting flies and midges that infect deer.
Mary Dettloff, spokesperson for the DNR, said the disease affects wild ruminants, or cud-chewing mammals, like deer. The disease has already killed more than 50 deer found in the area around the Clinton River near Rochester Hills.
"It will take its course," Dettloff said. "There is no treatment for this disease. It will probably just stay in the area for the remainder of the warmer months. When the bugs die off with the colder weather, the virus will die off. Because of the pathology of the disease, it just tends to stay in one area or region."
According to Dettloff, the disease is characterized by extensive hemorrhages. Deer develop signs of the illness about seven days after exposure. The symptoms of EHD are a loss of appetite and loss of the fear of man.
Infected deer grow progressively weaker, salivate excessively, develop a rapid pulse and respiration rate, become unconscious, and then die.
Dettloff said the high fever caused by the virus explains why the dead deer found in the area were found near or in the Clinton River. She added that there's no evidence that people or domestic pets can contract the virus.
"With the breakout of Chronic Wasting Disease on the west side of the state, I want to be perfectly clear that these are two totally different things," said Tim Payne, a southeast Michigan wildlife supervisor for the DNR. "(EHD) is an infectious viral disease that occurs in some of the wild ruminants. Deer are the only thing we're aware of being affected by this particular outbreak."
The DNR first became aware of the outbreak in August, according to Payne.
"For Michigan, this isn't that common of a breakout," he said. "It was first seen in 1955 Up North, then in 1974 in several counties around the state, and then, most recently, in 2006 in Allegan County.
"The flies and midges only feed on live animals," Payne said. "In areas where you have a high deer population, these insects can feed on one deer and then hop to another very easily.
"There have been a couple of people who called in and actually watched a deer die," he said. "The deer would get in and around water, in the shallow area, and go into convulsions. Sometimes it couldn't keep it's head up and would drown. There is something in this virus that causes the degeneration of the blood vessel walls. (An infected deer) bleeds to death on the inside."
It's not the water that causes the deer to die, according to DNR officials.
"The deer are perfectly good to eat," Payne said. "Just cook it well and wear gloves when you skin it. This isn't a disease you can pick up from handling an infected deer."
Payne said the virus has expanded into communities outside Rochester Hills and could continue to spread.
"The deer look and appear totally healthy, they just all of a sudden get sick and die," he said. "If someone has a deer that has freshly died near water and looks healthy, I would call and have us test the deer. (The disease) could spread but we don't know how far and would like to document it."
Anyone who finds a dead, normal-looking deer near water should call the DNR's Holly Wildlife Area Office at 248-634-0240 or the DNR Southfield Service Center at 248-359-9040.
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[url "http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/1editorialtablebody.lasso?-token.searchtype=authorroutine&-token.lpsearchstring=Brooke%20Meier&-nothing"]Brooke Meier[/url]
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September 10, 2008 - The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) estimates 50 to 100 white-tailed deer in Oakland and Macomb Counties will die from epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) before the first frost of the year can kill the disease-carrying biting flies and midges that infect deer.Mary Dettloff, spokesperson for the DNR, said the disease affects wild ruminants, or cud-chewing mammals, like deer. The disease has already killed more than 50 deer found in the area around the Clinton River near Rochester Hills.
"It will take its course," Dettloff said. "There is no treatment for this disease. It will probably just stay in the area for the remainder of the warmer months. When the bugs die off with the colder weather, the virus will die off. Because of the pathology of the disease, it just tends to stay in one area or region."
According to Dettloff, the disease is characterized by extensive hemorrhages. Deer develop signs of the illness about seven days after exposure. The symptoms of EHD are a loss of appetite and loss of the fear of man.
Infected deer grow progressively weaker, salivate excessively, develop a rapid pulse and respiration rate, become unconscious, and then die.
Dettloff said the high fever caused by the virus explains why the dead deer found in the area were found near or in the Clinton River. She added that there's no evidence that people or domestic pets can contract the virus.
"With the breakout of Chronic Wasting Disease on the west side of the state, I want to be perfectly clear that these are two totally different things," said Tim Payne, a southeast Michigan wildlife supervisor for the DNR. "(EHD) is an infectious viral disease that occurs in some of the wild ruminants. Deer are the only thing we're aware of being affected by this particular outbreak."
The DNR first became aware of the outbreak in August, according to Payne.
"For Michigan, this isn't that common of a breakout," he said. "It was first seen in 1955 Up North, then in 1974 in several counties around the state, and then, most recently, in 2006 in Allegan County.
"The flies and midges only feed on live animals," Payne said. "In areas where you have a high deer population, these insects can feed on one deer and then hop to another very easily.
"There have been a couple of people who called in and actually watched a deer die," he said. "The deer would get in and around water, in the shallow area, and go into convulsions. Sometimes it couldn't keep it's head up and would drown. There is something in this virus that causes the degeneration of the blood vessel walls. (An infected deer) bleeds to death on the inside."
It's not the water that causes the deer to die, according to DNR officials.
"The deer are perfectly good to eat," Payne said. "Just cook it well and wear gloves when you skin it. This isn't a disease you can pick up from handling an infected deer."
Payne said the virus has expanded into communities outside Rochester Hills and could continue to spread.
"The deer look and appear totally healthy, they just all of a sudden get sick and die," he said. "If someone has a deer that has freshly died near water and looks healthy, I would call and have us test the deer. (The disease) could spread but we don't know how far and would like to document it."
Anyone who finds a dead, normal-looking deer near water should call the DNR's Holly Wildlife Area Office at 248-634-0240 or the DNR Southfield Service Center at 248-359-9040.
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