Jaw Infection/Tumor?

[SD51555]

Pulled the trail cam cards today. I have a couple does that have bulges under their jaws. Anyone know what this is, and what the future looks like for them?

 

[SD51555]

Here's one more of the same type of thing:

 

[sandbur]

I see infections in the bone of the jaws of cattle, but this is in the wrong location for that.

This swelling could be an abscess. Similar swelling can result from a poor health condition, lots of worms, extremely poor diet (Mn. winter????), other debilitating disease.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Abscess would be my guess too....but having a number of them at one time seems weird. Are you pretty sure they are all unique deer? Not just pics of the same one or maybe two deer with this condition?

 

[SD51555]

I think overall I have been seeing a group of 4 does on the cameras. I have a two pictures where there are two deer that are showing this problem. At most, my guess is there are just 2. We've been seeing tons of deer out in the hay fields and ditches the last couple nights, and none of them are showing any kind of similar problem. I think/hope it's just these two.

 

[Terrific_tom]

I had one like that a few years back. A lot of guys said it was Lumpy jaw, which comes from an insect. A wildlife biologist said it more than likely came from browseing and getting a stick or twig impacted that causes an infection.

 

[Bill]

I'll ask my Mother in Law, her jaw looks just like that :eek:

 

[sandbur]

I'll ask my Mother in Law, her jaw looks just like that :eek:

That's from the chewún tobaccy!

 

[Jordan Selsor]

I'll ask my Mother in Law, her jaw looks just like that :eek:

Ouch haha

 

[Jeff23]

There's a pretty good chance that it is an infection/abscess caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum. It isn't on the bone like lumpy jaw is, but people sometimes call it lumpy jaw anyway. If that is what it is, it should eventually open up and drain. If their body can't completely fight it off, worst case scenario is the infection can spread and kill them, but I think that's less likely. Is it just showing up in one family unit? Are they at a feeding station? If they are coming to feed, you have a perfect scenario to treat them through feed with antibiotics, should you be interested in getting that involved, although coming to feed is likely what allowed the bacteria to spread in the first case..

 

[sandbur]

There's a pretty good chance that it is an infection/abscess caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum. It isn't on the bone like lumpy jaw is, but people sometimes call it lumpy jaw anyway. If that is what it is, it should eventually open up and drain. If their body can't completely fight it off, worst case scenario is the infection can spread and kill them, but I think that's less likely. Is it just showing up in one family unit? Are they at a feeding station? If they are coming to feed, you have a perfect scenario to treat them through feed with antibiotics, should you be interested in getting that involved, although coming to feed is likely what allowed the bacteria to spread in the first case..

I agree 100%, Jeff.

Based on my cow experience.

That is not the typical lumpy jaw.

 

[SD51555]

We don't feed. We only do mineral.

 

[Jeff23]

SD, if it is the bacteria issue I mentioned, it is the close proximity of deer potentially licking contaminated soil, etc that can spread it (not the feed), so you may want to move your mineral sites around, especially if the deer are showing those symptoms.

 

[SD51555]

Could it be caused by a lot of #1 and #2 in the site? It seems the deer have no problem pooping right in the site.

 

[Jeff23]

Yes. I would move sites, even if not very far, and not keep the mineral in exactly the same spot for long. If the spot is getting pigpen-like, you could spread a good coating of copper sulfate to disinfect it.

 

[sandbur]

Jeff-Are deer very susceptible to copper toxicity? Not like sheep I hope.

I agree, move the mineral site.

 

[Jeff23]

Sandbur, not that I am aware of. I suppose there is probably less research to say it for certain, but my experience (and the experience of those I know) indicates the answer is no. Copper sulfate around feeders is a common trick if hoof rot ever shows- same idea as the footbath in cows.
I've never really thought that they would ingest the copper sulfate, either, but maybe that was naïve on my part. We've never used the method, since our feeders are all mobile, and we move them regularly, but I know others who have with no issues.