Shedding or sick?

[Peeps]

do you think this doe is just getting her winter coat or is something up with her?

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I'll be interested in the responses, as I've had one just like her on camera all summer.

 

[Greta&Gus]

Looks like winter coat to me but if you had one all summer like that you might want to question it.

 

[Someday isle]

I've got one very similar to that but not as dark. I'm pretty sure on mine it's just the coat changing. Yours is certainly a little more dramatic looking though.

 

[Peplin Creek]

Given that the hair is a different color and much darker, I would 95% sure that's her winter coat coming in. She looks healthy otherwise.

 

[Bill]

No clue but she looks cool like that. Hopefully it's not a bad thing. I'd like that hide on the wall.

 

[Bill]

And maybe it's the pose. But she look ancient.

 

[Mortenson]

I also think she looks healthy and normal. Always see a few does that are ridiculously dark.

 

[Joe Buck]

Have had this deer on camera a lot in the last month or so. I have asked the Wisconsin DNR what the issue might be with this deer. This is what I was told from Lindsey Long, DVM, DACVPM, with WDNR: "When I look at this image, to me it actually looks as if what you are seeing is the "plush" layer of the fur. Basically, the guard hairs look as if they aren't present. If that what the deer is exhibiting, the most common cause on the sides like in the image is typically excessive grooming. There can be many different things that could cause that: ectoparasites in or on the skin or abdominal pain would be the highest on my list for free-ranging animals, in captivity it can occur as a neurological response to captivity. Obviously, that is just a professional guess based on the pictures ".
I hope that helps shed a little light on the original post picture

 

[Boll Weevil]

1 more vote for shedding.

 

[ToddG]

I have one that looks like that also. I think it is shedding.

 

[Nova]

That deer looks very healthy to me, she is shedding her summer coat.