Can you eat a deer with bluetongue disease?

A: There are no known health risks of eating meat from a deer infected with EHD, although hunters should avoid harvesting deer that appear sick or unhealthy. Our veterinary staff also always recommends thoroughly cooking all game meat.

Is CWD and blue tongue the same?

EHD and blue tongue are viral diseases that cause internal and external bleeding. They are spread by small, biting flies and are most common in drought years, when deer are concentrated around limited water supplies. CWD is a brain disease caused by abnormal proteins, known as prions, and causes animals to starve.

Can humans get epizootic hemorrhagic disease?

EHD has been shown to not affect humans, and no evidence has been found that the epizootic hemorrhagic disease can be contracted through midge bites or by consuming venison that has been infected with the virus.

What are the signs of bluetongue in deer?

Signs of bluetongue include fever, excessive salivation, depression, and difficulty breathing. Animals may have nasal discharge and reddened and ulcerated muzzle, lips, and ears.

Can deer recover from Bluetongue?

Currently, there is no treatment for animals infected with EHD or Bluetongue.

How do you cure a Bluetongue?

As Bluetongue is a viral infection there is currently no direct cure. Animals affected by Bluetongue can recover though their productivity may be significantly affected.

Can dogs get bluetongue disease?

Abstract. The role of domestic dogs in the long-distance spread of bluetongue virus (BTV) remains unproven. It is currently known that dogs are capable of being infected with BTV, can mount an antibody response to the virus and in some cases die showing severe clinical signs of disease.

How do you treat a deer with blue tongue?

There is no effective and broadly applicable treatment for EHD or BT in deer. Due to the fast-acting nature of these diseases, surveillance of wild deer is not practical, and confirmation of these diseases typically comes from testing deer found dead in the wild.

Can deer survive EHD?

Fever and edema are common and deer with EHD often have a swollen head, neck, tongue, or eyelids. Deer die quickly within 8 to 36 hours. EHD is transmitted to an animal host by the Culicoides midges.

Does bluetongue affect mule deer?

Bluetongue has killed mostly white-tailed deer, but in recent weeks the disease also has been confirmed in some dead mule deer. The animals can die in a few days once symptoms or mouth and nasal discharge occur.

How long does Blue tongue last?

Adults of Culicoides are killed by cold winter temperatures, and BTV infections typically do not last for more than 60 days, which is not long enough for BTV to last until the next spring. It is believed that the virus somehow survives in overwintering midges or animals.

How do you cure a blue tongue?

There is no specific treatment for animals with bluetongue apart from rest, provision of soft food, and good husbandry. Complicating and secondary infections should be treated appropriately during the recovery period.