Has anyone had any trouble with a deer having a swollen/puss-filled brisket? We have dealt with this one other time but are curious if anyone else has had this problem and how they handled it.
I had a doe last fall that looked like she was trying out for 1/2 part of a Dolly Parton role-her brisket was huge but she was just a yearling. I didn't do anything and it went away.
Joined Apr 2009
1,485 Posts | 0+
Vaughn, MT 59487
These are pictures of an abscess. The skin gets so much pressure behind it that eventually some skin will die and make a hole in the sack so the puss can get out all by itself. Mother nature can fix these most of the time herself.
We as stewards of these animals can speed things along and just make a hole and drain the abscess. Sometimes we must help these things along due to the fact the abscess (puss) will break inside the animal and continue to grow under the skin. For sure you should now get involved.
We as stewards of these animals can speed things along and just make a hole and drain the abscess. Sometimes we must help these things along due to the fact the abscess (puss) will break inside the animal and continue to grow under the skin. For sure you should now get involved.
The buck pictured above had this develop within a day or two after getting spooked and hitting the fence. The abscess didnt at any time break open and drain, over time it gradually went away.Could it have been something other than puss.
Not trying to start an argument, just trying to get more educated.
Not trying to start an argument, just trying to get more educated.
Joined Apr 2009
1,485 Posts | 0+
Vaughn, MT 59487
If there was no puss and the animal had an injury as you described it would have been blood fluid from the injury which will be absorbed by the body over time. I think that is called a hematoma.
The brisket area is in contact with the ground and when an open injury gets in contact with the ground fusobacterium an infection is formed and then puss is formed from the infection. Puss can only be drained or encapsulated by the body it will not be absorbed by the body. Hope that helps describe the two types of problems you have each described.
The brisket area is in contact with the ground and when an open injury gets in contact with the ground fusobacterium an infection is formed and then puss is formed from the infection. Puss can only be drained or encapsulated by the body it will not be absorbed by the body. Hope that helps describe the two types of problems you have each described.
We had a yearling doe that looked exactly like this..I also believe she hit the fence due to dogs .. We lost one that was in the same pen...My brother took her down and poked a large needle in it and drained it. We didn't get a whole lot out so i don't really think that did the trick.. We also gave her draxxin i believe... But i would not panic right now I believe it will prob go away on its own without doing anything. I was told that when they hit the fence they can sometimes seperate the hide from the meat causing fluid to build between creating a pocket of fluid..
Thanks so much for all your responses. Everyone's experiences/advice on this forum is so invaluable.
Just offering my experience. Hematomas are essentially a clot and are t0 thick to drain with a needle (any time you have gutted a deer you know the large clost that come out of the chest from a double lung shot are good examples of exactly what a hematoma will be like) and trying to aspirate or drain it with a needle will usually be ineffective. If the skin remains intact then you are better off letting in resorb over a few weeks or even months.
If an opening in the skin is made, and you are unable to fully evacuate the blood clot, it becomes an entry point for bacteria. Blood is a great media for bacterial growth and needle aspiration would be more likely to cause an infection than to resolve the hematoma. Allowing it to spontaneusly resorbwould be best, and it may not fully resorb, but should not be harmful.
If it is at an area that is problematic or looks infected then an incision large enough to remove the clot should be made (usually at least an inch long). Antibiotics are unnecesarry unless infected, but if infected it must be drained.
Just my 2cents.
Jeff
If an opening in the skin is made, and you are unable to fully evacuate the blood clot, it becomes an entry point for bacteria. Blood is a great media for bacterial growth and needle aspiration would be more likely to cause an infection than to resolve the hematoma. Allowing it to spontaneusly resorbwould be best, and it may not fully resorb, but should not be harmful.
If it is at an area that is problematic or looks infected then an incision large enough to remove the clot should be made (usually at least an inch long). Antibiotics are unnecesarry unless infected, but if infected it must be drained.
Just my 2cents.
Jeff