adult bucks with limps

We have several (5-7)bucks that are showing signs of sore feet. We have deer for 13 years and not seen this before other than the odd limp. Has anyone had a similar problem and if so any idea what caused it.

How long are the hoofs?

Sore feet is an early sign of ehd. Are they humped up in the back like all four feet are sore? Do you have ehd that far North? Very likely they have fever if that many are sore at one time.

Jim,

Dont rule out Hoof (foot) rot. Give us an update on how the deer are doing and if any new symptoms have been observed.

have you brought any new deer into your herd lately? (not ones born in, but bought and brought in) if so i would deffinatly say foot rot. wouldnt hurt any to spread lime about an inch thick around the water pan and around feeders.

I have talked to quite a few guys having this happen this year and alot of them are losing deer from it. The one farm is having trouble with a pen that is gravel. They said that the older deer AND fawns both are showing signs of sore feet and have never had this happen before. He said that their hoof is actually swelling up and bursting, then they get infected and died. I havent had this happen yet but would also like to hear what causes it.

i agree NC. i know they are getting a wide spread of it in indiana too. would be interesting to know what is causing it.

Well subsequnet culture would be needed to tell if it was for sure hoof rot or not, but it sure sounds like it to me. Foot (Hoof) rot is caused by synergistic relationship of two different bacterias. Bacteria known as Bacteroides nodosus occurs naturally on the hooves of deer and bacteria known as Fusobacterium necrophorum is naturally occuring in fecal matter. F. necrophorum does not penetrate healthy hooves - the problem arises when there is an abraison in the hoof wall or foot already. In cases where we have deer in pens (congregated) both bacilli have higher populations in soil and fecal matter. Foot abcesses may be caused by B. nodosus alone, however true foot rot disease is caused from both of these bacteria. Moist soil conditions contribute to the spread of the bacteria, but I often see cases and it is well documented that this disease is very prevalent in dryer years when deer congreagte around water sources. In the past Gentamycin has worked, Gentamycin kills the B. nodosus - which in turn takes it out of the equation and eliminates the synergistic effect. Vaccination programs are the best preventtative medicine for this, I use Fusoguard. I would get with your vet and start a program and treat your deer - quickly.



Also for treatment of this disease in sheep, it is recomended to trim the hoof wall to the quick and soak infected hooves for five minutes in a foot bath contaning 90% water and 10% formalin (37% formaldehyde) or 10% zinc sulfate. I would use zinc sulfate because it is essentially as effective and safer to handle. Many sheep operators isolate limpers and repeat the process one week later, then turn into uncontaminated area.



I would treat, isolate the limpers and rest the pen. Treated deer can theoretically infect other deer, just a word of warning. This disease can be a headache, good luck and I would get with your vet - treat your deer and vacinate others, if this is what your vet thinks you do indeed have. I have seen several other documented cases up north and a good friend of mine has had it in his pens, so thats why I definately would not rule it out.

Jim,



Volar is also another vaccine for foot rot that many deer breeders use. If you deem it necessary or if you have repeated cases of this then have your vet take a sample to the closest patho-biological labratory or University for culture of the bacteria and develop specific vaccination for your deer, because it can be area or even farm specific.

it really wouldnt hurt to vaccinate all of your herd for the foot rot. do it now, a month later then about 6 months later and you should be ok for a little while. but as varnell said, if you could knock one down and get a vaccine made just for your herd would be great. even if you lost him. one is better than 10 or more...

Is this from dirt and gravel pens . No greenery?

Novartis makes a vaccine called Fusoguard that will prevent this. If you can get your hands on them I've had good luck treating with Penicillin every day for 5 days.