Deer Vet
> Injuries
Injuries Q&A |
|
|
Jump to: |
 |
|
|
 Australian
questions |
|
|
International
questions |
|
See also
|
Capture
Myopathy Factsheet |
|
|
Deer
Resources page |
|
|
|
|
Australia
|
1 |
My husband and I raised a California Black-tailed deer from |
|
about 1 week old. She is now 5 months. After releasing her into the wild, she
came home about a month ago with a badly |
|
fractured left shoulder. We tranquilized her and took her to the vet. He was unable
to repair the fix and removed the leg at the shoulder. We took her
home to recover, and
she had a very difficult and violent recovery from the anaesthetic. We kept her medicated with Torbugesic and later
Banamine. The wound healed well. However, since the surgery she has rapid and
laboured respirations. (about 70), using her accessory resp. muscles. Her
muscles appear to be sore. She has a progressively worsening dry cough, and is
refusing to ambulate more than absolutely necessary. She grinds her teeth at
times and groans. We initially treated her with ivermectin and for pneumonia
with LA 200 and Naxcel. No improvement. I believe she has CHF related to
stress myopathy. Do you feel, with this info, that this may be the case? We
have started her on dig and lasix. What are the correct doses for a 16kg fawn?
Are there any long term POs safe to use for pain? What are the chances of
recovery? Have there been any long term studies done? We are crazy about this
baby, but regret putting her through this. Do you have any help to offer? |
|
|
The unfortunate animal is obviously having a very bad time and I guess I
have to say that you should seriously question whether you should put her
through any more of this. Only you can make that call though - she is
in your hands.
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
| |
International
|
| 1 |
Our deer have been relocated to a large lot with some good ground cover and trees. But the left front foot/hoof |
|
remains in its collapsed position. However, the deer eats and walks, and hopefully is not in pain.
Would Dr. English be able to put the emailed photos on the website and address all that he can as regards the left front leg/foot/hoof? Does it appear to be her tendons, or ligaments, or what? What kind of problems might be expected in the future? The new manager said that deer in captivity do okay with only three legs, so that she should be able to do okay with her condition. Is that correct? Or is it mixing apples with oranges to have made that comparison? Any other thoughts on her left front leg/foot/hoof are truly wanted and appreciated.
As always very much thanking you and Dr. English. |
| |
It is quite correct that a 3-legged deer can do quite well - I have seen an old fallow doe that we trapped from the wild many years ago and she had lost a hindleg just below the hock. Presumably there had been some sort of incident and in fact she moved quite well with the damaged leg held up out of harm's way.
The point was she had learnt to hold the leg up and hence it was not in much danger of being injured again. On the other hand if a leg is damaged to the extent that the animal cannot hold it up it tends to be open to damage when it strikes a fixed object. So it all depends on how she copes with the damaged leg and whether it is constantly exposed to impact damage. It may well be that she is moving around quite happily and she may do that for years.
If you feel that I am not addressing the actual problem this deer has then you are probably right. I am always reluctant to speculate on a deer that I cannot physically examine - even with photos.
On the other hand if, despite the best will in the world, it becomes clear that the animal is suffering and unlikely to recover normal mobility you may have to consider euthenasia. Not what you want to hear and it's your call.
(31 January 2012)
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 2 |
I am a student in my first year of the National Diploma in Animal Management. I am currently in the middle of an |
|
assignment on wildlife management and rehabilitation and was wondering how you would treat a roe deer with a broken back leg due to being hit by a car and also how the treatment would differ if the injury was a simple fracture or a compound fracture. Thanks for any help you are able to give! |
| |
The answer to your question depends on a couple of things - firstly is it a high fracture or a low one, ie: above the shoulder or stifle or below. Simple fractures high in the leg can sometimes heal with no intervention, especially if it is a young animal. There is an animal welfare issue as well, and if the deer is suffering you have 2 options - surgical repair or euthenasia. Can you really justify the cost of orthopaedic surgery for a deer that has no conservation value?
(5 January 2012) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 3 |
Today I saw a young buck (1-2 years) limping through my yard. One of his hind legs is obviously broken roughly |
|
six inches above his hoof. It's dangling, which is worrying me, but he seems to be getting around surprisingly well, even jumping a solid 5 feet up onto our retaining wall. The area does have some blood around it but does not appear to be actively bleeding or noticeably swollen at all. I'm unsure of how he got the injury. I'd like to know if he has a decent chance of survival, because if he does I'm willing to provide food through our winter months, which are fairly mild, and allow him to hang around and recover. However, if he's unlikely to survive and likely to suffer a great deal I'd rather call animal control to put him out of his misery. |
| |
Fractures like this one rarely survive, but I am not going to say that they never do. However there would be a great deal of pain over many weeks. Your call.
(29 December 2011) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 4 |
I have a (wild) mother deer in my yard with an injured foot or hoof. She gets around but is limping. Would it be |
|
okay to give her aspirin (in a piece of apple)? If so, what dosage? Or is there something better for pain relief? Thank you for any advice. |
| |
It is best to try and determine what sort of problem is causing the lameness. A good scrutiny with a pair of binoculars should give you some idea - fracture, abscess, foreign body, etc. You can then treat the animal with some hope of success. Wild deer can recover from quite severe problems at times, but animal welfare is paramount. Aspirin will do little for a fracture.
(9 October2011) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 5 |
My friend picked up a baby buck about a week old on the side of the road. One of the hind legs is swollen and I |
|
was wondering if they could give him some baby aspirin and put ice on it to reduce the swelling. They have gotten it to drink goat milk from a bottle. Our vets won’t look at wildlife?
|
| |
You could give the fawn aspirin but the risk is that the leg is fractured and may need some form of fixation. Baby bones heal quickly but they do need to be treated humanely.
(18 May 2011) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 6 |
I recently bought 55 acres in Texas and yesterday found an injured doe (yearling). She was unable to stand but is |
|
very alert and allowed me to pet her and give her water and food. The previous property owners fed the deer. I managed to find a woman who is a rescue volunteer who came to retrieve the doe. She found no broken bones, but the Doe appears to have nerve damage from a fight to escape barbed wire. She has started the Doe on antibiotics and steriods, but she told me it is difficult to find a vet who will prescribe pain meds for deer. Can you tell me what pain meds are used on deer? And, why it is difficult to get them prescribed? Can they use advil, etc? Vicodin? Are they specialty medications? It is unfortunate that I can't get these answers in Texas. I would appreciate any information that you can give me. I plan to volunteer with this rescue group once I have moved to the property. Where do you get information about deer treatment?
|
| |
I must apologise for taking so long to reply – I did make a start on your query but I got sidetracked. As to the vets who will not supply pain killers for deer it is more likely that they do not see deer at all because they feel that the don t know enough about deer to attempt treating them. The problem with treating wild deer is the fact that any intervention at all is likely to be accompanied by a serious escalation in stress levels, and this must be judged against the possible benefits of such escalation. Not an easy call.
There are no pain meds developed especially for deer – a vet may choose to use one of the opioids but these are very dangerous to people if a drug accident does occur. Finadine™ may be useful, but consider what I say above.
For information on deer diseases one book that you might find useful is:
Haigh and Hudson (1993) “Farming Wapiti and Red Deer” Mosby ISBN O-8016-6787-9.
(7 May 2011) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 7 |
I saw the most disturbing vision and cannot get it out of my mind. I was coming home and in our neighborhood a |
|
deer was with a younger deer and the bigger deer had a back leg that was mangled. It was dangling like a branch off a tree. I didn't see any bones protruding but it was like it was dangling by a thread. I could not tell if the deer was in pain or not. I am not even sure if I will see it again. I want to know if it is suffering and will it survive this. Please help!
|
| |
Yes I am afraid that the animal will be suffering in the most dreadful way and surely needs a compassionate hunter to end the pain.
(6 March 2011) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 8 |
I have a young white tail deer living within my 6 acre yard. He is probably 6 + months old and he has been here |
|
since he was in spots. He comes and goes as he pleases, but this this afternoon when I saw him, he had the skin ripped off his tail. It was very bloody looking and missing all hair and skin. He also had a few other surface wounds, that were not nearly as alarming as the tail. What can I do to help him? He did let me put some betadine solution and antibactrial cream on the tail, but I could tell it really hurt and he is in some pain. He is eating some goat chow that I usually keep out for him and some clippings of shrubs that he usually eats. Is there anything I can do for him? Should I try and give him any antibiotics that i have for my dogs. The vets around here will not even talk to me about it. They cant' handle wild animals. I am really not sure what happened to him. Looks like he got it caught on something.
|
| |
As It is never easy to see an animal in pain and to feel that there is nothing you can do. He is a wild animal and if he is to stay wild he cannot be a pet as well. It is best that you do not try to touch him. Sometimes wounds can look very bad but Mother Nature has a quite remarkable way of healing animals that at first look hopeless. Quite massive wounds can heal well if they are draining - the pus and rubbish do not accumulate but drain and eventually dry up and heal.
At least we know that there is no damage to bones if he is walking, and he is eating which is good. No guarantee but he stands a good chance of recovering. I will not comment on the issue of why some vets do not treat wild animals except to say that perhaps they do not feel that they are equipped to do so.
Let me know how he goes.
(8 February 2011) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 9 |
I appreciate the time you take to answer questions that people have |
|
about deer issues. The q & a section is very informative and one of the most useful sources of info I have been able to find for deer. I live on the California coast where there are Columbian Black-Tailed deer, and in my area they are protected. There is no hunting allowed. Deer often come to the field outside my kitchen window and it has been wonderful to witness generations of deer here. About 12 days ago a buck showed up that had a big gash in his lower hind leg, and there was bone sticking out. He could not put any weight on the leg, and I felt so sorry for him. I didn't see him again until yesterday and today, and it looks like he chewed away the protruding bone. He now is also able to put weight on this leg, lightly, which is much more than before. I notice him licking it and trying to keep it clean. What worries me is the color of the skin surrounding the gash - it is turning black. The area is very swollen and clearly must be infected. I am so worried that he is getting gangrene, and there is nothing I can do and no official will even do anything about an injured deer unless they are in such bad shape that they can't get around at all. This buck can still get around, and even moves around with a group of other bucks, but I was wondering if you could give me an assessment based on these photos I took. I'm sorry one of the photos is a little blurry - the first one shows what it looked like 12 days ago. You can see the white bone. The next photos show what it looked like today. It is nasty, and I want to know if you think this is something that can heal on its own. Also, I want to know if there is any way to give him antibiotics, or if there is anything I can do to help him. Thank you so much for your time, I hope to hear from you soon. I actually have more deer questions, and many times have wanted to email you, so if I hear back from you, I will send you more questions.
You and I can only begin to imagine what this animal has gone through to get to this stage, but I am always just amazed at how some wild animals survive the most dreadful trauma. This buck is not out of the woods yet, but it has to be possible that he will in fact survive as a 3-legged animal. If the leg does
|
|
| |
slough that is probably the best outcome, and he will then have to learn to survive with 3 legs. We had an old fallow deer doe that was wild caught and with only 3 legs she had a fawn each year for 5 years.
I cannot guarantee that he will not die sooner rather than later, but he has been through the worst of it now and he deserves to live for as long as good luck and best wishes can arrange for him,
Not much point in antibiotics now, but the only way to treat him is with a dart rifle..
I have to wonder what your officials would consider a major injury if this was not one.
Let me know what happens to this buck.
(20 December 2010)
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 10 |
I am taking a national diploma in animal management. I am working on an assignment on wildlife casualties |
|
and I'm wondering how you would go about treating a roe deer with a broken back leg after being hit by a car?
Thanks in advance for any help!
|
| |
As always the welfare of the animal is paramount, and in the case of an endemic species with no element of being endangered it would not generally be considered a candidate for full blown orthopaedic surgery. The cost and the welfare aspects of catching and dealing with a wild animal really make it difficult to support surgery. With a fracture high in the leg many wild animals survive without surgery. If the large muscles of the thigh contract they can partly immobilize the fracture and union can occur. If the leg is fractured below the hock it is much less likely to have bony union occur. In either case it would be best to try and see the animal at intervals and if it is obviously suffering to shoot it.
Every case is different and you need a sensible compassionate attitude to get the best outcomes.
(30 November 2010) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 11 |
My husband and I live in southern British Columbia. We have a young black tail buck that lives in the meadow |
|
area near our home. We have known his mother for 7 years, and he and his sister are the only fawns she has everh had that survived past 6 months. Most deaths are from car collisions. Willie and his sister were born late May 2009. Willie was injured on his left back leg in February, and we didn't see him around for a few weeks, then he showed up with this severe leg injury, probably from a car. His leg is broken and the bone is sticking out in the lower outside of his leg, and also below the hock on the inside of the leg. It has never healed, and has remained swollen and draining. It flays outward and is not usable anymore. The wildlife center here does not take care of injured deer, so we had no luck getting him any help with the initial injury. He comes around for apples and we have put out some grain for him. He has been managing to have some quality of life, but since rutting season he has been injured on his foreleg, and now the poor little guy is barely getting around, hopping on 2 legs. We are just sick about it. The conservation officers put deer down from car accidents, but they will not come out to destroy him, and I don't think I could bear to see an officer come out with a gun and kill him.
We have a lean-to in the back of our property which backs onto the meadow. If we were able to somehow contain him in the lean-to, could we care for him and possibly his front leg would improve and he could manage with his injured back leg? I am thinking with my heart and not my head, but we definitely love this little fellow. He is not a pet, and we have never tried to get close to him, but we have always put carrots and apples out in the meadow to try to keep him and his mum and sister away from the busy highway.
Mo one is able to help him, and no conservation officer will come out and put him down, so his life will end in terrible suffering out in the woods. We are apparently expecting a cold snowy winter too. I am heartbroken about him. I would like to try to help him. Please advise me.
|
| |
I really do wish that I could give you some good news, but I am as certain as you ever can be that this little crearture is suffering more than we can accept. I have to say that you will have to find a way to put him out of his pain. He needs your courage now..
(13 November 2010) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 12 |
Your web site
is very informative and the best I have found so far. However, I desperately need more information |
|
to save my little "Nubbie". I have a small 13 acre farm in NJ surrounded by over 500 acres of open space. I have a herd of 23 deer, 12 does, 6 fawns, 4-5 bucks. On October 1, 2010 bow hunting season started across the street from my small farm. Every day since then I have had a deer a day with gashes/wounds. The first two did not seem so bad but on the third day, today, my favorite yearling buck "Nubbie" showed up with a large gash stretching from shoulder blade to shoulder blade, exposing muscle and soft tissue. It is raw but not dripping blood. I can only assume that since these injuries did not appear prior to bow hunting season that these wounds are a result of mis-spent arrows.
I am not up to date on antibiotics especially for deer and which ones to administer in their food. My concern is for the gashes and what antibiotic to spread on their food. There are no deer vets in my area. Any advise you can offer would be soooo appreciated and perhaps save a life or two.
It breaks my heart to see Nubbie that has been the foster father to and protector of every fawn and such a gentle creature to be obviously suffering. Please please help me save Nubbie and maybe others too..
|
| |
The wounds you are seeing are undoubtedly caused by broadhead arrows that are slicing through the skin and muscle rather than penetrating the thorax and causing massive haemorrhage and rapid death. Presumably the wounds you describe are from arrows released too far away and not hitting at the angle required for penetration. Wild animals have a great capacity to heal soft tissue wounds provided function is not disrupted - that is that the animal can still move around and feed. The wounds will heal best if they are draining, with no accumulation of blood and inflammatory fluids. It is probably not critical that you administer antibiotics, unless you see evidence of infection (heat, lameness, etc). Use any broadspectrum antibiotic if you feel that this is needed. Good luck!
(4 October 2010) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 13 |
I have a rescued buck that is probably about three months old. When he was brought to me I was told he was |
|
taken down by a coyote. A guy saved him from that ordeal but could not get him to eat or drink. He knew I have taken in other rescued deer and wanted me to try to save him. I gave him a shot of LA-200 (Liquamycin) the next day, because of all the bite marks he had. He seemed to be doing great after a few days, when he was out of shock. He eats on his own and drinks plenty of water. Now, after two weeks I noticed a bump under one eye. I wiped it and a small amount of pus came out, but it didn't drain so I squeezed it and got alot of infection out. Today it looks good and is still not swollen. But this morning I noticed he cannot urinate - he has tried and tried for hours. I have rubbed him as I do all new deer to help stimulate them, but it hasn't helped. Is there anything I can do for him? I gave him another 1/2 CC of LA-200. The vets in our area will not treat a deer. |
| |
I would think the most likely cause of the problem is an abnormality in the bladder or urethra caused by trauma and infection. If your antibiotics do not give him some relief quite quickly he will need veterinary treatment or he will surely die. Do what you can but he really does need to be seen by a vet.
(8 July 2010) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 14 |
I unfortunately have a deer on my property with a broken leg. The bone is sticking out just above its left rear |
|
hoof. The deer itself seems healthy otherwise, but can't put any weight on the leg as the hoof flops around on its own. I have seen deer with broken front legs heal and actually get around ok with that sort of injury. With the rear leg broke, mobility seems to be more of a problem, and I don't know how the leg will heal with the bone protruding above the hoof. I was wondering what you think about an injury of this nature and if this deer has a chance of survival. |
| |
I think you know just how much trouble and pain this deer is confronting. You are correct in saying that some deer with leg fractures do eventually heal, but the best chance of this happening is when the fracture is high on the leg and not compound (that is no bone protruding). In other words, everything is against this unfortunate creature, and almost for certain sure it will not heal because of where the damage has occurred. There is no question of surgical intervention either so unless you want to see this animal suffer for far too long, you will euthanase it. Now nothing in biology is impossible, and if you do nothing it MIGHT survive. But can you allow it to suffer on that basis? Your call.
(2 March 2010) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 15 |
I am a small animal veterinarian that does what I can to help our local wildlife rescue center. I would like your |
|
honest advice on what to do with this case. The center rescued a deer that had a relatively recent fracture of its distal humerus. We reduced it and tried external stabilization. The deer was treated with antibiotics and pain meds. The fracture is not healing. They have asked me to amputate the foreleg. It can be placed in a sanctuary. Is it ethical to amputate a forelimb in a cervid? If he does break down in his other front foot, I don't know if it will be detected early enough to prevent pain and suffering. He is about 120-150lbs now and is ambulatory on 3 legs. How long will he be able to live pain free without one front leg? |
| |
While one would not seek too often to have a situation where a leg amputation is an option, I have seen several deer with a leg missing and all seemed to get around quite well. We had a fallow doe that was trapped in the wild and she had a back leg missing. Over a number of years she was just as mobile as the others and to my certain knowledge had at least four fawns. If you do perform surgery it is obviously vital that you assess post-operative pain and general progress. And deal with any pte.
(26 October 2009) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 16 |
I have a 3-legged, 1-eyed wild buck living in my back yard. His leg was injured years ago and looks perfectly |
|
healthy except for a big bone spur at the joint that prevents him from straightening it. I'm sure he was hit by a car and it was never set.
But now his right eye seems to have gone blind. It started when he last lost his antlers. His eye was swollen shut for a week and then covered in white puss. Now he has been left with an opaque white eye.
As well as feeding him hay pellets, rolled oats and apple, I am using PSP (Poly Saccharide Peptides) made from rice, bran and mushrooms. It has some spirulina, gotu kola extract, barley and alfalfa juice added. It's supposed to help with his neurological issues (in case this is enccephalitis) and disssolve bone spurs. I'm also giving him 3 different homeopathic remedies targeting the white eye.
 
You can see how happy Cassidy is even though he's fighting all these battles. I would never put him down; he wants to live. Who are we to say what an animal can adapt to, or not? As long as he fights for life, he'll have me fighting right along-side him. |
| |
The old chap is very fortunate to have found such a caring place to spend his later years in - sensible thing to do. I think you probably know most of what I am going to say about your buck, but here goes anyway.
He has certainly had a very nasty fracture on that leg, and it is truly amazing how some wild creatures can survive such trauma. We could not do so I fear, but perhaps early Man did have such a capacity? Perhaps with a little help from his friends in the next cave? So how much help can you give your buddy in need? More of the same TLC, and a rational humane approach to his situation. One plea - please do not try to do anything surgical with that leg. You cannot expect a good outcome if you do, just more pain and suffering. Same with the eye really - unless you can see anything unusual there is not much you can do.
You will know when it is time to end his suffering, and I know that you would not let him suffer needlessly. In the meantime just enjoy your friendship with a wonderful wild creature.
(7 September 2009) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| 17 |
We have a property over near the ocean; we went over this Saturday and found a doe with her fawn. The doe has |
|
an injury on her right front leg that looks like it's at the knee. No signs of open wounds or any breaks. She walks with it bent at the knee, like she can't straighten it, but she did move around to eat. My land is flat and she can get around okay, but I don't like to see her hobble. I have an automatic corn feeder and there are plenty of apples on the ground that she was eating. We stayed away so as not to spook her. Should I just see if it heals or should I contact Wildlife Rescue? |
| |
Wild animals are very commonly injured in a number of ways, and this can lead very quickly to effects on their ability to move around and to feed, or to avoid predation. The very old, the very young and sick or injured animals are frequently taken by predators and this is a natural process. I understand that you would like to do something to help this deer, but perhaps itis best to assess just how much pain she might be suffering and to then decide whether you do one of three things:
1. Do nothing and let nature take its course (she might survive);
2. Try and help her yourself by putting out feed, etc; or
3. Call your Wildlife Department and pass the problem to them. They in turn may do nothing, or they may shoot it, or they may try to capture it for treatment.
There is no right or wrong answer - only you know what seems best for the animal.
(15 July 2009) |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
18 |
I had 2 deer die from an unknown cause. The veterinarian’s autopsy concluded
that they died from trauma |
|
and
stress. I later found out that while I was out of town, 2 dogs were
trying to get into the pen (160'x160') for about 2 hours before my neighbour
chased them away. He said the deer were going crazy running around
trying to get out. Are there any books or articles that cover this
type of trauma & stress? |
|
|
The damage done by this type of dog attack is always severe, and usually
untreatable.
It is referred to by a number of names, but most commonly is called post-capture
myopathy (PCM). Any form of severe exertion, accompanied by terror as in a dog
attack, will induce the biochemical and physical changes, which are seen with
PCM. Not allowing it to happen in the first place is really the only way to
deal with it. There are many places to find a reference to PCM, but one of the
most accessible for you would be the book:
Haigh, Jerry & Hudson, Bob.(1993). Farming Wapiti and Red Deer.
Mosby.
The Animal Health Chapter has a section on PCM on page 188.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19 |
My 5-month old pet whitetail doe recently broke her leg while out in her
pasture. The bone is not sticking out |
|
and it is broken just above her hock on her right rear leg. We raised
her from a baby because her mom was hit by a car so she is very tame.
We called our vet but he thought it would be best to just leave it and let
it heal on its own. Is this the best thing to do? |
|
|
I am very reluctant to give advice on a clinical case that I have not seen,
because every one is different. There is absolutely no way that I can
evaluate the situation that you describe from this distance, with the
welfare of the animal being the most important issue. I am sure that
you wish to do what is best for the animal. It may well be true that
similar fractures have healed without intervention but I am equally sure
that many have not. I can only urge you to get your vet to take a
close look at her before any decision is made. If the advice is then
to leave it alone you will need to watch her very closely over many weeks to
ensure that she is not suffering undue pain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20a |
I am a small animal veterinarian in the United States and had a fawn brought
in that was hit by car. It had |
|
several superficial wounds that were
infected with maggots and we cleaned up the wounds with local shampoo
therapy and got the maggots out and debrided some of the necrotic tissue.
I would like to know what antibiotics you use in deer and at what dosages.
I put some topical panalog ointment on the wounds also today. I also would like to know a
common de-wormer to use in deer - could you give panacur paste? |
|
|
Just treat them like any other small ruminant. Pour-on worm
products containing moxidectin are popular with deer owners because of ease of
application.
|
|
20b |
Thank you so much for your advice! She has picked up on her feed some
today and her stools are starting to |
|
look a lot more solid and firm. They went from a paste-like
consistency to a darker cottage cheese type. She is very playful and
jumps and runs all over the place, but when ever there is a change I push my
panic button! Although she has good circulation in her leg, I believe
she may have nerve damage from the hock down. She does not drag her
leg, she lifts it and carries it, but she doesn't put any weight on her toe.
It folds under and she balances herself on the top section of her hoof.
I am currently trying to splint it, to encourage it to straighten out.
I am hoping for the best. Thank you again for your wonderful advice. I
truly appreciate your service and look forward to reading more on your web
site!
|
|
Glad to be of assistance. Good luck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 |
I have a pregnant WTD with a broken/hurt leg living under my deck. Can
you give me any tips on what to feed |
|
the deer? If the mother does not survive after giving birth is there
any thing I can do? Also how long are deer pregnant? |
|
|
I think you have a significant animal welfare problem under your deck, and I
fear that there will be no happy endings. This injured doe should be
looked at by somebody who is competent to make a proper assessment of the
situation. You cannot just hope that it will turn out well and do
nothing. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 |
Young buck (approx. 1-2) years of age broke his leg in two places in January
of this year. It was a compound |
|
fracture that somehow healed.
There is a significant knob with small holes around the fracture. He
walked well on it for a few months and now seems to be quite lame. He
doesn't put much weight on it and it appears swollen below the original
fracture. I am quite concerned about infection or it may be another
fracture. He has become rather tame and comes by a couple of times a
day for a small amount of "wildlife blend" that I have been feeding.
Am I doing more of a disservice than good? I thought about calling the
game warden, but they will put him down without question. What about
antibiotics? There isn't any rehab locally that will help. I
want to do the right thing which I know isn't necessarily what my heart
tells me. Can you advise? |
|
|
The animal is certainly in quite a lot of pain from your description, and I
can only suggest that you should inform the authorities. They can make
a proper assessment. The most humane outcome should be sought.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23a |
We are caring for a doe that was hit by a car. She has got an
infection which we are treating using long lasting |
|
penicillin. After the
second shot she started with the scours so we added probios to her food, which seemed to help.
Should we continue with the penicillin or change to something else? We are
using the dosages recommended for goats. |
|
|
One possible cause of the scours is the effects of stress on her resistance
to potentially pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella. These organisms
are not generally susceptible to penicillin. I suggest that you talk
to a veterinarian about using a broad spectrum antibiotic - preferably
after a bacterial culture and drug sensitivity test on her droppings. |
|
23b |
Doc, I was wondering if the penicillin gave her the scours? We have
had goats that scour after using antibiotics - |
|
it seems to disrupt the digestive system. Deer seem more sensitive
than goats. Most of the vets here feel that if a deer is hurt or sick
they should be put down so there not a lot of help available. |
|
It is most unlikely that the penicillin shots are the cause of the scours.
If the problem persists you will have to approach a veterinarian. See
if you can persuade one of my colleagues to take an interest in your animal. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 24 |
I am a wildlife rehabilitator in Kansas, USA. 2 days ago I received a
call from individuals who had hit a fawn |
|
with their vehicle and badly
mangled the fawn's back leg. I debated on whether or not to save the
deer due to the necessity of amputating the limb. However, the individuals
who hit the deer were very distraught and wanting her to be saved. The
vet felt the deer had a more than 75% chance of surviving the operation so I
arranged for the amputation. The fawn did indeed survive but as she is
recovering, I have found that she will not move her other hind leg nor her
tail, and as soon as I repositioned her she leaks urine. I believe
that the impact of the accident may have paralyzed her
back extremities as well. Do you think I should try IM steroids in hope that
she will regain use of her remaining back leg, and if so how long should I wait
and see if she does recover? Or do you think I should humanely euthanize her.
The vet was not a big help in this situation. |
|
|
I have to say quite categorically that this animal should have been
euthanized at the start - and I do understand the desire to do something for
it. But in trying to be kind it is so easy to inflict additional
suffering, for all the wrong reasons. What is done is done however,
but you still need to consider the fawn's best interests. I can give
you no idea at all as to how long it might take to recover normal function,
or even if she will ever do so. Only you can be the judge of whether she is
suffering needlessly. You are in a very difficult position but
consider the fawn's welfare above all else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25a |
I've read all your Q&A and have consulted Wildlife Rescue and Game
& Wildlife. My puppy was found with a |
|
young fawn buck. The fawn
weighed under 5 lbs but could stand and walk. The fawn had a small injury
to his right hip flesh. I cleaned it and put neosporin on it. I gave him some water and then put
him in the forest based on the advice. My question is will the mother be able to
find the fawn, since I do not know where it came from? However if it is in a 1
mile radius, do you know of the possibility of the mother finding it? It is 102F
with panther, coyotes, cougar, and bobcats.
|
|
|
What a wonderful wild place you live in, with all those marvellous
predators. And of course there is their prey out there as well, which is
where the deer come in I'm afraid. It is trite to say it, but there is birth
and death and life and the cycle goes on forever. Your fawn may find
his mother but very likely it will not. Hope for the best and who knows how
it will turn out. We interfere too much sometimes.
|
|
25b |
Thank you, the fawn returned the next morning and left via the game warden. |
|
I guess that is about the best outcome that you could have expected. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 26 |
I’m from the UK. Tonight I found a young female deer in the middle of
the road – an earlier car had hit it in the |
|
hind quarters. Although it couldn’t stand it was thrashing about and
certainly not dying. I wrapped it in a blanket to keep it warm and
proceeded to the nearest vet. The deer seemed stable at the beginning
and for half the journey (it was briefly kicking its legs around 30 minutes
after the accident). But by the time I reached a vet it had died.
What’s the best way to care for an injured deer - especially one being
transported in an alien environment like the back of a car? (I heard that
the eyes should be covered to prevent it being “scared to death” – correct?) |
|
|
In a majority of cases where a deer has been hit by a car and is unable to
stand there will be multiple fractures as well as massive soft tissue
damage. Even if the limbs appear to be undamaged there is likely to be
spinal or pelvic fractures. Any attempt at approaching or trying to
move the animal well almost certainly result in terror-stricken attempts to
get away - unless it is comatose. Untrained people can often do more
harm than good, even if well meant, and can also get hurt themselves. All of
which means that most car accident deer die or are euthanized. A
blindfold does quieten the deer but in the face of severe skeletal injuries
it really makes little difference to the outcome. Where possible seek
skilled assistance, and be careful that you are not injured. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27a
|
Hello, Sonja from Sweden here. If a deer is bitten by a dog and there is
injury, should you give tetanus 1500 units antitoxin? |
|
|
Deer are certainly susceptible to tetanus, and any penetrating wound can be
a problem. A dog bite is such a wound, with anaerobic conditions deep
in the wound track. A 1500 IU dose of tetanus antitoxin SC is a good idea,
if you have the opportunity to administer it.
|
|
27b |
Hello again. I have another injured deer. She hurt her foot 3 weeks ago (not
broken) and broke her leg 6 weeks |
|
ago. Today I had a quick look and the leg is hard and nice, and the foot
feels more stable. She stands without dipping the small spur under the joint
in the floor, which is an improvement. On Monday a vet is coming to sedate
her so that I can take a good look. If the leg is okay and the foot is
better, what is the next step? Shall I continue with plaster or only
stabilize with vet flex (support bandage). I have to give her a chance - we
have fought for almost 3 months together. |
|
It sounds like the leg is doing well. By 6 weeks there should be a
good union of the fracture but it would be a good idea to use a support
bandage for several more weeks. Well done!
|
|
27c |
Thanks for that. The vets in Sweden have very little knowledge, if anything,
about deer. The little fawn with the |
|
broken leg is about 6 weeks old. The fracture is on the shinbone - a
clean break, no wound. Everything is healing but I am anxious whether
I got the angle of the foot right. |
|
Good work - looks great. He appears to be quite happy with what you have
done too. |
|
27d |
Hello again Anthony. After several months of fighting, she is now well. She
walks almost perfectly on her leg. |
|
Just wanted to show you our little miracle, and thank you for your wonderful
support throughout the months. It would not have been possible without
you. |
|
Well done - you must be pleased. You did all the hard work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28 |
I am writing to you today from South-eastern Georgia. The small animal
hospital I work for has a 2yr old WTD. |
|
She was presented to us as a baby 2 years
ago with a badly broken left tibia. She underwent surgery and wore an external
fixture for several months. That injury healed remarkably well and she was on
her way to a proper facility for animals who cannot be released back into the
wild. Unfortunately she was attacked by a dog at our clinic and, while she did
survive the attack, her right rear leg was badly injured and the lower half of
her cannon bone died. The lower 6 inches broke off on its own before surgery
could be performed to remove the dead section. At this time the cannon bone is
protruding approximately 1½ inches below a large scar tissue pad. Would you
suggest we amputate the remaining section of leg? The deer "Baby" does use this
leg to walk/balance with, but she also is able to walk using 3 legs. Do we
amputate up high or should we leave something for her to use? We had thought to
go about 2” above the exposed bone into the scar tissue pad and then close it
over the site. Also, we are concerned about anaesthesia on an adult ruminant.
She was an adolescent when her last surgery was performed and we realize
surgery on adult ruminants can be tricky. Any advice on
anaesthesia/surgery would be appreciated. We use isoflurane for general
anaesthesia at our clinic. As you can imagine, we are very fond of Baby and we
want to do what is best for her. We have considered euthanasia, but she is very
healthy and seemingly well adjusted to her injury. We feel that we can place her
in a proper facility if we can get her past this injury. |
|
|
There are no absolute in cases like this one - each animal copes in its own
way. I must also stress that I am not a specialist surgeon so you must
temper my advice with your own first hand knowledge of this deer and its
situation. My inclination is to suggest that you do a high amputation, where
you will have a fresh surgical wound to heal. Isoflurane should be fine. Let me know how it
works out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
29 |
I found an injured baby deer in our horse pasture, its back left leg gone
from the ankle down. It keeps coming up |
|
to my horses round hay bail and to our pond to drink. I don’t think his
mother is anywhere around. Should I just let it be? I believe it’s going to
die with nothing to eat. |
|
|
Wild animals sometimes do survive with this type of injury, but this would
generally be less likely with a fawn than with an adult I guess. It is a
dilemma that you find yourself confronting, but I suspect that the best
thing is to let Nature take its course, one way or the other.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30
|
We found a baby deer on the side of the road that was hit by a car. It has a
broken leg and was still nursing. We want to try to save this baby deer. Any
suggestions will be appreciated. |
|
|
You must take this deer to a veterinarian immediately or it will suffer
severe pain from the fracture. The vet can evaluate the injury and decide
what needs to be done. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31 |
A friend of mine has rescued a sambar fawn which was mauled by a Rottweiler.
He took it to his friend's property |
|
in the country and put it with an adult
female which was hand-raised. The little guy has settled down enormously but
is difficult to handle, and the guys need to dress his wounds and treat him
still. I did wonder if there was something they could give the little guy to
quieten him down after his trauma (he was severely traumatised as you would
expect). Would Serenase then Modecate work with him? We have used this
treatment with wild kangaroos and wondered if it could work for the little guy
and calm him down a bit. If so, one of the local vets will administer this. Or
is there something else they can consider? This is outside my field as we work
with Australian native animals although I have raised the odd fawn which has
been 'dropped on my doorstep'.
|
|
|
The long acting neuroleptic drugs that you mention are very effective in
reducing anxiety in deer, and would be worth talking to your vet about.
Please remember that if you make a pet out of an entire male deer it will
eventually become very dangerous. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32a |
I work for Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation in East Wenatchee, Washington
State. Earlier this year I received a |
|
very young Mule deer doe. After 2
months my daughter-in-law let my Pitt Bull loose and it attacked the baby
fawn. At first she seemed fine. But about a week later she stopped eating,
seemed to have a stomach-ache and was limping on her hind leg. I did find a
Vet that was willing to look at her and he said to give her Pepto Bismol. After 2
weeks she started to eat again and was doing ok, but still limping. Now she
walks with her front legs very stiff and they almost look like they are out of
joint in her shoulder area. She has great difficulty laying down and getting up.
She falls down a lot and is clearly having great difficulty walking. She can't
put her head down to eat so I have raised her food and water so she can reach it
standing up. I fear she is going to die and I don't know what to do. I would
hate to loose her.
|
|
I have to say that it does not look good for the fawn - I cannot be absolutely
sure without seeing the animal, but I fear that there are injuries which will
almost certainly not resolve. You then have to ask yourself about the quality of
life the fawn has right now, and also in the longer term if it does not die. It
is always a dreadful position to be in, but you have to consider the animal's
welfare above your own attachment to him. I suspect you know what the answer
is. I believe that you must contact your wildlife authorities to make sure that
you are not breaking any relevant laws.
|
|
32b |
Yes, in my heart I already knew the best thing to do for my Zalinah but I
thought maybe? I know she will not have |
|
any quality of life to continue the way she is. I work along side the Fish
and Wild Life Department and the local Humane Society (they are the ones who
bring me my rescues). I will go ahead and call my local Humane Society today
and have then come out and do euthanasia for me.
|
|
|
Those of us who are lucky enough to work with animals get so much joy from
them, but sometimes it gets to be almost too difficult.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
