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Images of “Frankenstein” or “zombie” rabbits and squirrels with unusual growths recently started circulating on social media — and now photos of deer with warts seem to be joining the bizarre trend.
The images may appear alarming, but wildlife experts said the lumps or abscesses on deer and other wildlife are not uncommon.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said two main causes of the growths include Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) and Papillomas, also known as warts.
The agency said it routinely monitors wildlife for disease, such as sample testing from potentially sick animals reported by hunters.
While concern about CL or papillomas passing to humans through contact with an affected animal is small, as with all potential wildlife diseases, hunters should use standard game meat handling hygiene,” the agency noted online. “Use protective gloves, avoid cutting into lumps and abscesses but cut away and discard them, clean equipment, and thoroughly cook meat.”
The Cornell University Wildlife Health Lab described the growths as fibromas, or fleshy, wart-like nodules, noting that they tend to vary in texture, size, and color. They can occur on any part of an animal’s body, but are typically found their heads and legs.
Fibromas can affect an animal’s vision, feeding, breathing, and movement, depending on their size and location,” Cornell University Wildlife Health Lab wrote on its website.” In addition, abrasions on fibromas can lead to secondary bacterial infections. The growths are generally self-limiting and regress on their own as infected animals mount an immune response. However, in immunocompromised animals, fibromas may progress and invade internal organs.”
Fibroma viruses are typically transmitted by insect vectors, such as fleas and mosquitoes, and direct contact with injured skin, according to experts. There is no treatment for fibromas in animals.
White-tailed deer are susceptible to several diseases and are hosts to numerous parasites, the Mississippi State University Deer Ecology and Management Lab. It said “a major exception” is hemorrhagic disease, which is caused by the epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) or bluetongue virus.
Several states, including Maine, Missouri, and Idaho have reported recent cases of EHD.
EHD is a virus that spreads among white-tailed deer, causing them to appear weak or disoriented. Infected animals are often found near water as they seek relief from fever. There is currently no cure for the disease.
Most wildlife disease researchers believe that [the disease] has negatively impacted deer populations for most of the 20th century,” according to Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. “The landmark 1955 outbreak in New Jersey led to the initial viral isolation and definitive diagnosis of the disease.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE: KLEW contributed to this report.
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