# Deer Disease Remains Mystery



## Pinefarm (Sep 19, 2000)

http://www.freep.com/sports/outdoor...5e_20050915.htm

Deer are acting strange, but malady remains mystery 

September 15, 2005


BY ERIC SHARP
FREE PRESS OUTDOORS WRITER



A strange malady still seems to be killing deer in parts of Kent County, but the state Department of Natural Resources doesn't know what it is.


DNR veterinarian Steve Schmitt said he has ruled out chronic wasting disease, but "there's something out there, and I can't put an 'itis' on it."


"It has us concerned," Schmitt said. "If it was only one or two deer, you'd shrug it off. But we've had a total of seven that we investigated, and we know that (the news media) have received other reports that didn't come to us."


The DNR is continuing its investigation.


About three weeks ago, several residents began seeing deer that were staggering around near their homes in the Townsend Park area near Grand Rapids. The animals were drooling and thin, and some had lost hair. They also appeared to be addled, walking into trees and fences and ignoring people who walked up to them.


The DNR sent police departments a notice that said the symptoms were similar to those in chronic wasting disease, which originated in Colorado and since has been found in Wisconsin, Illinois, New York and West Virginia.


Like mad cow disease, chronic wasting disease appears to be caused by a misshapen protein called a prion. Though it is contagious and fatal in deer, the disease hasn't been transmitted to people.


"We got the test results back from three deer, and they were negative for CWD, which was what we expected," Schmitt said. "It doesn't appear to be blue tongue or another hemorrhagic disease.


"The hot, dry weather we've had is known to be responsible for an increase in the mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus, but that has never been known to affect a cluster of animals like this."


The DNR has asked police in the area to shoot sick deer in the body and preserve the brain for testing. The request came after several sick deer had been shot in the head and taken to landfills.


Not counting reports that might have been about the same deer, the Free Press received calls about a dozen deer and one fox that appeared to be sickened by the mystery ailment.


A man said the fox was walking around in circles on his lawn, falling over and then picking itself up until it finally died.


Schmitt said the fox most likely suffered from distemper or another ailment that affects canines and other furbearers. But the sick deer displayed symptoms that don't correspond with anything in his experience.


"We're looking at the brains and stomach contents of the deer," Schmitt said. "The problem with those tests is that they take awhile. We can get an answer on CWD in a couple of days. But the brain examinations and toxicology tests take a couple of weeks."


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

Scary stuff.


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## Todd Frank (Nov 20, 2003)

We turned another sick deer over to the Dnr for testing the other day...Same area same symptoms......


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## sadocf1 (Mar 10, 2002)

We are well aware of the fine spirit of cooperation that exists between intrastate, interstate and federal agencies especially w/ wildlife emergencies so we can assume that the NATIONAL ANIMAL DISEASE LAB at Ames, Iowa has/will be asked to help identify/confirm the causitive agent of this mystery disease if it is deemed necessary


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## StumpJumper (Nov 13, 2001)

I hope they figure it out quick, I'll be making alternate hunting plans, thats close to my hunting area.


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## StumpJumper (Nov 13, 2001)

so whats the word on this, seems like ther'd be an update by now.


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## Baby Julias Mom - Michiga (Jan 11, 2006)

[email protected] said:


> http://www.freep.com/sports/outdoor...5e_20050915.htm
> 
> Deer are acting strange, but malady remains mystery
> 
> ...


 
This was a posting from a while ago so I hope you all got the answer on this already. The Kent County deer were identified as having EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis). An uglier sister of West Nile. I know this because I've been following Michigan's vectored disease issues quite closely this year as my 13 month old little girl died in June 2005 of a 'mysterious' encephalitis after being bit by the swarming mosquitoes in Houghton Lake. She was orginally suspected of having contracted EEE, but it appears that even the CDC has not been able to isolate the culprit in her case. But no one can deny these bizarre bites that were on her body. I have a website with my Baby Julia's story (www.houghtonlakeskeeter.com) and in her guest book I posted a link to the DNR Press Release regarding these deer and the confirmation of EEE. 

EEE is a mosquito vectored disease. Sportsmen should take this issue very seriously for the safety of not only the wildlife they enjoy, but also themselves and their families who enjoy the beauty of the woods with them. Encephalitis is a grueling death. I witnessed it, I know.


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## mudflapimmc (Dec 19, 2005)

sorry to here about your daughter. i have children of my own and could'nt phathom the thought of losing them. thanks for having the strength to at least give advice on things to watch out for.


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## victor mi pro bowhunter (Feb 12, 2001)

this is sad and scary


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## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

Thank you for your courage to continue to inform the public of the facts concerning your terrible tragedy. As a father of 3 kids 5 and under that spend the entire summer getting bit by misquitos, this is very scary and I appreciate you efforts greatly!


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## marty (Jan 17, 2000)

So sorry to hear about your little girl. Prayers will be sent to you and your family. God bless....marty


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## wildcoy73 (Mar 2, 2004)

may the lord be with you. i can not even beable to understand the lost of one child. the pain for me would be unlivable. just wondering if this new one has benn able to surface with the states cut back in spraying. seem to me the skeeterer are more deadly to our population than any whitetail has ever thought to be, but what do we do let the skeeter live and take the whitetail out. 
Sorry man just upsets me with all of our technology in this great country an insect is still the largest killer of man kind


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