Lee mentioned in a discussion this weekend that some of the dead deer in the area have shown the “blue” tongue disease. This is worth paying attention to because this particular disease can wipe out our deer population. 

Its called EHD or Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease EHD. There are two variant of it and as you can read further in the article below midges are the carriers of the virus. Anyone working in the yard these past weeks have been covered with these midges. Now no panic for us humans.  It does not infect us and you can eat harvested deer who have contracted this disease.

 

Here is an explanation from Cornel University from recent reports from Ny down to NC as they have confirmed the outbreak this year.

”EHD is a viral disease of white-tailed deer that is transmitted by the biting midge in the family Culicoides. EHD outbreaks are most common in the late summer and early fall when the midges are abundant. In deer, the symptoms of EHD include fever; small hemorrhages or bruises in the mouth and nose; and swelling of the head, neck, tongue, and lips. A deer infected with EHD may appear lame or dehydrated. An infected deer may die within 1-3 days after being bitten by the midge or the disease may progress more slowly over weeks or months. Frequently, infected deer will seek out water sources and carcasses are often found near water. Often, a large number of dead or sick deer are found in a limited area. There is no treatment and no means of prevention for EHD. The dead deer do not serve as a source of infection for other animals because the virus is not long lived in dead animals.