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| All you need to know....
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) is a viral disease that affects white-tailed deer and is often fatal:
Symptoms
EHD causes flu-like symptoms in deer, including fever, weakness, lethargy, and loss of fear of humans. Infected deer may also have a swollen head and neck, excessive salivation, and blood in their urine and feces.
Transmission
EHD is spread by biting midges, also known as no-see-ums, which pick up the virus from an infected deer's blood and transmit it to another host. Outbreaks usually occur in late summer and early fall when the midges are most active.
Impact
EHD is most often fatal to deer, but some may survive and develop immunity. The disease can also spill over into cattle and domestic cervid herds.
Prevention
There is no treatment for EHD in wildlife, but insect control may help reduce transmission in captive herds. Hunters can help by observing deer they intend to take and not taking any that seem sick. | |
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