Demodex ?

[Sitka]

This roe doe taken earlier today had matching bald patches on both sides of the face. Otherwise good kidney fat and good body weight, mesenteric fine head still attached so will check sub mandibular and retropharangeal in the larder after a day or two in the chiller. Still in my first year stalking so not come across this before. Location Aberdeenshire, permission has not seen a lot of stalking pressure in recent years but 6 taken since June all healthy. Not posted a picture on here before....hoping it shows up ok!

 

[NickJ]

The picture posted OK

That could be a mild case of Demodex, the ones I have had the skin was inflamed. Most deer carry it but when they are immuno-suppressed (have something else wrong with them) it can take hold. If you put Demodex in to the the search feature on here (top right) you will see quite a few cases recorded.

It could possibly just be she's got her head stuck in a fence and rubbed the hair off.

If the lymph nodes were OK and she was otherwise in good health the meat would be fine.

 

[Sitka]

Thank you.....lymph nodes ok so will butcher as usual, hate the thought of wasting a carcass so thanks again!

 

[Sunrise Stalker]

Similar hairless patches on the doe I took yesterday...

 

[Sitka]

I think pushing through fences is possibly the cause of the hair loss in both the above....skin is very clean , no sign of inflammation, perhaps transition from winter coat makes these patches of hair loss more frequent when pushing through fences at this time of year?

 

[Sunrise Stalker]

I think pushing through fences is possibly the cause of the hair loss in both the above....skin is very clean , no sign of inflammation, perhaps transition from winter coat makes these patches of hair loss more frequent when pushing through fences at this time of year?

Yes, no internal sign of parasites, pluck all healthy, body condition and fat deposits good, so must be a localised external issue e.g. fence rubbing