Eczema and Deer blood.

finnbear270

Well-Known Member
Never suspected any connection, More suspicious of my early years as an apprentice & general dermatitis, as no one wore gloves or barrier creams back then, But just recently I have read a couple of scientific papers, re links concerning direct skin contact with Deer blood and Eczema / Hives etc, My most recent attack of Eczema (Whole body near enough) sent me running for medical help to the local health centre, One medico was wanting to treat me for Scabies & took loads of photographs of my skin :eek:
Another more experienced & highly qualified practitioner took over & provided the most powerful steroid cream available in his armoury, this provided some relief for a short period .. but did not succeed in complete relief of the condition.
I recalled that my most recent exposure to Deer blood was in Galloway & following the immediate flare up I withdrew from stalking, Staying away in digs over several days as the weather had deteriorated was not a real option because my skin had broken in many areas.
I could not be sure the bed linen & towels provided would remain in "normal guest" condition.
Current condition is improving due to the purchase of a dedicated narrow band UVB lamp array.

Just a small extract of references from Journals:

A 37-year-old meat inspector presented with a 5-month history of forearm eczema. His symptoms improved at weekends and over holidays but flared within a day of work. Scratch patch tests were strongly positive to fresh venison diaphragm and venison liver and weakly positive to venison hide and blood, and lamb blood. They were negative to other venison and lamb components. Type IV allergy tests with Standard European and fragrance batteries were negative. The eczema cleared with a change in work role, clobetasol-17-propionate cream, flucloxacillin and aqueous cream. He was then able to return to meat inspecting. Provided he was diligent about applying ‘Dermashield’ barrier foam and minimizing contact with irritants, his eczema has remained well controlled over the last 4 years. Attention to irritant contact dermatitis is important in the management of protein contact urticaria.

Anyone else have unexplained conditions?
 
Never suspected any connection, More suspicious of my early years as an apprentice & general dermatitis, as no one wore gloves or barrier creams back then, But just recently I have read a couple of scientific papers, re links concerning direct skin contact with Deer blood and Eczema / Hives etc, My most recent attack of Eczema (Whole body near enough) sent me running for medical help to the local health centre, One medico was wanting to treat me for Scabies & took loads of photographs of my skin :eek:
Another more experienced & highly qualified practitioner took over & provided the most powerful steroid cream available in his armoury, this provided some relief for a short period .. but did not succeed in complete relief of the condition.
I recalled that my most recent exposure to Deer blood was in Galloway & following the immediate flare up I withdrew from stalking, Staying away in digs over several days as the weather had deteriorated was not a real option because my skin had broken in many areas.
I could not be sure the bed linen & towels provided would remain in "normal guest" condition.
Current condition is improving due to the purchase of a dedicated narrow band UVB lamp array.

Just a small extract of references from Journals:

A 37-year-old meat inspector presented with a 5-month history of forearm eczema. His symptoms improved at weekends and over holidays but flared within a day of work. Scratch patch tests were strongly positive to fresh venison diaphragm and venison liver and weakly positive to venison hide and blood, and lamb blood. They were negative to other venison and lamb components. Type IV allergy tests with Standard European and fragrance batteries were negative. The eczema cleared with a change in work role, clobetasol-17-propionate cream, flucloxacillin and aqueous cream. He was then able to return to meat inspecting. Provided he was diligent about applying ‘Dermashield’ barrier foam and minimizing contact with irritants, his eczema has remained well controlled over the last 4 years. Attention to irritant contact dermatitis is important in the management of protein contact urticaria.

Anyone else have unexplained conditions?
I have a stalking friend who is also allergic to deer blood and breaks out in a rash when been in contact

S
 
Also

 
I get very sore and red cracked hands from deer blood, but strangely only from Roe. Now never touch them without gloves.
 
Interesting you say that Ratel, 25 years of gralloching reds all ok. But those pesky wee roe seem to have more ‘acidic’ blood that goes for my skin. Have invested in some of the longer cuffed nitrile gloves.
hh
 
Interesting reading this, ive had a few recent episodes of skin peeling on some of my fingers, no soreness which had coincided with gralloching roe and i came to the conculsion its something to do with roe blood as it never happens with muntjac.
 
Interesting you say that Ratel, 25 years of gralloching reds all ok. But those pesky wee roe seem to have more ‘acidic’ blood that goes for my skin. Have invested in some of the longer cuffed nitrile gloves.
hh
Yes due to ticks starting to appear on our deer
(mainly Fallow) I now wear A I full shoulder length gloves for all our deer. That should stop any problems with blood or ticks.😀
 
Both the red and roe I’ve handled had a few ticks, but rarely loads of them. I’m must ask some biology colleagues if all blood is equal or whether it varies, in a way that would affect allergic reactions to it.
hh
 
I have mild to moderate eczema which affects me on and off through the year. I find I’ll very quickly break out in an itchy, red, bumpy rash on contact with roe blood. I’ve started taking an antihistamine before stalking, which definitely lessens the effects, and always wear gloves to gralloch. I carry wet wipes to clean off my arms but even then I notice the effects. I’m quite fortunate in that my eczema rarely affects my hands, but I suspect if I was in the midst of an eczema flare up and came into contact with roe blood it would be pretty unpleasant. I can’t say I’ve noticed the same effect with red deer, but I shoot very few and grallch even fewer.
 
When I first started stalking I used to suffer with dry & cracked skin on the back of my hands, especially after doing a week of culling in early season. Always cleared up once the week was over but thinking about it, would return if I had a ‘busy’ weekend & at the time would have been mainly roe. That was in the days of rolling up sleeves & getting on with things. Now I use nitrile gloves & plastic sleeves for everything so not an issue.
 
I think the adverse reaction to roe deer blood in particular is quite well documented, isn't it? Certainly it's something that I've read about in several different sources, and on here a number of times.
 
Apart from the odd winter crack in a couple of fingers when loading out bricks and blocks for my Dad never suffered.
Cutting fluid
Petrol/Diesel
Oil/grease
Dope (racing fuel)
Thinners (used to scotch brite the paint off my hands)
Cleaned out 100's of rabbits
Concreate Brick muck plaster
2k paint/filler
Also deer blood
Since having the dogs I do put a glove on when handing foxes as they go for a "hedge ticket" carry
No ill affects.
 
Apart from the odd winter crack in a couple of fingers when loading out bricks and blocks for my Dad never suffered.
Cutting fluid
Petrol/Diesel
Oil/grease
Dope (racing fuel)
Thinners (used to scotch brite the paint off my hands)
Cleaned out 100's of rabbits
Concreate Brick muck plaster
2k paint/filler
Also deer blood
Since having the dogs I do put a glove on when handing foxes as they go for a "hedge ticket" carry
No ill affects.
Same here. (Minus the racing fuel, but plus various agricultural chemicals and veterinary products).
Some people just have more sensitivite skin.
I know shepherds who react badly to amniotic fluid at lambing time.
 

I think amniotic fluid is different, I always felt it just dried the skin for some reason.
 
I don't suffer from eczema, but the blood of red stags during the rut causes any scratches or cuts to turn septic, I know several other stalkers who
suffer the same only from Red deer only stags and only during the rut.
 
I develop eczema if I come into contact with Roe blood and in recent years have started to react to the dust from their pelt too, mostly sneezing but also itchy skin reaction
No reaction to any other deer species though
 
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