Recently AZOD has been receiving phone calls, letters and e-mails asking about Mad Cow disease in Deer and Elk.  At least two maladies of the same general family as mad cow are present in the United States -- Scrapie in sheep, and Chronic Wasting Disease in some wild deer and elk.  The Colorado Division of wildlife has the most information on this disease in the US and that’s because it has been identified in the northeastern section of the state.  This information come from the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

Chronic Wasting Disease 

What is it?

"Chronic Wasting Disease" has been diagnosed sporadically in wild mule deer, white-tailed deer and elk in north-central Colorado since 1981. This disease causes damage to portions of the brain of deer and elk. 

Affected animals show progressive loss of body condition, behavioral changes, excessive salivation, increased drinking and urination, depression and eventual death. Chronic wasting disease is fatal. The pathogen that causes this disease has not been identified.

Press Releases on Chronic Wasting Disease:

In an attempt to keep the public informed on this issue, the DOW has produced the following press releases.  You may hotlink to any of them for more information:

 

Where is it found?

The distribution of chronic wasting disease in wild deer and elk in Colorado appears to be restricted to the northeastern part of the state. Most cases documented by the Division of Wildlife have come from central-northern Larimer County. A few cases have also been documented along the South Platte River, as well as in southeastern Wyoming. The disease seems to primarily affect deer, although several elk have been diagnosed with chronic wasting disease. Although CWD cases have been documented in 13 different game management units, four of those (9, 191, 19 and 20) appear to be the primary focus of infection. There is a voluntary head submission for hunters who harvest deer during any rifle season in units 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 19, 20, 29, 87, 94, 161, 171, and 191. Hunters should submit the heads for sampling to any DOW officer in those units within five (5) days after harvest.

How often does it occur?

Chronic wasting disease is relatively rare. Fewer than 200 cases, mostly in mule deer, have been documented since 1981. Although the disease doesn’t appear to be common, the number of cases detected has increased in recent years. This trend may be explained by increased vigilance by Division of Wildlife personnel and the public in reporting cases, but it may also reflect increased disease occurrence. Based on testing of harvested animals in specific management units, on average CWD probably infects about 5 percent of the deer in central-northern Larimer County, and 2 percent or fewer of the deer in other surrounding mountain and plains areas. Testing of harvested animals indicates less than 1 percent of the elk in Larimer County are probably infected. To date, no indication of infection has been detected in surveys conducted in other parts of Colorado, including Middle Park, North Park, Gunnison Basin, Piceance Basin, Uncompahgre Plateau and San Luis Valley.

How is it transmitted?

Neither the agent causing chronic wasting disease nor its mode of transmission have been identified. Experimental and circumstantial evidence suggests infected deer and elk probably transmit the disease, through animal-to-animal contact and/or contamination of feed or water sources with saliva, urine, and/or feces. Chronic wasting disease seems more likely to occur in areas where deer or elk are crowded or where they congregate at man-made feed and water stations. Artificial feeding of deer and elk may compound the problem. Although that practice is specifically prohibited by regulations approved by the Colorado Wildlife Commission in 1992, many well-meaning individuals continue to ignore the law and may be exacerbating this problem in parts of Larimer County.

Is it transmissible to humans?

According to experts and public health officials, it appears unlikely that chronic wasting disease is naturally transmissible to humans, or to animals other than deer and elk. As a general precaution, however, it’s a good idea for people to avoid contact with any wild animal that appears sick.

Is the disease transmissible to domestic livestock?

According to experts, it's unlikely that chronic wasting disease can be naturally transmitted to domestic livestock. Chronic wasting disease is similar in some respects to two livestock diseases: scrapie affects domestic sheep and goats worldwide and has been recognized for over 200 years; bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a more recent disease of cattle in the United Kingdom. Though there are similarities, there is no evidence suggesting either scrapie or BSE are caused by contact with wild deer or elk.

What should a person do if (s)he sees a deer or elk that looks sick, emaciated or lethargic?

Call the Division of Wildlife at 970/472-4300 (Fort Collins) or 303/291-7227 (Denver); to send someone to investigate. If the animal appears to have chronic wasting disease, field personnel will probably euthanize it in order to help prevent the spread of infection.

Can the animal be saved?

Veterinarians say nothing can be done to save deer and elk affected by chronic wasting disease. However, removing affected individuals may help prevent the spread of infection within a herd.

Feeding affected animals may keep them alive a little longer, but will not change the ultimate outcome. Feeding could increase the likelihood of transmitting the disease to other deer or elk.

What precautions should hunters take when handling the carcass of a deer or elk?

There is no evidence that chronic wasting disease affects humans, but the Division of Wildlife advises hunters to take simple precautions when handling the carcass of any deer or elk harvested in the units where CWD occurs. Wear rubber gloves when field dressing carcasses, minimize handling brain or spinal tissues and wash hands afterwards. Hunters should bone out carcasses or at least avoid consuming brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen, and lymph nodes of harvested animals. Hunters should not handle or consume wild animals that appear sick, regardless of the cause.

What should a hunter do if (s)he kills a deer or elk and suspects chronic wasting disease?

In the rare event that an emaciated or otherwise unhealthy deer or elk is harvested, contact a Division of Wildlife officer, or the Fort Collins office at 970/472-4300 or the Denver office at 303/291-7227 to determine options. Under some circumstances, the hunter may be issued a duplicate carcass tag to allow the take of a deer or elk in the same season, or the hunter may request a license refund.

What is the Division of Wildlife doing to manage chronic wasting disease?

Eliminating chronic wasting disease from wild deer and elk populations is virtually impossible given the limited understanding of its cause and transmission and the lack of an effective vaccine or treatment. The Division of Wildlife’s management strategies for chronic wasting disease are aimed at preventing its spread and reducing its occurrence in affected deer and elk herds.

Specific efforts include policies limiting the number of deer and elk in infected populations, precluding relocation of deer or elk from affected areas, enforcement of regulations prohibiting deer and elk feeding, and aggressive culling of deer and elk showing signs of chronic wasting disease.

In addition, the Division of Wildlife is continuing to monitor the occurrence and distribution of chronic wasting disease cases and collaborate on research to enhance both understanding and management efforts. Voluntary testing of deer heads taken in certain units will help the Division of Wildlife monitor trends.

 

For more information contact:  Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216, (303)291-7227; Northeast Regional Office, 6060 Broadway, North Building, Denver, CO 80216, (303) 291-7227;

OR Fort Collins Service and Research Center, 317 W. Prospect, Ft. Collins, CO 80526, (970) 484-2836 or (970) 472-4300.