Why Washington State Hunters Are Seeing Ugly Warts All Over Deer

Why Washington State Hunters Are Seeing Ugly Warts All Over Deer?

It looks like a scene out of the Walking Dead TV series but Washington State hunters are seeing more and more warts on deer in the wild.

What Is Caseous Lymphdenitis (CL) and Papillomas (warts) On Deer?

Some people think that the growth could be related to Chronic Wasting Disease. Still, according to a posting by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) Eastern Region, it's something totally different.

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So what are these growths and where did they come from?

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife believes two common causes of growth are Caseous Lymphdenitis (CL) and Papillomas (warts), not CWD.

So how do Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) and papillomas, known as warts, affect deer?

It presents significant health challenges for deer populations. CL, caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, leads to the formation of abscesses in the lymph nodes, which can cause weight loss, and decreased mobility, and ultimately threaten the animal's survival if left untreated.

Conversely, papillomas manifest as benign tumors that can appear in clusters on the skin, particularly around the head and neck, resulting in cosmetic deformities and sometimes interfering with the deer’s ability to feed or socialize effectively.