An adult doe in Genesee County that walked up to a conservation officer was confirmed to be suffering from chronic wasting disease, the Department of Natural Resources said.
The fatal disease now has been found in 16 Michigan counties, the DNR said Wednesday, Sept. 22.
The CWD case was confirmed by the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, which works with the DNR to identify CWD in Michigan’s wild deer herd. The sample will be sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for secondary confirmation.
“We appreciate the support and cooperation of the public as they continue to report sick deer so our team can follow up with the necessary testing for confirmation,” said Brent Rudolph, DNR deer, elk and moose management specialist.
The 2.5-year-old doe in Gaines Township that tested positive was described as very skinny and drinking continuously. It walked directly up to a conservation officer who responded to a public report, the DNR said. Public reporting of sick acting deer is one of the best tools available to the DNR for identifying CWD that may exist at low prevalence in previously undetected areas, officials said.
What is Chronic Waste Disease?
Chronic wasting disease or CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, elk and moose. There is currently no cure for CWD in deer.
Where has CWD been found in Michigan?
The disease has been detected in Clinton, Dickinson, Eaton, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Mecosta, Midland, Montcalm, Ogemaw and Washtenaw counties, according to the DNR.
A farmed white-tail deer in Osceola County was confirmed with chronic wasting disease, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said in a news release earlier this year.
How does CWD spread among animals?
Scientists think CWD spreads between animals through contact with saliva, blood, urine or feces from an animal with CWD, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Once an animal gets sick, the disease moves through the brain, spine and eventually kills the animal.
Signs of the disease in deer
According to the CDC harvesters should look out for:
Drastic weight loss (called wasting)
Stumbling or lack of coordination
Drooling
Listlessness (appearing
