What you’re about to watch is both gross and in a weird way, somewhat satisfying. The deer in this video is suffering from something called Lumpy Jaw, or Necrobaccilosis, which is an abscess on the jaw. It’s a fairly common affliction in white-tailed deer.
Causes of Lumpy Jaw
Lumpy Jaw can have several causes, one of which being arterial worms. Horseflies pass on the larvae of these worms from an infected deer to an uninfected one by feeding on deer blood. The worms typically live in the carotid arteries of deer. An overabundance of worms reduces blood flow to the face which causes paralysis. The paralysis leads to food getting trapped in the deer’s mouth, becoming impacted and causing the lumpy jaw appearance. Arterial worms pose no threat to humans. Many deer have arterial worms and show no symptoms.
Another cause of Lumpy Jaw is when a deer gets a cut on the inside of its mouth and the bacteria that live in the mouth of deer invade the wound and cause an infection of the jawbone. The bacterium Actinomyces bovis is commonly found in the mouths of healthy deer, but it becomes a problem when something sharp punctures the lining of a deer’s mouth, such as a thorn.
Treating the Infection
The hunter in this video receives a special permit to allow him to tranquilize the deer and treat its infection with several injections. Without human intervention, food impaction can cause tooth decay, jawbone damage, and sometimes secondary infections. In severe cases, deer can die from secondary issues.