That’s Not Normal, Is It?

By Sarah Spencer, MDIFW Wildlife Biologist

All Photos Courtesy of Donna Melanson

If you’ve been a regular reader of the MDIFW Blog, you may recall a post from Region C Wildlife Biologist Henry Jones about growths called fibromas which are observed on a variety of wildlife. (Find the original post here). We often receive reports from the public of photos of wildlife with these fibromas, and sometimes consult with other IFW staff and/or a Wildlife Veterinarian to confirm a diagnosis.  The interaction generally ends with a report back to the person who alerted us to the case and we never hear about it again. However, last month we were surprised to hear from one of the district wardens in our region with an update on the deer whose photo appeared in the March 2017 article. The photos shared with the warden this time around clearly show the absence of the large fibroma on the deer’s right shoulder and a scar with new hair growing in its place. [caption id="attachment_2696" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] These images show the deer with the fibroma before (left) and after (right). Photos Courtesy of Donna Melanson.[/caption] One of the photos shows another fibroma on the deer’s chin, which matches the mass on the deer originally photographed in December 2016. This photo evidence shows that fibromas can and will regress to the extent that the mass is no longer visible. Look at the before and after photos and see if you can tell where the fibroma was attached. [caption id="attachment_2697" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Another look from over a year ago (left) and a closer look at it now (right). Photos Courtesy of Donna Melanson.[/caption] Interested in learning more?  Check out the sources in the original post here. As a reminder, supplemental feeding congregates wildlife and promotes transmission of all these viruses through more frequent direct/indirect contact. Yet another great reason to refrain from the supplemental feeding of wildlife!