What causes a deer’s tongue to hang out all the time?
Filed under: Deer Biology
Question
I have a doe that has her tongue hanging out all the time. I can see no other signs of abnormalities in this doe. I have several videos of this doe. Any idea what is causing this?
Eric,
I’m not aware of any disease that would cause a deer’s tongue to hang out for an extended period of time. Deer with a fever (often caused by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease or EHD/Bluetongue) will have their tongue out if the infection is severe. These deer are almost always found by water and this would be during the fall.
If the deer appears otherwise healthy (not gaunt, etc.) then I wouldn’t worry about her. If the deer is always by water or starts losing weight then I suggest you share the videos with a local state agency.
Enjoy creation,
Grant
November 27, 2015
