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Non-Infectious Diseases
The medical care of reindeer usually involves treating noninfectious diseases. Good management is all important in preventing most causes of noninfectious disease. Traumatic injuries to deer are common when the animals are not used to be handled, when they are housed in poorly designed or constructed holding facilities and when people are not trained to properly handle them. These injuries are treated as they would be for domestic livestock, keeping in mind the potential for further injury if repeated restraint is required.
When reindeer antlers are traumatizing during their rapid growth phrase, they can become deformed and pockets of infection often develop. Feeders should be designed to ensure that antlers do not rub on uprights, tops or edges.
Foreign objects often may be ingested by reindeer. Pens should be kept free of trash and visitors should be discouraged from throwing objects at the deer to get their attention. Reindeer, in close confinement, have been known to eat the hair from other animals. Large hair balls have been found in the intestinal tract of some reindeer at necropsy.
Hoof care is minimal if they have sufficient room to move around and paw to insure normal wear. In very wet areas, bacteria can invade the foot, resulting in typical foot rot. Again, treatment and prevention are the same as those for domestic livestock. In some situations, laminitis has been observed in reindeer fed an exclusive diet of alfalfa. Diet changes, hoof trimming and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will usually result in recovery.
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