" Oh Deer What Can The Matter Be"?

[bigalcal]

I was sitting at my firepit at Racehorse Creek Campground the other day and a deer strolled by with large blue/black cysts, some the size of tennis balls, hanging from it's side from the rear haunches to mid section. There were close to a dozen of these. I found it quite disturbing.

 

Anyone know what may have caused this?

[Jayhad]

could be tics I've seen that on moose before

[bigbowtrout]

This is all I could find

 

"Skin Tumors

Hunters sometimes shoot a deer with lumps on the skin. These bumps are usually non-cancerous tumors called fibromas or papillomas. Viruses cause both. The only difference is that fibromas grow either from the skin or from the layer beneath, while papillomas grow only from the skin. Both lumps are dark-colored and hard to the touch. These growths generally do not cause problems for deer, but people are curious about them. Hunters may feel venison is inedible because of these tumors. Since lumps are usually found only in the skin, not in the muscles, there is generally no problem. But tumors located inside a deer's body might be cancerous and the venison should not be eaten."