COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is asking Ohioans to report sick or dead deer as some cases of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) have been reported in the state.
EHD is the most common disease in deer throughout the area and it occurs annually in late summer and fall, ODNR said.
The disease is not infectious to people and is not spread from animal to animal, but rather transmitted by the bite of midges carrying the disease, according to ODNR.
EHD can affect white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope and symptoms include lethargy, swelling of the tongue, head and neck, difficulty breathing, excess salivation, head hung down and loss of fear of humans, ODNR said.
ODNR encouraged people to avoid touching or handling sick or dead wild animals and asked that any sightings of sick or dead deer be reported here.