Public's help sought in hoof disease fight

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is asking hunters and others who spend time in the woods to watch for and report sightings of elk that are limping.

It could be a sign the animal is infected with hoof disease, a bacterial infection that causes severe lameness. Elk with the disease have deformed and overgrown or broken sloughed hooves and other abnormalities.

Sightings can be reported online at stjr.nl/Hoof_disease

Reports also can be filed by calling the department’s Wildlife Health Lab at (866) 968-2600 or via email at Wildlife.Health@state.or.us.

Fish and Wildlife veterinary staffers also ask that hunters who take an elk with infected or overgrown hooves save the damaged hooves and contact the lab at the number and email address listed above to arrange to pick up the hooves.

Hoof disease does not affect the meat of elk taken by hunters and poses no risk to human health. However lame elk may be in poorer body condition and appear thin.

The elk hoof disease online reporting page was launched during the 2014 hunting seasons and received a number of reported sightings.

Those helped department biologists and veterinarians who are tracking the emerging disease.

“We appreciate hunters and those who spend time in the outdoors keeping a lookout for signs of this disease,” said Julia Burco, a district wildlife veterinarian with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “This information will help us determine the effect on Oregon’s elk and do what we can to limit its spread.”

Samples from 11 Oregon elk have been collected since the public was asked to help in the reporting.

Five had hoof deformities and tested positive for the Treponema bacteria associated with the same hoof disease found in Washington elk herds.

Most observations have been in northwest Oregon; however, Oregon Fish and Wildlife is surveying the entire state for the presence of the disease.

“Observations reported by the public are critical in mapping where the disease currently exists,” said Greg Reed, a wildlife health lab biologist. “There is quite a bit to learn about this new disease in elk in Oregon, and every new observation helps.”

A fact sheet about elk hoof disease is online at stjr.nl/Hoof_disease_facts