WDFW Find Elk Hoof Disease in Eastern Washington

Eastern Washington – For the First time, state wildlife managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) have found elk on the East side of the Cascade Range infected with a crippling hoof disease that has spread to 11 counties in Western Washington over the past decade.

Lab results from a deformed hoof and direct observations of elk walking with a profound limp in the Trout Lake Valley of Klickitat County provide clear evidence that the disease has spread to that area, said Eric Gardner, head of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Wildlife program.

“This is a huge concern for us and a lot of other people,” Gardner Said, “This is a terrible disease and there’s no vaccine to prevent it and no proven options for treating free-ranging elk in the field.”

In response, state wildlife managers are preparing to euthanize any elk showing signs of the disease near the small town of Trout Lake, about 60 miles Northeast of Vancouver.  The goal is to stop it from spreading further into Eastern Washington, Gardner Said.

“This is the first time the department has tried to stop the advance of the disease by removing elk,” said Kyle Garrison, WDFW hoof disease coordinator. “There’s no guarantee of success, but we believe a rapid response might contain the outbreak give the isolation of Trout Lake and the low prevalence of elk showing symptoms of the disease.”

He said the department plans to remove 20 symptomatic Elk from the area in May of 2018. The Rocky Mountain Elk foundation, which supports the proposed action, has pledged $2,000 to help defray the department’s costs.

Garrison and other WDFW wildlife managers will discuss the department’s plans at a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 3rd, at he WDFW regional Office at 5525 S. 11th Street in Ridgefield, WA.

The first sign that the infectious disease had spread so far east came April 4th, when a resident of Trout Lake sent the department a deformed hoof from an elk killed in a vehicle collision near his home, Garrison said.

On April 17th, a WDFW staff team searched the area for other elk that might have been infected. They observed at least seven elk walking with a pronounced limp, a common symptom of the disease. The WDFW team shot one limping animal to obtain hoof samples for further testing.

Tests at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the USDA National Animal Disease Center confirmed both elk had hoof disease, Gardner said.

WDFW staff met this week with local landowners to discuss the upcoming action and to gain permission to enter their property, Garrison said. The Department plans to contract with USDA Wildlife Services to euthanize symptomatic elk, and Washington State University’s College of Veterinarian Medicine will test tissue samples.

“The college is cooperating with WDFW and other agencies in accordance with direction from the Washington Legislature to research hoof disease,” said Bryan Slinker. WSU pathologists will conduct post-mortem examinations of the euthanized elk and will collect as many tissue samples as possible, he said.

Fro the past decade, WDFW has worked with scientists, veterinarians, outdoor organizations, tribal governments and others to diagnose and manage the disease.

Wildlife managers believe elk carry the disease on their hooves and transport it to other areas. Once the disease becomes established in an elk population, it is extremely difficult to manage. The Disease appears to be highly infectious among elk, but there is no evidence that it affects humans. The disease can affect any hoof in any elk, young or old, male or female. Tests show the disease is limited to animals’ hooves, and does not affect their meat or organs. If the meat looks normal and if hunters harvest, proves and cook it practicing good hygiene, it is probably safe to eat.

You can find more information about treponeme-associated hoof disease in Washington State by clicking here

 

Source: Kyle Garrison-WDFW Public Affairs