Can Dogs Get CWD from Consuming Deer Meat

Dogs can indeed get CWD from consuming deer meat, but the risk is relatively low.

CWD, or Chronic Wasting Disease, is a neurological disorder that affects deer, elk, and moose. It's caused by a misfolded protein called a prion, which can be present in infected deer meat.

While the risk of transmission is low, it's essential to understand the facts. According to research, dogs can develop CWD if they consume meat from an infected deer, and the risk is higher if the meat is raw or undercooked.

For more insights, see: Is Raw Deer Meat Good for Dogs

Chronic Wasting Disease is a serious issue affecting deer, elk, and moose populations. CWD damages portions of the brain and typically causes progressive loss of body condition, behavioral changes, excessive salivation (drooling), and death.

As of August 2019, CWD has been found in at least 24 states in the U.S. and 2 provinces in Canada. Some cases have also been reported in Norway, Finland, Sweden, and South Korea.

CWD is caused by a type of prion, an infectious protein particle that is found in some tissues of infected animals. Prions trigger normal proteins in the brain to fold abnormally, leading to cell damage and neurodegenerative symptoms.

CWD differs from other prion diseases because it affects not only the brain but also other tissues, such as feces and bodily fluids. This allows it to be transmitted from animal to animal, and even through soil and infected carcasses.

It's worth noting that while there have been no cases of dogs becoming infected with CWD, some studies show that domestic cats can test positive for the disease when they consume infected deer brain.

To be safe, if you're considering feeding your dog or cat deer meat, follow these steps:

CWD is caused by abnormal, proteinaceous, infectious particles called Prions, which can't be broken down by the body's enzyme system.

Prions collect in nerve tissue, causing death of nerve cells and loss of normal neurological function, but there's no mention of dogs being affected by this.

Chronic Wasting Disease is believed to spread either by direct contact between animals or indirectly through the environment, but we don't know if dogs can contract it from deer meat.

The long incubation period of CWD is no less than 15 months, which is a long time for any disease to take hold.

The clinical signs of CWD in deer only appear as the animal approaches death, but there's no information on how dogs might react if they were infected.

Here's an interesting read: How to Cook Deer Meat for Dogs