Yard buck w/goiter?

[hank4elk]

This guy has been hanging around my place the last couple years,but is now bedding here and not real nervous.
Walked out the door this morn to get something from my truck and there he was again. Like 200ft...he knows my tag is in another unit on Sat. LOL
Neighbors and I noticed the growth hanging off his jaw last year.Seems to be sagging now more.
Have seen abcesses ,wounds & goiters on them before,elk too.
Any theories?

 

[hank4elk]

Camera was in truck & foggy,so here is another. He is still just standing there in same spot after half an hour. Guys a fighter!

 

[MThuntr]

Could be an awn or pokey bit stuck in his jaw. I've seen that in livestock...vet usually has to make a visit to lance it or do oral surgery.

At any rate he may not be feeling the best

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

That's a hell of a growth

 

[Ben Long]

deer warts (fibromatosis) is my guess.
http://dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/health_program/fibromatosis/index.asp

 

[hank4elk]

Thanks Ben.
In close up it could be weeping some or maybe it is just picking up pitch as he seems to like the pinion pine nuts.
Both ears are split too.
He's bedded in same spot now.
There were very few deer around when I moved here and good to see more the last few years.Same with antelope.
Elk have easily doubled in numbers.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Because the swelling appears to originate under the hide, I would bet food impaction. I've necropsied a few animals over the years that looked like that. On dissection, you find a hard mass of partially chewed food material in there. It can stem from a few different causes - oral injuries, dental problems, oral tumors or a condition caused by arterial worms that paralyze the mouth/throat muscles and interfere with swallowing. It could be an abscess of some type as well, but it's pretty large for that.

The darkening on the bottom portion of the mass in your photo is probably a result of it rubbing on things when he's feeding or bedding. It doesn't quite look like fibromatosis to me. Fibromatosis is a growth originating from the skin, so the masses usually appear to lie on top of the hide and are devoid of fur.

Unfortunately, it isn't likely to resolve on its own.

 

[hank4elk]

I'll apply for my unit next year and solve the ? lol Keep an eye on him in mean time.

It does look to be a mass under the skin and is sagging.
Seen similar closer to the jaw from bad teeth,&or bone problem. Wounds that form lumps & or arrow parts/bullets too.