# Fawn mummification



## Mattuk

Has anyone seen this before? The fawn has died and instead of the doe rejecting the body it is starting to mummify. In the end if it didn't cause the doe any problems and kill her it would turn hard. It should of been born in July and the doe was shot in December.


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## youngdon

That's kind of nasty Matt. I didn't realize that would happen. I guess you learn something new every day..... and some days it's nasty.LOL


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## Mattuk

Yes I know it is but it happens and I just wondered if any one had seen this in your deer. A friend has now seen this in 3 or 4 fallow doe's over 25 years.


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## youngdon

I've never heard of it. I've seen a javalina with twin fetus' twice, but they were still viable, and that was a Feb. harvest (of the mother) both times.


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## Mattuk

youngdon said:


> I've never heard of it. I've seen a javalina with twin fetus' twice, but they were still viable, and that was a Feb. harvest (of the mother) both times.


Is that rare in javalina twin's or was it the wrong time of year to see foetus's?


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## youngdon

No twins are fairly common from what I've heard. They mate year round with a gestation period of about five months.


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## Mattuk

When your field dressing an animal do you inspect the carcass, organs etc for abnormalities and disease? If its goings into the food chain then we must do so and put a tag with the name of the person who shot and dressed the animal.


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## On a call

With still born they in my experience either reabsorb or expell the fawn. Perhaps with fallow deer it might be differant but I doubt it. I have never seen it and yes I do examine the pile. I have often found young fawns but they were viable and living. It is interesting that you have seen it more than once.

How solid was this ?


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## Mattuk

It was soft, I didn't really play around with it much.


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## On a call

Well it was long after the birthing period, unless it was a very late breeding. Here is my guess....that it was a very late breeding, I know it happens here. The doe did not give birth to it for one reason or another and contained it, where it could not expell it for the same reason it could not give birth.

So it sat there and was slowly absorbing it. I am not vet, this is only a guess. But I would venture I am close to the truth.


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## Mattuk

I happen to be friendly with a vet! And she said that the doe is not absorbing it as that can only happen early on, the fawn is being mummified and in the end would of turned hard. Its happened to women in the Middle East and Asia I think but that's going off topic a touch!


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## On a call

Oh I think you are on topic, it gives examples. It is interesting that would happen. I guess it would be contained and sealed off from rest of the body just like a cyst, a rather large one. It makes sense it would not be absorbed the bone would a hurdle. Again I have never seen anything like that here nor heard of it.

Those poor women....carrying a baby for life.


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## Mattuk

Yes and they don't know about it until years later or when they die.


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## On a call

When there are complecations associated with it. Oh..by the way....wow...what a bummer.


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## RoughNeck

Hey that would make great yote bait


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## Mattuk

RoughNeck said:


> Hey that would make great yote bait


Your a special person RoughNeck!


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## RoughNeck

Yes and my teacher even let me wear the special helmet to class, but that would still make good yote bait


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## On a call

Awww man...you got to wear a helmet ...


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## youngdon

It was the pointy kind, only problem was he kept trying to put it on upside down v....ouch......v... ouch


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## On a call

Oh...I thought is was one of those football kind of looking helmets.

My sister is a special ed teacher, she has a couple kids wearing them for protection. And no...not from the other kids.

Gee RN What was your reason ?


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## RoughNeck

It was a pointy football helmet, and the bib was nice also


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## On a call

Awwww man....I have to see your school photos !!!

I bet they look just like mine !


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## RoughNeck

LOL yep they were some funny pic's and you know there bad when your parents dont even buy them


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## On a call

ha ha...I had a chuckel on that one.

You think that is bad....the school cancelled our year book.


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## RoughNeck

WoW that is bad we couldnt afford a fancy year book so all we had was the thrifty nicle with our pic's in it


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## On a call

Witch girl turned out to be your prom queen ?


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## youngdon

The one that put a hex on him ?


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