The cause of this animal's debilitation is not known, but the demodecosis is likely secondary. Thanks to Dr. C. W. Ridky of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for submission of the case and Dr. Tom Gidlewski of the National Veterinary Services Laboratory, Department of Pathobiology, Ames, Iowa for the referral. The key features for identification of mites in tissue section are chitinous exoskeleton, jointed appendages, skeletal muscle, and a hemocoelom. Most animals are parasitized by a Demodex species. They are generally considered normal inhabitants of the hair follicle and sebaceous glands.
Immunity is thought to be the most significant.
Both immunodeficiency and immune-mediated injury to the skin may play roles in the disease. The cause of the vasculitis that was present in some sections was not evident, but conference participants considered the possibility of epizootic hemorrhagic disease of deer. Jubb KVF, Kennedy PC, Palmer N, 4th ed., vol. The Skin and Appendages. This adult ram was observed to be depressed for 2 days, had watery diarrhea, and subsequently died.