The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) have recently found two cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a Real County deer breeding facility. This is the first time the disease has been detected in that particular county. The two infected animals, a 10-year-old and a 6.5-year-old female white-tailed deer, were identified through mandatory postmortem testing, designed to continuously monitor and manage the spread of the disease, as reported by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Initial testing of the samples was done by Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL), with subsequent confirmation from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa. These facilities work in close concert to quickly to identify any potential outbreaks of CWD, in efforts aimed at curbing its spread. Texas regulations necessitate deer breeders to report all deer deaths within a week of their occurrence and submit CWD test samples within a similar timeframe. Both the TPWD and TAHC emphasize strict adherence to all protocols concerning sample submissions for facilities that breed deer.

As a progressive fatal neurological condition affecting cervids, which includes deer, elk, and moose, among others, CWD can lay dormant for years before symptoms become visible, making routine testing crucial for early detection. Detection through observed clinical signs is less common at the initial stages. Infected animals may exhibit symptoms such as significant weight loss, loss of coordination, changes in behavior, excessive thirst, and abnormal posture, as per the TPWD.

According to TPWD, the first discovery of CWD in Texas harks back to 2012 in free-ranging mule deer. Since then, cases have been reported in various captive and free-ranging cervids across the state. Hunters and landowners interested in learning about containment measures and best management practices can find resources and information about the disease on both the TPWD and TAHC's dedicated CWD web pages.