Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 1, 2026
Transabdominal Ultrasound for Pregnancy Diagnosis in Reeves' Muntjac Deer
Published on: January 7, 2014
Buccal feed impaction and surgical correction in captive reindeer
Bethany Holliday1, Aimie Doyle1, Michelle Oakley1
1Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3 (Holliday, Doyle); Oakley Veterinary Services, Haines Junction, Yukon (Oakley); The Alaska Zoo, 4731 O'Malley Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99507, USA (Wilson).
Abstract:
An 8-year-old female captive reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) (1) was presented for evaluation of bilateral protrusion of the cheeks of 1-month duration. Several members of the herd displayed similar clinical signs. Examination revealed stretching and laxity of the cheek muscles and buccal food impaction. The defect of each cheek was surgically repaired in the field under heavy sedation and local anesthesia in staged procedures; no surgical complications were encountered. The patient recovered uneventfully and long-term prognosis is good. This report describes a surgical treatment for individual animals with cheek laxity and buccal food impaction.
