Deer with swollen face

I drove down this quiet little back road in Rhea County, Tennessee. This road photograph reminds me of the Trail to Woody Place at Cataloochee Cove in GSMNP, except this is a paved road, instead of gravel. When I turned around and was coming back out to the highway I spotted some movement down the road. So I grabbed the camera.I saw the deer cross the road then, and go up the bank, when I got up even with her, she turned her head, but I think you can still see from this photograph her face is very swollen.She looks like she needs a dentist, REAL bad. I was only able to get this one photograph before she took off. Don't know if you can tell, but she is also drooling.

UPDATE: Due to being contacted about this deer (via email) I have learned a little about this condition. If you need information about a deer with a swollen face, please check this link and this forum. I just realized today (12/5/08) if a google search is done on "deer+swollen face" this post came up first. Since that is happening I decided to research a little further to see what I could find. I don't come into contact with many deer other than at Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and this is the only deer I have ever seen with it. This deer was not in the park.

Horses in Rhea County

Just a horse along the back roads of Rhea County, Tennessee.

Not sure if that is his tongue, or a leaf.

Goats on the back roads of Rhea County

This is also from Thursday morning, when I was traveling the back roads of Rhea County, Tennessee. I saw these goats, you know me, I had to stop. They were curious about me.

This one is talking to me.

Squirrel taking hand outs

These photographs were taken at the same time I took the Blue Jay in earlier post.
I didn't feed them, I don't feed the birds or animals in public parks.

But this was very close to the campsites at Cherokee Lake.

I guess the campers must feed them.

I wasn't going to pass the opportunity by.

Squirrel at Cherokee Lake Picnic Area

Not absolutely sure, but think this squirrel has a french fry.

Deer by the road

Well, I went to the Oakes Daylilies Festival Friday morning as planned. Since I live in East Tennessee this is like going to the neighborhood plant store. I did not take my D-SLR camera (I was going to store). I did have my little digitial in the car. And guess what, on the way home, on the side of the highway, in plan view, is this deer. With the correct equipment this photo would have been so much better. We live and learn....

Muskrat or Ground Hog Cherokee Lake

UPDATE.....Started my research over, several times. I am not sure if this is a Muskrat or Ground Hog. Did not see his tail, and not sure how else to tell the difference. He was close to the lake (Muskrat?), but the photos I find when I go to Google all show a Muskrat with whiskers. I don't see whiskers in this photo. Ground Hogs are plentiful in my area, but have never been this close to one. Does anybody know which it is?????

Usually a Ground Hog is scared of humans, but I was more scared of him than he was of me. I was taking photographs of the butterflies on the wildflowers at the edge of the lake. All at once I heard an awful rustling of the old leaves in the large rocks right above me. I did not see anything and I continued on. Then as I came back by the rustling started again. When I calmed down I saw him. He stayed out long enough for me to take 5 photos, then he backed under the rocks. We were both happy. He because I had not bothered him, me because I got the photos.