Anaplasmosis

[fnfarms1]

Lost one I’m pretty sure was anaplaz last week. She was AId and one of our best 4yr olds. Hopefully that’s all but we’ve lost one every year to it for the last 3yrs. I’ve heard there’s a vaccine now. Anyone know if it works?

 

[Grassfed_TxAggie]

About 10 days ago, we ran all our cows through the chute, to vaccinate with triangle 10, and pour both wormer and fly pour on. A week later, had the vet out to palpate the spring calving cows.
Everything seemed fine.
At the time, we were concerned about a few of our younger cows that were thinner. We’ve been in a drought and I’ve eventually started feeding hay and feeding grain everyday and have put out several protein tubs, to try to help these cows keep or gain some condition through the drought.
Vet said he some cows in similar condition and said these were healthy acting so he said that was drought related and that their calves had been pulling them down.
We ran them through the chute on Thursday and Saturday night just before dark, I put out hay and noticed a cow off to herself and not looking good. It was one of the older maybe 7-8 year old cows. She had been in great shape, maybe too fat for some folks. I had noticed her in particular when working her because she is annoying and almost ran over me when trying to get her up into the alleyway in the barn. She looked and acted normal and fine those days as far as I could tell.
By two days later she looked like she’d lost 200 lbs and was sunk in in front of her hips. She moved closer to the other cows and hay but still a little away and laid down. I got her up and she walked very slow toward the hay but never ate.
It was getting dark. Sunday morning, she lagged behind, but came up with the others.
She ate, and seemed some better just by eating and then Monday we called our vet.
I was thinking maybe hardware, but wondering about anaplasmosis. Vet said hardware wouldn’t present that fast, and it was either Anaplasmosis or Blue tongue.
We are thinking it looks more like Anaplasmosis at this point. Vet said to giver her a big dose of LA 300. We drove her up. She was slow but went pretty good most of the way. Bottom of the hill right before up the hill to the barn she stopped and I liked to never got her walking again. Then she finally got within feet of the barn lot and laid down. Was probably 20 minutes before she got up and walked on in.
After treating her with la she tried to lay down in the chute, got out before she did.
She ate hay later in the night.
We are worried now that we may have more with it or that may have been infected from her from working.
We had planned to sell several cows next month and had been debating whether to keep some of our weaned calves till December to put in a special graded feeder calf sale. Should we sell the calves now or wait with them?

Anaplasmosis is tick bourn so... did you find ticks on your cattle? Did you check their ears? There is the occasional animal that does not respond well to vaccines. Usually one would not vaccinate a sick or debilitated animal, very old or very young shouldn't be vaccinated. So she was vaccinated and two days later she was down 200lbs but the vet says anaplasmosis or bluetongue??? BTV has distinctive symptoms. Anaplasmosis maybe but there is a blood test for that... did they take blood? Im thinking her immune system was rocked, DO NOT VACCINATE HER AGAIN. Also LA300 can make them feel worse before it gets better.It wont work on BTV.

 

[fnfarms1]

Anaplasmosis is tick bourn so... did you find ticks on your cattle? Did you check their ears? There is the occasional animal that does not respond well to vaccines. Usually one would not vaccinate a sick or debilitated animal, very old or very young shouldn't be vaccinated. So she was vaccinated and two days later she was down 200lbs but the vet says anaplasmosis or bluetongue??? BTV has distinctive symptoms. Anaplasmosis maybe but there is a blood test for that... did they take blood? Im thinking her immune system was rocked, DO NOT VACCINATE HER AGAIN. Also LA300 can make them feel worse before it gets better.It wont work on BTV.

I’m told horse flys are major spreader of anaplaz. I’m not expert just saying what I was told. Made sense to me sense flys go from one cow to another.

 

[texoman]

I’m told horse flys are major spreader of anaplaz. I’m not expert just saying what I was told. Made sense to me sense flys go from one cow to another.

The vet told me a couple weeks ago it is blood born so ticks, flies, using the same needles, etc can spread it.

 

[TCRanch]

The vet told me a couple weeks ago it is blood born so ticks, flies, using the same needles, etc can spread it.

Anaplas can definitely be vector transmitted and while studies are inconclusive, so can BLV (according to my vet, who knows my herd). Precisely why I use disposable needles and syringes.

 

[TCRanch]

Lost one I’m pretty sure was anaplaz last week. She was AId and one of our best 4yr olds. Hopefully that’s all but we’ve lost one every year to it for the last 3yrs. I’ve heard there’s a vaccine now. Anyone know if it works?

There is a vaccine, and it requires a booster. Until a few years ago, it was only available in states that had a high number of reported cases/states that were known to have a heavy tick population. Results are mixed. A friend of mine tried it after losing a number of cattle and it wasn't a game changer, but he had fewer cases.

 

[Ky hills]

Anaplasmosis is tick bourn so... did you find ticks on your cattle? Did you check their ears? There is the occasional animal that does not respond well to vaccines. Usually one would not vaccinate a sick or debilitated animal, very old or very young shouldn't be vaccinated. So she was vaccinated and two days later she was down 200lbs but the vet says anaplasmosis or bluetongue??? BTV has distinctive symptoms. Anaplasmosis maybe but there is a blood test for that... did they take blood? Im thinking her immune system was rocked, DO NOT VACCINATE HER AGAIN. Also LA300 can make them feel worse before it gets better.It wont work on BTV.

No, have not noticed any ticks. Anaplasmosis can be carried by horse flies, deer flies as well as ticks, though from what I read ticks are a more efficient vector for the disease. It can also be transferred via needles, dehorning instruments etc.
As for our vaccinating, it was Triangle 10, mainly for reason of preventing Lepto, as that is carried by deer and also we have neighboring cattle that are never treated or vaccinated with anything. We try to be hyper vigilant in spotting anything off health wise with our cattle, and nothing seemed off at the time we vaccinated.
We have been in a drought, so condition of cattle is definitely less than if there had not been a drought, but that being said most of these cows were in still good shape, that one included.
Yes, there is a possibility of an animal reacting to a vaccine. This cow has had that vaccine a few times before, and I also believe that the symptoms presenting would have been different had it been a reaction to a vaccine.
We actually vaccinated, used fly pour on a week before the vet came. We only had the vet palpate the cows. We needed to treat for flies and thought we would just go ahead and vaccinate them at that time, so the withdrawal period would be over sooner as we were planning to sell some of them.
No blood was taken as the vet was going out of town and could not be there to see the cow in person at that time.
From my understanding there is no cure that can be used against the BVT virus, but yes antibiotics can be used for secondary bacterial infections and symptoms. You treat what you can to help the animal to be able to withstand the virus until it runs its course.

 

[blackladies]

I’ve never heard of one with anaplasmosis that didn’t get aggressive, but I’m no expert.

Been three or four injuries in my general area due to it recently, the closest an 89 year old neighbor who had to have ankle surgery due to the old biddy. She also beat up his son’s truck when they went to take care of her, they gave her the lead treatment.

At 89 is it the cows fault though. A younger guy may have been able to get out of the way. Then again at 89 that’s a lot of experience.

 

[BFE]

At 89 is it the cows fault though. A younger guy may have been able to get out of the way. Then again at 89 that’s a lot of experience.

Apparently she was off to herself, when he went to check her she charged. I’ve done the same, fortunately a well placed log to the nose stopped her for me. It happens. I’m sure he learned his lesson as did I.

 

[blackladies]

Apparently she was off to herself, when he went to check her she charged. I’ve done the same, fortunately a well placed log to the nose stopped her for me. It happens. I’m sure he learned his lesson as did I.

One of the worst things about working cattle is the risk of injury or death. I think we have all probably been guilty of being in a situation we shouldn’t be in.