Bovine Lymphoma

[JenLamb35]

We have never experienced lymphoma in our small herd and quite frankly didn't realize it was a possibility. We had a cow that recently had a calf and started losing weight. We thought she was drained from the baby nursing so heavily so we up'd her grain but she still wasn't gaining. She started dragging her back feet a little as she walked Monday evening so we scheduled an appointment with the vet. But the next day she couldn't get up without falling and she was looking straight up at the sky when she did try to walk and stumble. She panted hard. We are having a heat wave and thought that was part of the problem as well. Her eyeballs were bulging but again, thought it was just the stress of feeling ill. We still didn't put it together with anything super serious. We took her to the vet yesterday and she was diagnosed with lymphoma. We brought her home to keep her comfortable after Doc's medications and she died at 5 a.m. this morning. We now have her 1 month baby as a bottle baby. With our small herd - they are not just livestock - they are our pets.

Can anyone give me more information on this? I can't find a lot on the internet. Is it that extremely aggressive or did she have it a while before she got symptomatic? I would just like to know more about this fatal problem. Should we worry about our other cattle?

Thanks for any information. Jen

 

[Lucky_P]

Recent discussion on the board here: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=103846&p=1334581&hilit=BLV#p1334581

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_healt ... is_BLV.pdf

 

[TCRanch]

There have actually been a number of posts about it (one of them was mine) but the subject is generally titled "sick cow", "mystery illness", etc. Lucky P has also been-there-done-that & he's a vet so I make sure to pay attention to his posts/comments. Our girl was acting a little off but we chalked it up to being heavy bred & extremely hot. After a week we brought her in because by then she was limping & not eating much, vet came out that day, we put her down a few days later.

We do not brand, de-horn, we generally don't castrate, out vet tattoos when he BANGS & have now switched to disposable needles and syringes, only using the repeater syringe if we need to work one cow. Lesson learned the hard way and I'm sorry for your loss, it always hurts.

 

[wbvs58]

There have actually been a number of posts about it (one of them was mine) but the subject is generally titled "sick cow", "mystery illness", etc. Lucky P has also been-there-done-that & he's a vet so I make sure to pay attention to his posts/comments. Our girl was acting a little off but we chalked it up to being heavy bred & extremely hot. After a week we brought her in because by then she was limping & not eating much, vet came out that day, we put her down a few days later.

We do not brand, de-horn, we generally don't castrate, out vet tattoos when he BANGS & have now switched to disposable needles and syringes, only using the repeater syringe if we need to work one cow. Lesson learned the hard way and I'm sorry for your loss, it always hurts.

Yes TC, it is always worthwhile reading what Lucky says in respect to disease as he is a diagnostic pathologist so he takes things through to a definative diagnosis so you are assured that the problem is what you believe it to be. I used to be a vet and most of the time we gave a presumptive or differential diagnosis until an autopsy was done and or tests run to confirm things. Often I was way off track when the results came in.

What I am trying to say is just because a vet says it is something don't get too carried away until it is confirmed and if the vet doesn't offer push them to investigate further, it might cost more in fees but may save you lots in the long run.

Ken

 

[Lucky_P]

Thanks for the kind words, y'all.
I"m still an old food-animal practitioner at heart... I just saw the handwriting on the wall fairly early in my career and left practice for a pathology residency and a longer productive lifespan doing diagnostic pathology.
I'm just trying to be helpful where I can.