Cow tore bottom eyelid off

[turklilley]

I have a 4 yr old cow that somehow tore her bottom eyelid off, it's hanging by a thread. I didn't get the vet because it had freeze dried when I found it. I didn't think it could be sewed on and saved. There is no infection yet. I doubt if she can close her eye when it heals. I have searched for something she could have torn it on, and have found nothing, except one 60 foot strand of barbed wire out of 1000 feet of high tensile mounted on wooden posts. Has any one had this? I expect if she can not close her eye, I will have to have the eye removed, or sell her for meat. She is 4 Months pregnant. Can someone give me some advise?

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Would just keep a close eye on her for a few weeks. No pun intended. Would not be surprised if she gets along just fine. Amazing what they can recover from and do quite well. Possibly take a picture of her and show it to your vet when your in the neighborhood. Don't think I would get too excited unless other issues appear.

 

[Ozhorse]

I am speaking from experience with sheep with damaged eyelids, not cattle, but I believe the same principles may apply. The issue with damaged eyelids is that the eye becomes ulcerated because the eye dries out.

If you can, keep her close to home and treat her eye with topical antibiotics if it becomes ulcerated. Over time she may adapt and heal. You are lucky to have the option of having her eye removed if it goes bad as cows here are worth less than one vet visit so they dont get vet visits.

Blind eyes from dying eyelids is a very common result of photosensitivity from liver damage from eating some weed or other in sheep. Sometimes they get over the ulceration with reduced eye sight but are OK. Others don't.

Here we are not allowed to send cattle with injuries to the sale yard. Fortunately there is a local meatworks that we can just drop them off at.

Just remembering - we had a ram with a damaged eye lid that he could not open and close properly (major injury from fighting). The limp eyelid that had nerve damage hung over his eye and it ulcerated the eye. He got some function back in the eyelid over time and had a white eye but he survived and got some vision back in time and could work.

 

[Howdyjabo]

If you can get to her easily- get some Vetericyn . Spray it right on her eye as often as you can. It will help to control infection and sooth the eye ball. Might give you some time to see if she needs to lose the eye.

 

[skeeter swatter]

I've heard of old time cowpunchers cutting an eyelid off of wild cattle to keep them from hiding in the brush.
I bet she'll be fine.
good luck

 

[Shadscale]

I had one do the same thing last winter. It got a little weepy but to look at her today you wouldn't know it. I watched her scratch her eye on a little chain hook on a gate. She got it caught and then pulled it. She will be fine.

 

[glacierridge]

Something related that happened to us, can you get pics of your damage?
Our Babe is doing great these days.
http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=86610&hilit=eyelid