Cow twisting head

[Aaron]

Anybody ever seen anything like this? Coming 8 year old cow is twisting her head 90 degrees, swinging it side to side and has one eye that is pointing downwards, while the other is normal. She's eating and drinking well. She was keeping off to herself from the rest of the herd when not eating, so I brought her in and loaded her up with long-acting oxytetracycline. She was fine for a couple of days and now the symptoms are back. I am going to the vet's next week and pick up some dexamethasone, thinking it's maybe inflammation within the head/ear or neck?

 

[Nite Hawk]

Brain issue???
Maybe take her to the vet when you go..

 

[slick4591]

Sounds like an inner ear infection.

 

[milkmaid]

Probably infection rather than inflammation... I'd skip the dex. Google listeria in cattle and see if that looks familiar.

 

[Aaron]

Sounds like an inner ear infection.

Thought about that. Also thought about a tree falling on her head. But when the symptoms returned, I tossed that idea out.

Probably infection rather than inflammation... I'd skip the dex. Google listeria in cattle and see if that looks familiar.

She doesn't have the continuous salivation or the flaccid facial muscles. I could dose her up with long-acting Penicillin.

 

[milkmaid]

Without seeing a picture.... I'm sure not going to pretend to make a diagnosis over the internet. That said, when an animal shows up with a persistent head tilt or certain types of incoordination it does indicate vestibular disease/cranial nerve deficits. The fact that she was better for a few days after treatment would make infection most likely. Other options besides inner ear infections (very probable) or listeria (maybe) would be a growth (brain tumor, abscess) putting pressure on the brain and/or cranial nerves. (Take her in- your vet would probably find her fascinating.)

Also- I don't remember when you calve, but dex will cause abortions in late gestation animals.

 

[Aaron]

After reading more on inner ear infections, it seems to fit pretty close. I'll load her up with long-acting penicillin and see what happens.

Calve in April/May, but did not know that about dex, so thank you immensely Milkmaid.

 

[Coco Donatella]

Use banamine to ease her pain.

 

[milkmaid]

You're welcome Aaron. Hope that's all that's wrong with her.

 

[Nite Hawk]

Let us know what happens..
Nite Hawk

 

[Isomade]

Interested to know what you found out Aaron.

 

[Aaron]

Interested to know what you found out Aaron.

Got email from a vet today. The provincial cattlemen's association keeps a vet on payroll to answer questions from producers (to be used for simple questions, or a 2nd opinion). Never used it before, so thought I would give it a try.

http://www.cattle.guelph.on.ca/ask-a-vet/aboutvet.asp

His opinion was ear infection as well. Took the response to the long-acting oxy as very positive. Cow came back out of her daze later that next day and has been good for about 2.5 days again and holding. Haven't given any penicillin yet as I don't use it much and the old stuff was outdated, so had to pick up a fresh bottle yesterday. Give it in the morning so I can watch her a little better. Maybe let her out in a couple days if everything holds steady.

Of course with all the pampering with shelter, good hay and grain, she could be just faking the whole thing.

 

[Nite Hawk]

well I kinda doubt she is faking, but then again maybe she figures if she keeps it up she might get lots of grain and goodies!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
seriously though it is good to hear she is doing better.
Don't know if cattle can get ear mites, but up north every year like clockwork our dogs got ear mites every winter. They would go around shaking their heads and digging their ears till they bled, and walking around with their heads cocked sideways. No idea where the mites came from. and the dogs were were always taken care of, and then would be fine till next winter..

 

[Aaron]

Spoke to soon again. This morning, going wonky again. I do notice a pattern though. She's getting set off every night its pretty nippy (-10F or lower). Threw 48 cc of long-acting penicillin into her this afternoon. See what happens this time.

 

[jerry27150]

had a calf a few years ago that acted like it had circling disease. kept circling to the right & could not even stop to nurse,vet thought she might have a tick or something in her ear. can't remember what he had me put in her ears but it helped in mo time

 

[angie1]

Your online vet thought the penicillin was a good option?

 

[Lucky_P]

I'm with my friend milkmaid. Listeriosis is at the top of my list - it's probably the top three on my list of rule-outs ;>)

Lose the 'long-acting penicillin'; that stuff is junk. If you're administering at the label dosage of 2ml/150lbs, you're severely underdosing the procaine penicillin G fraction(which is essentially gone after 12 hrs) - and, for the benzathine pen G (the 'long-acting' part), it really doesn't matter how much you give, because it can NEVER reach a high enough blood level to kill anything. Sure, it's detectable in their blood for 48 hrs, but it's not doing anything helpful.

I've treated a few cases of listeriosis - including one in my own herd - with repeated doses of long-acting oxytetracycline - like 3 or 4 rounds at 3 day intervals. Some have recovered and gone back to being essentially normal, some recovered, but always had a head tilt and ataxia.

Be aware that if you give additional or over-large doses, or more than the recommended amount of drug at any one injection site, that the label slaughter withdrawal may not be adequate.

 

[Aaron]

Your online vet thought the penicillin was a good option?

Never mentioned it to him. Anything I've read regarding ear infections suggests large doses of penicillin.

 

[Aaron]

I'm with my friend milkmaid. Listeriosis is at the top of my list - it's probably the top three on my list of rule-outs ;>)

Lose the 'long-acting penicillin'; that stuff is junk. If you're administering at the label dosage of 2ml/150lbs, you're severely underdosing the procaine penicillin G fraction(which is essentially gone after 12 hrs) - and, for the benzathine pen G (the 'long-acting' part), it really doesn't matter how much you give, because it can NEVER reach a high enough blood level to kill anything. Sure, it's detectable in their blood for 48 hrs, but it's not doing anything helpful.

I've treated a few cases of listeriosis - including one in my own herd - with repeated doses of long-acting oxytetracycline - like 3 or 4 rounds at 3 day intervals. Some have recovered and gone back to being essentially normal, some recovered, but always had a head tilt and ataxia.

Be aware that if you give additional or over-large doses, or more than the recommended amount of drug at any one injection site, that the label slaughter withdrawal may not be adequate.

I agree with the LA-Pen being junk. Hence why my old stuff was out of date for about 2 years and still 3/4 a bottle. Label dosage is 1ml per 33 lbs.

If this doesn't turn her around, the local vet is coming in. I am reluctant initially to bring her in because she is fresh out of school and is still relatively wet behind the ears. Our encounters up to this point leave a lot to be desired in terms of 'insight'. I can see the super drugs being whipped out in a hurry.

In animals with listeriosis, are the symptoms continual or off/on like this cow is experiencing?

 

[Crazy Farmgirl]

When I worked on the deacon farm we saw a lot of mycoplasmosis that had symptoms very similar to your cow. Draxxin was the only drug that was effective. Does she have a temp? Notice any joint involvement? The ones we had success with were the ones caught early and treated aggressively, even then some retained the head tilt or odd gait forever. I think I would be getting the vet out and looking at other possibilities and treatments, especially if you are seeing recurring symptoms.