cow with eye cancer

[MAGONZ1969]

Hello everyone there!
I'm hoping someone can give me some advice on this problem. I found a cow yesturday that might and most likely has eye cancer. She is very fleshy and looks healthy otherwise. The growth is on the third eyelid and is well noticeable. My question is can the meat be salvaged and what are my options. Cow is 3-5 years old. Cows pregnant but won't calf till march/april 2013. Thanks for your input!

 

[KNERSIE]

At her age cancer is unlikely, the meat will be fine the type of carcinoma you get in the eye is isolated to the eye and won't spread. You can try and pull the cancer off the eye, I've seen it work and trust me I was as doubtful as you probably are now. In severe cases you can have the eye removed.

Try and get a few good photos of the eye.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I'm not familiar with cancer eye - but, I wouldn't think it will affect her quickly enough, that I would keep her & calve her out. Let her raise the calf a few months, then harvest her.

 

[Chris H]

We've had 3 cases over the last 11 years, different progression & outcomes.
1. A growth was on the 3rd eyelid of a cow around 6-7 years old. Vet removed the growth and gave her a shot of interferon(?). The growth never came back. We kept the cow several more years and she eventually went to hamburger heaven.
2. A young cow, 4-5, had a growth come on quickly. Within a couple months she started to lose weight. She had a calf on her so we pulled the calf & shipped the cow. She went to hamburger heaven, too.
3. An 8 year old cow had a growth more on her eyeball, it was perpetually weepy and her 3rd eyelid just kind of deteriorated. We wanted another calf from her(none of these cancer eye cows have been related, none of their heifers have had problems), so we kept her 1 more year. She maintained her weight but her calf didn't grow as well as normal for her so her milk output must have been affected. This cow was condemned at slaughter.

Based on this limited experience, I'd say if the growth was on an eyelid and not weepy, have the growth removed. I do know a couple Hereford breeders who have had an eyeball removed with excellent results.