Dehorning hole

[cowkeeper]

Yearling heifer vet dehorned 3 wekks ago. Kept in because of flies the let out as all looked good and dry but hole had not started to fill in. She was done at the time, and redone, with a pour-on systemic wormer and sprayed with blu spray. Today after a rain there is greyish goop coming out of the hole. Does not smell. Can I flush it out with something and is that a good idea. Thanks

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I have very little experience with dehorning larger animals. I do know they can get sinus infections. I would NOT let the animal outdoors until the hole closes. It will fill with water when it rains, and I would "assume" that would be a cause of infection. Also, no matter what you put on her, flies are going to lay eggs IN the hole. :shock:
I would call the vet that did the work. I would "assume" you could flush out the hole with a disinfectant. But, the vet should give you advice over the phone.

 

[baleflipper]

it will heal. cows tilt their heads and the fluids run out.its normal for some grayish matter to come out .It will hide up in a few days.If you want put some flyspray that you would use on a horse to repel flies. Years ago we only dehorned after the frost killed the flies due to screw worms. Dont know if Corral smear is still avaliable. I dehorn cattle every winter here.Do it then cause its cooler .

 

[JSCATTLE]

I also do my dehorning in the winter. You can put a big glob of axel grease on the hole and it helps to seal it and keep flies off . it doesn't hurt them to go out side like that . I've dehorned 6 year old cows before. Just grease them up and turn them out .

 

[Isomade]

It's fine, put some fly spray on it and forget it.

 

[Roadapple]

Stuff a piece of cotton in the hole and swipe some pine tar over it to keep the flies off.

 

[KNERSIE]

Stuff a piece of cotton in the hole and swipe some pine tar over it to keep the flies off.

All I want to add is spray with gention violet first then plug the hole with cotton wool dipped in Stockholm tar. If it was plugged with the cotton wool/Stockholm tar straight after dehorning there would have been no need for the gention violet. Condice's Crystals is probably better than the tar, but needs to be handled with care around blood.

In future leave the dehorning till after the first good frost.

 

[Lane]

I buy calves pretty much year round and we scoop any calves with horns.
Most don't leave much of a hole, but those that do we burn to stop bleeding
then put cotton in the hole. We used to use a tar product over the top but
when I couldn't find it anymore I started covering with silicone sealer. It has
worked great and I haven't had any problems since I started using it.

Lane

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

As stated, I am not familiar with this problem.
But ---- I have a hard time with putting cotton IN THE HOLE. Does the hole heal OVER the cotton??? That doesn't sound healthy.
Don't know why, but putting tar or Icthamol in/on the hole sounds OK. Or covering the hole with gauze & gooping on tar/icthamol to hold in place - of course, we all know that would last until you turned them out of the chute.
Eeeeuuuu - sounds awful to me. Foreign objects in the cavety of the head just doesn't sound right.
And, no matter what you put on or in, they are going to rub it & the hole will be accessable to blow flies. I can just picture maggots rolling out of the hole :shock:
I think I like the idea of waiting for winter.
Better yet, I think I like dehorning genetically.
Not going to help your situation, but I sure would do whatever is necessary to keep flies away from her.
The ONLY experience I've had like this - a bull was delivered to the bull test with horns. Horns were not allowed, so he paid the vet to dehorn him. It rained and he got a sinus infection that was unable to be cured. So much for that prize bull :shock:

 

[cowkeeper]

Thanks for your ideas. I got a hold of the vet and he said it was ok to flush it with peroxide and tie her so it would bubble out and drain. The pour on wormer is to prevent fly strike. She is now back inside where I can check it freuqnetly and spray.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Thanks for your ideas. I got a hold of the vet and he said it was ok to flush it with peroxide and tie her so it would bubble out and drain. The pour on wormer is to prevent fly strike. She is now back inside where I can check it freuqnetly and spray.

Sounds like a good plan to me!

 

[Lucky_P]

Cardinal rule of thumb for any healing wound - whether it's a dehorning wound or a cut - don't put anything in/on the wound that you wouldn't put in your own eye. If you think it would be painful/detrimental in your eye, you can pretty well be assured that it's going to interfere with wound healing as well.
All these old-timey 'remedies' with tar, etc. are counterproductive, but most of them heal up in spite of 'em.

Sounds as though your veterinarian put you on the right road.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Cardinal rule of thumb for any healing wound - whether it's a dehorning wound or a cut - don't put anything in/on the wound that you wouldn't put in your own eye. If you think it would be painful/detrimental in your eye, you can pretty well be assured that it's going to interfere with wound healing as well.
All these old-timey 'remedies' with tar, etc. are counterproductive, but most of them heal up in spite of 'em.

Sounds as though your veterinarian put you on the right road.

Thank you Lucky - that was kinda what I thought - other than I "thought" ichthamol would be good. I guess I really wouldn't want to put it in my EYE!!!

 

[Gale Seddon]

The last one time we had a dehorned animal the previous owner had it done before we could object, then put the 7 month old bull on a trip from OK to VA; calf arrived with shipping fever and an infected head. Vet came out, cleaned it up, applied Nolvasan ointment and duct tape. This took place in October, so not in the heat of summer and not as many flies as there would be now. Here's the little fella at the time: