Ear infection or obstruction?

[TCRanch]

Treated a weaned heifer calf for what appeared to be an ear infection in December. Droopy left ear, kind of shaking her head, lots of discharge from the ear, temp was normal, didn't lose her appetite initially but lagged a little. Hand fed her Sustain to see if it would clear up but 2 days later, no improvement. Got her in the chute, temp still normal, and gave her Draxxin and squirted Tomorrow mastitis cream down in her ear canal. Cleared it right up! Or so I thought. Kept her as a replacement and I'll be darned, her left ear is droopy again with drainage. Didn't have a thermometer on me today but the drainage is clear, kind of sticky on my fingers, but doesn't stink.

Possible recurring infection? Or maybe there's an obstruction deep in her ear canal? Otherwise, bright eyed, active and went straight to the feed bunk. Vet is coming out Wednesday to pelvic measure & BANGS the retained heifers. Whether I get her in the chute to treat prior to that is contingent on how she looks/acts and whether she has a temp (she's easy enough I can temp her in the pasture with a good butt scratch).

Anyone else ever deal with this? I think I've only had one other ear infection, many years ago, and it was one 'n done. Only other ear issue was with a weaned steer that had a burr imbedded in the soft flap of his ear.

 

[bird dog]

Are you sure she don't have ear mites? Give her ears a spray of Permethrin

 

[TCRanch]

Are you sure she don't have ear mites? Give her ears a spray of Permethrin

Hadn't thought of that. No itching or signs of mites anywhere else on her, or on the other heifers. But I'll hit her with Fly Ban (if it's not raining).

 

[Caustic Burno]

Draxxin should clear an infection.
I think I would come back with a dose of LA 300 if it's not ear mites.
I haven't had many ear issues, but they can be difficult to clear up. Seems like some antibiotics work on ears better than others in my experience.
The inner ear bones are honeycomb like and the infection is tougher to treat.

 

[Farm Family]

We had a young cow have similar symptoms. She went on antibiotics and the symptoms never returned…knock on wood. Like you we had the vet out on preg checks at the time who diagnosed an ear infection…explained that sometimes a grass seed or like can cause it or a type of bacterial infection like we get that affects the sinuses and ears. Asked if the seed had to be removed and he said the infection typically breaks it down and the drainage kicks it out. Her drainage was clearish. And she did have a low grade fever, general malaise.

 

[Lucky_P]

First thing that comes to my mind is Mycoplasma bovis otitis media... which should have responded to Draxxin, or oxytet. But, if there were well-established abscesses, it may be that more than one round of Draxin or LA-200/300 may be required to clear infection.

Just out of curiosity, how did you 'hand-feed' Sustain boluses to this heifer?
If crushed and mixed in feed, you nullified the 'sustained-release' effect... they're designed to be given whole(or half) and dissolving slowly under the influence of rumen contractions.

 

[TCRanch]

First thing that comes to my mind is Mycoplasma bovis otitis media... which should have responded to Draxxin, or oxytet. But, if there were well-established abscesses, it may be that more than one round of Draxin or LA-200/300 may be required to clear infection.

Just out of curiosity, how did you 'hand-feed' Sustain boluses to this heifer?
If crushed and mixed in feed, you nullified the 'sustained-release' effect... they're designed to be given whole(or half) and dissolving slowly under the influence of rumen contractions.

Had to look that up and it sounds downright scary. With no other symptoms, I'm hesitant to hit her with another round of antibiotics until my vet comes out, but I also don't want it to progress.

If I give Sustain in the pasture, I generally just pop it in their mouth with a cube or stick one in their mouth and rub their throat (just like giving a dog a pill). No, it's not intended to be chewed, but any time I've treated a cow/calf/bull for foot rot, shipping fever, etc. it still works.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Had to look that up and it sounds downright scary. With no other symptoms, I'm hesitant to hit her with another round of antibiotics until my vet comes out, but I also don't want it to progress.

If I give Sustain in the pasture, I generally just pop it in their mouth with a cube or stick one in their mouth and rub their throat (just like giving a dog a pill). No, it's not intended to be chewed, but any time I've treated a cow/calf/bull for foot rot, shipping fever, etc. it still works.

Your cows take pills better than my kids!

 

[TCRanch]

Your cows take pills better than my kids!

They'll do anything if they think they might get a treat!

Those eyes!!! The moment Phoebe realized Kirk (Creekstone rep) whipped out his phone instead of a cube.

 

[gcreekrch]

My guess was Mycoplasma also. We normally use Nuflor or Resflor, whichever we may have on hand.

 

[Travlr]

Treated a weaned heifer calf for what appeared to be an ear infection in December. Droopy left ear, kind of shaking her head, lots of discharge from the ear, temp was normal, didn't lose her appetite initially but lagged a little.
Or maybe there's an obstruction deep in her ear canal?

Do you have foxtails? They can mess up a dog bad, if one gets in their ear. Just a thought.

 

[SBMF 2015]

My guess was Mycoplasma also. We normally use Nuflor or Resflor, whichever we may have on hand.

You have good luck with nuflor on Myco? Interesting.
I couldn't get any results I was happy with.
I started using Advacin ( the old A180) with good response.

 

[gcreekrch]

You have good luck with nuflor on Myco? Interesting.
I couldn't get any results I was happy with.
I started using Advacin ( the old A180) with good response.

I truly believe there are different strains that respond better to certain drugs. The florfenicols have worked well for us.

 

[Farm Family]

It was Nuflor we used on the cow I mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

My horse once got a bunch of seed ticks in his ear. Shaking and rubbing his ear and it hanging off to the side. Ivermectin paste wormer by mouth got rid of it.

 

[wbvs58]

My horse once got a bunch of seed ticks in his ear. Shaking and rubbing his ear and it hanging off to the side. Ivermectin paste wormer by mouth got rid of it.

More often than not an ear infection starts off with some foreign body or chemical causing the irritation and the bacteria come along secondary to an already inflamed ear, especially in one ear of one cow in a herd.
Always good if you can get a foreign body out.

Ken

 

[SBMF 2015]

I truly believe there are different strains that respond better to certain drugs. The florfenicols have worked well for us.

I 100% agree. I use florfenicols for a lot of things, just hadn't had much luck on myco.
Back when we fed a lot of cattle we switched back and forth. Some years or even groups responded better to Nuflor and some Baytril. And when they didn't work I would use A180 and Exenel in combination.

 

[TCRanch]

Do you have foxtails? They can mess up a dog bad, if one gets in their ear. Just a thought.

Yes, we do. Still no temp. Calling my vet today to see if she thinks I should start antibiotics & an exam now or wait until Wednesday.

 

[TCRanch]

When I had a steer with a snake bite on his knee, my vet had me treat as if it was Myco, alternating between Nuflor & Dex and Draxxin & Dex. Same thing this year with a steer that actually did have Myco. I have Resflor Gold, Draxxin, Baytril, LA300 & Dex on hand, so I'm set.

 

[kenny thomas]

When I had a steer with a snake bite on his knee, my vet had me treat as if it was Myco, alternating between Nuflor & Dex and Draxxin & Dex. Same thing this year with a steer that actually did have Myco. I have Resflor Gold, Draxxin, Baytril, LA300 & Dex on hand, so I'm set.

I gotta ask, since you seem to have pretty much a closed herd why so many antibiotics on hand?
I buy market cattle every week and don't keep that much.