eyes

Help Support CattleToday:

A

Anonymous

I have a calf that started closing his left eye a few days ago as if to squint in the bright sun. Yesterday I noticed a white spot about 1/3 the size of a dime. Any suggestions on what to do?

[email protected]
 
>Your calf is starting to get pink-eye or low grade BVD. Go to your vet immediately and vaccinate the calf for both pink-eye and BVD. Give it 5cc of LA-200 and if have place you can get it out of sun during the day that would be great also. Don't forget to spray it with fly spray also. A Neomycin powder duster in the eye is also beneficial. I have a calf that started closing
> his left eye a few days ago as if
> to squint in the bright sun.
> Yesterday I noticed a white spot
> about 1/3 the size of a dime. Any
> suggestions on what to do?

[email protected]
 
It's my understanding that BVD stands for Bovine Virus Diarrhea, which is basically a disease of reproduction.

Pinkeye is spread by flies. The flies are attracted by secretions from the eyes. The flies rasp at the eye itself, causing an ulceration that becomes infected. There are several different strains of Moxarella that can cause the pinkeye infection, and the vaccines protect against some strains, but usually not all.

The white area you are seeing on your calf's eye is (possibly permanent) damage to the cornea. You need to give the calf a proper dose of LA 200 or other recommended antibiotic immediately. Patching the eye temporarily can help. You need to treat the calf to repel flies, both for his comfort and to help keep from spreading the bacteria to other cattle. Also, look around for ways to get rid of breeding areas for flies.

Some of the newer vaccines can help prevent pinkeye, but no vaccine is used as treatment for existing disease. It takes 10-14 days for the animal to develop antibodies to a vaccine, and vaccinating when the animal is sick is not good practice. The animal will not produce an immune response that is nearly as strong if it is already ill. Treat the disease now, and vaccinate when the animal is well.

Here's an article on Pinkeye:

http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/animaldisease/g620.ht
 
Gerry I agree with both Darrell& Linda, but a 10 ml dose of LA-200 and ashort stay in the darkness of the barn plus a puff of NFZ and your problem is solved. OH, don't forget to vaccinate for pinkeye after it clears up
> It's my understanding that BVD
> stands for Bovine Virus Diarrhea,
> which is basically a disease of
> reproduction.

> Pinkeye is spread by flies. The
> flies are attracted by secretions
> from the eyes. The flies rasp at
> the eye itself, causing an
> ulceration that becomes infected.
> There are several different
> strains of Moxarella that can
> cause the pinkeye infection, and
> the vaccines protect against some
> strains, but usually not all.

> The white area you are seeing on
> your calf's eye is (possibly
> permanent) damage to the cornea.
> You need to give the calf a proper
> dose of LA 200 or other
> recommended antibiotic
> immediately. Patching the eye
> temporarily can help. You need to
> treat the calf to repel flies,
> both for his comfort and to help
> keep from spreading the bacteria
> to other cattle. Also, look around
> for ways to get rid of breeding
> areas for flies.

> Some of the newer vaccines can
> help prevent pinkeye, but no
> vaccine is used as treatment for
> existing disease. It takes 10-14
> days for the animal to develop
> antibodies to a vaccine, and
> vaccinating when the animal is
> sick is not good practice. The
> animal will not produce an immune
> response that is nearly as strong
> if it is already ill. Treat the
> disease now, and vaccinate when
> the animal is well.

> Here's an article on Pinkeye:

[email protected]
 
Okay now. One says 5 cc and one says 10 cc. It's based on the weight of the animal and you don't want to give too much in one injection site. You do well to split the dose (if it's a larger one) in half and do one in each side of the neck.

(I may be inexperienced in cattle but I am a nurse - the medical part of this is business is great for me! <IMG SRC="http://161.58.242.16/smilies/smile.gif" BORDER=0 ALT=":)"> )

[email protected]
 
> Okay now. One says 5 cc and one
> says 10 cc. It's based on the
> weight of the animal and you don't
> want to give too much in one
> injection site. You do well to
> split the dose (if it's a larger
> one) in half and do one in each
> side of the neck.

> (I may be inexperienced in cattle
> but I am a nurse - the medical
> part of this is business is great
> for me! <IMG SRC="http://161.58.242.16/smilies/smile.gif" BORDER=0 ALT=":)"> )

I'm a nurse, too, and I totally agree with Lisa. Weigh your calf if there's any doubt in your mind as to it's actual weight. Go by the instructions that come from the mfg. of the medication unless your veterinarian tells you otherwise. LA200 rates are 4.5cc per 100 pounds.

It is important to give large doses of medication in more than one injection site. LA200 can be given under the skin now and that has worked well for us. It will sometimes leave a bit of a swollen area for a while, but that's ok.

And, when you're judging as to what is a large dose of medication, LOOK at your animal! Compare the amount of medication to the size of the animal. I don't ever give more than 10 cc of any medication in any one injection site on a full grown cow.

LA200 is a little thick, and it's easier to give it with a slightly larger needle than you might use for some vaccinations or other medications. For most meds, I use a 20 gauge needle on a young calf, but for LA200 I find it easier to use an 18 gauge, which is larger than a 20 gauge. Rub the injection site after giving the med so the medication doesn't leak out, too.
 
I respect Linda & Lisa's answer to our response but as I grew up doing this all my life, i'm sure that 10 ml will not hurt the calf it also prevents you from reinjection in the next 3 days. And i am 43 yrs. so you can trust me on this,I wouldn't want your calf harmed.> I'm a nurse, too, and I totally
> agree with Lisa. Weigh your calf
> if there's any doubt in your mind
> as to it's actual weight. Go by
> the instructions that come from
> the mfg. of the medication unless
> your veterinarian tells you
> otherwise. LA200 rates are 4.5cc
> per 100 pounds.

> It is important to give large
> doses of medication in more than
> one injection site. LA200 can be
> given under the skin now and that
> has worked well for us. It will
> sometimes leave a bit of a swollen
> area for a while, but that's ok.

> And, when you're judging as to
> what is a large dose of
> medication, LOOK at your animal!
> Compare the amount of medication
> to the size of the animal. I don't
> ever give more than 10 cc of any
> medication in any one injection
> site on a full grown cow.

> LA200 is a little thick, and it's
> easier to give it with a slightly
> larger needle than you might use
> for some vaccinations or other
> medications. For most meds, I use
> a 20 gauge needle on a young calf,
> but for LA200 I find it easier to
> use an 18 gauge, which is larger
> than a 20 gauge. Rub the injection
> site after giving the med so the
> medication doesn't leak out, too.

[email protected]
 
>Thanks to all for input. calf was 210 pounds when I bought him and don't imagine he's gained much in the last few weeks. The stress of weaning and now the pink eye has got him down. I'm just now setting up my barn to isolate him and don't have a headgate yet. Millions of things to do and I wasn't ready for this.

[email protected]
 

Latest posts

Top