Identifying Woody Tongue - for newbies

[Aaron]

I had meant to do a write up last year with my first case of woody tongue. Just got around to transferring the pictures from my camera. This may be of some use when diagnosing woody tongue.

Cow is lethargic. I would estimate this cow lost in excess of 100 lbs before I identified what was happening. I suspect the tongue became infected about 1 week before these photos were taken. Feed intake was minimal, while water intake was normal.

Excessive salivation. When she sat down and chewed her cud, a pool of saliva would form on the ground.

Tongue is hard and swollen and feels about the size of a football. Cow winces when tongue is felt or pressured from lower jaw. Eventually, in a severe case, the tongue would elongate and stick out of the mouth.

Treatment: Any tetracycline drug and intravenous iodine. I did not have quick access to iodine for IV, so I threw a full handful of "Super Iodide" (Ethylenediamine dihydroiodide [EDDI]) into her mouth each day during needling with low-pain oxytetracycline. I treated for 5 days. After the 3rd, dramatic improvement was seen. Feed intake increased dramatically, and symptomatic 'chewing of the tongue' all but ceased. I made sure to only feed high quality soft 2nd cut grass hay that would not be painful to chew.

 

[hillsdown]

I wish you could have gotten her to say AHHHH and open her mouth so we could see her tongue ..

What causes woody tongue again ?

Thanks for the story and the pics Aaron . :tiphat:

Had a calf with symptoms like that and the mouth was the first place the vet looked, never did find out what her illness was, even after we had her posted.

 

[Aaron]

The tongue won't visually look any different (ie. colour). But her breath was foul smelling, not sweet/milky like usual.

Woody tongue is similar to lumpy jaw. An abrasion of the tongue (usually the back) gets infected with Actinobacillus lignieresii, a common soil bacteria and the tongue abscesses and swells. High levels of iodine in salt mixtures help prevent it from occurring. I had forgotten to give any salt to her herd for a little over a month, and that is why it occurred.

 

[rockridgecattle]

I have read that low iodine can be a cause of why jaw problems happen. When we go for periods with out adding extra iodine, especially when on hay or coarse hay, woody tongue, lumpy jaw and even foot rot seem to be on the rise.
Reminds me, on monday got to order me a pail of iodine to add to the mineral.
We use salt blocks and add salt in the mineral, but in our area it is not enough. We know when to cut back on the iodine when their eyes start to get watery. Since we have had that extra iodine, our cases have dropped dramatically.
Woody tongue took a tole on our cow who got it. Breed back was a problem due to the weight loss and the time it took to gain it back.

 

[Idaman]

Hit her IV with a bottle 250cc of Sodium Iodide. Works every time.