Knot on neck

[Lisagrantb]

About a week ago a knot just appeared on this 3 1/2 year old heifer. It hasn't changed any since then, no signs of puncture (snake bite) or injury, it's hard but doesn't seem to bother her. What do you think.

 

[JW IN VA]

Have you vaccinated in that area?

 

[Lisagrantb]

No, I usually go behind the shoulder and if I do it in the neck it wouldn't be in that spot and she was last worked in march.

 

[wbvs58]

Stick a large gauge needle in it to see if it is fluid or fibrous. If fluid, serum or puss? That should give you an idea.

Ken

 

[Ebenezer]

Likely something poked in and broke off. But that is only a guess from afar.

 

[Lisagrantb]

Stick a large gauge needle in it to see if it is fluid or fibrous. If fluid, serum or puss? That should give you an idea.

Ken

What does it mean either way. The knot is very hard to the touch.

 

[wbvs58]

What does it mean either way. The knot is very hard to the touch.

If solid then good chance from a vaccine. Puss could be from a foreign body like a thorn or splinter, giving it a good slash and a hose out would be indicated. Serum you could drain it but more than likely will build up again so leave it alone to resolve itself.

Ken

 

[Lisagrantb]

I can say with almost certainly that she wasn't vaccinated there, I give behind shoulder and it's definitely in the wrong location for neck injection and I always work on the other side. I will stick a needle in it probably tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks for the help and I'll let you know what happens.

 

[Lucky_P]

My guess is a thorn or something inside an abscess. Personally, I leave them alone, anymore... last one I messed around with trying to lance/aspirate caused more swelling in the surrounding tissues, and more discomfort to the cow, that I'm not inclined to bother them.

But... if you're giving injections behind the shoulder, you need to change your practices and move to giving injections in the BQA-approved 'injection triangle' in the neck, in front of the shoulder.

 

[Son of Butch]

About a week ago a knot just appeared on this 3 1/2 year old heifer. It hasn't changed any since then.... it's hard but doesn't seem to bother her. What do you think?

Cosmetic. Body's natural defense to wall off an infection and bothers you more
to look at it than her to have it. It is a nasty looking one though.
Because it's hard and not soft, I'd leave it be.
What do I think?
Forgive my rudeness, but to put it bluntly, IF you have 3 1/2 year old heifers you've got lot bigger problems than minor abscesses.

 

[Ebenezer]

What I have learned: to drain and not have reoccurrence, lance vertically and let bottom of slit be at or slightly beyond the bottom of the knot. That allows complete drainage even after you irrigate it. But that's just experience and not a degreed truth.

 

[Lisagrantb]

Cosmetic. Body's natural defense to wall off an infection and bothers you more
to look at it than her to have it. It is a nasty looking one though.
Because it's hard and not soft, I'd leave it be.
What do I think?
Forgive my rudeness, but to put it bluntly, IF you have 3 1/2 year old heifers you've got lot bigger problems than minor abscesses.

Sorry for not calling her a cow. She is a cow, has a calf on the ground and one in the basket. I just tend to call the young ones heifers.

 

[JW IN VA]

Sorry for not calling her a cow. She is a cow, has a calf on the ground and one in the basket. I just tend to call the young ones heifers.

"Second calf heifer". I've heard that somewhere.
If you drain it, I think I'd take some water or vinegar in a syringe and flush it well. I'd also spray some disinfectant on it before starting then put screwworm spray around the area to keep flies away. This is only my opinion of what I would do. Others may have better ideas so it's your decision and your animal.

 

[Travlr]

"Second calf heifer". I've heard that somewhere.
If you drain it, I think I'd take some water or vinegar in a syringe and flush it well. I'd also spray some disinfectant on it before starting then put screwworm spray around the area to keep flies away. This is only my opinion of what I would do. Others may have better ideas so it's your decision and your animal.

Sorry for not calling her a cow. She is a cow, has a calf on the ground and one in the basket. I just tend to call the young ones heifers.

You have any foxtails?

And hydrogen peroxide for flushing it after squeezing all the pus out. Make sure any cut you make is across the bottom so there is no cup to retain matter.

 

[Lisagrantb]

There may be a hill or two around but I haven't seen any. Smut grass, I have smut grass, you need any smut grass?

 

[wbvs58]

I think I would heed Lucky P's advice and leave it alone. My suggestions were because you seemed concerned about it and wanted to know what it could be.

Ken

 

[Lisagrantb]

Stuck a needle in it today and it's puss and it's gotten a little bigger. We're picking corn until it rains (hopefully Thursday) so I plan on watching it for now and see what happens.

 

[moses388]

Stuck a needle in it today and it's puss

Then I would open it a little and clean it out. Hydrogen peroxide like Travlr said. Re-read Travlr's post. Sooner the better.

 

[Lisagrantb]

Looks worse than it was, the peroxide foams a lot. Opened it up flushed with water 3 times and peroxide twice. Put a good ointment on it and some 300la. Will see what happens. It was getting bigger as time went on.

 

[TCRanch]

Nuthin' like a good abscess pic - or video!