Pinkeye

[Calhoun Farm]

My dad bought a load of steers and brought them home and dumped them out with my calves. As luck would have it now the whole herd has pinkeye. We've been battling it with LA300 for about 6wks and can't seem to get a full cure with it. Some calves didn't get it at all and some got it in both eyes. Last summer the LA was like magic on pinkeye, in some cases I noticed it gone in a few days. This time around we can't seem to beat it. Does anyone know of something stronger I can give to completely knock it out? I need to sell my calves next month and I don't want an order buyer to dock me :bang:

 

[shaz]

I've had to re-treat plenty of calves with LA200 but it should work.
I guess you've already given them more than one shot?

 

[Limomike]

6 weeks is a long time to be battling pinkeye. LA usually works in a few days to a week, but I have used terramycin spray to cure it also. And, at times, I have just not done anything and they heal on their own.

 

[Lucky_P]

Depends on what's causing the 'pinkeye' .
IBR - it's a virus; antibiotics have no effectiveness against it.
Mycoplasma - oxytet *should* be effective
Chlamydia - again, oxytet *should* be effective
Various bacteria - 'classical' pinkeye is caused by Moraxella bovis, which generally is susceptible to oxytet; but, over the past few years, we've also been seeing cases of pinkeye caused by strains of Moraxella ovis and Moraxella bovoculi which are sometimes resistant to oxytetracycline.

 

[milkmaid]

And in addition to Lucky's list... if it's actually an injury (eg grazing in tall grass, stemmy hay in bunks, etc) then oxytet isn't going to solve the problem either.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

Depends on what's causing the 'pinkeye' .
IBR - it's a virus; antibiotics have no effectiveness against it.
Mycoplasma - oxytet *should* be effective
Chlamydia - again, oxytet *should* be effective
Various bacteria - 'classical' pinkeye is caused by Moraxella bovis, which generally is susceptible to oxytet; but, over the past few years, we've also been seeing cases of pinkeye caused by strains of Moraxella ovis and Moraxella bovoculi which are sometimes resistant to oxytetracycline.

So other than IBR then the LA300 should be helping cure it? If its IBR how do I kill that?

These calves didn't get it from grazing in tall grass - winter time - no grass...

They caught it from sale barn calves my dad brought in.

 

[3LEGGED1]

Mm would it hurt to also flush the eyes with la. I have done that, can't remember having to retreat one.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

Mm would it hurt to also flush the eyes with la. I have done that, can't remember having to retreat one.

I'm no expert but we were told in master beef to never squirt anything in the eyes in the form of an LA200/300 or salt etc. My grandfather used salt but when the eye waters it flushes it out anyway.

 

[3LEGGED1]

Never went to beef school, I could be wrong. That's why I was sorta asking mm. Got all my learning from a ninety year old man. He was crazy anyway lol

 

[Calhoun Farm]

Never went to beef school, I could be wrong. That's why I was sorta asking mm. Got all my learning from a ninety year old man. He was crazy anyway lol

School isn't always right and I don't follow everything they said. Old timers are still very important to learning, the way I approached the school was take a little of what they say with a little of what I learned from my grandfather and kind of combine the two.

:cboy:

 

[3LEGGED1]

If I sounded buttheaded, that not what I meant, you can never have enough schooling.Never quit tring to learn.

 

[skeeter swatter]

If I were to bet I would say Rednose. Are they vaccinated for anything?

 

[tnwalkingred]

Calhoun,

Try using Vetricyn to thoroughly rinse the eye out and then squirt some dry cow in their eye. It's thick so it coats good and has pencillin in it which should knock it out. Works every time for me. An old dairy farmer I met at the local CO OP told me about last year.

Kyle

 

[Calhoun Farm]

Calhoun,

Try using Vetricyn to thoroughly rinse the eye out and then squirt some dry cow in their eye. It's thick so it coats good and has pencillin in it which should knock it out. Works every time for me. An old dairy farmer I met at the local CO OP told me about last year.

Kyle

Is this what you're talking about?
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e079bc-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5&gas=dry cow#
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=e2961de7-feae-4ff1-91fa-3e35191c74bb#

 

[highgrit]

I guess folks don't massage penicillin into the eye and patch it anymore? That's the way we do it around here. Most of the old folks I know just squirt diesel fuel in the eye a few times and it's cleared up.

 

[Lucky_P]

If you wouldn't put it in your own eye, don't squirt it in a cow's eye.
ANYTHING you squirt in the eye will be washed out by tearing in less than 10-15 minutes.
The systemic oxytet products(LA 200/300) will be constantly 'bathing' the eye with oxytet, in the tears at the same level it's circulating in the blood/tissue fluids
I used to do the conjunctival injections with penicillin - doubt it did ANY good once the needle prick hole sealed and the PPG stopped leaking out.
Patching the eye, sewing the lids shut, or sewing the 3rd eyelid to the upper lid can be helpful.

Vetericyn. Snake oil. Extremely dilute bleach water, with a tiny bit of salt(NaCl) and NaBr added. OK for flushing, but it's not magic. Pretty d@mned expensive for what it is.

 

[tnwalkingred]

Calhoun,

Yes that's what I'm talking about. I hear what Lucky is saying and I respect everyone's opinion very much but the treatment I'm talking about has worked for me on multiple times. I'll continue using it for pinkeye until it quits working. Now I won't tell you what part of my 3 step treatment gets the job done but last year when I had a group of calves get pinkeye I didn't care I just wanted it fixed.

Lucky,

I've been using Vetricyn for years and I'm a firm believer in it. I've used it to treat everything from severe lacerations, pinkeye, to my own sore throat and have never been disappointed. It may be snake oil but it's the most effective snake oil I've been around and as long as it continues to cure my ailments I'll keep on believing in it! Lol.

Kyle

 

[Calhoun Farm]

Thanks kyle I think I already have the eye wash so I'll buy some dry cow and give it a try.

 

[tnwalkingred]

Calhoun,

Let me know if it helps at all. I normally use a half tube of dry cow for each calf but if you have a big group you could probably use less to make it go further. I cut the tube down pretty short so it comes out easier and less chAnce they get poked in the eye. I also give them a shot of LA300 put since you've already done that I wouldn't do it again.

Kyle

 

[AllForage]

It is pricey but I had excellent results with Draxxin.

Had a break out last spring and every calf caught a couple days after being born. Draxxin cleared it all up with no repeats.