Skin Peeling, Nose Bleeding, Eyes weeping (Heifer)

[Anonymous]

Had to put down a heifer this afternoon. Above symptoms obvious but no St john's Wort preesent on our property in Australia. Muscles/nervous system seemed to also be effected as they were constricted, particularly around the face/neck and gut. Skin peeling off in large chunks around necck adn all skin around nose face was peeling off. Quite strange adn I haven't got a clue what it was, have never seen this before. Any thoughts out there?

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[Anonymous]

> Had to put down a heifer this
> afternoon. Above symptoms obvious
> but no St john's Wort preesent on
> our property in Australia.
> Muscles/nervous system seemed to
> also be effected as they were
> constricted, particularly around
> the face/neck and gut. Skin
> peeling off in large chunks around
> necck adn all skin around nose
> face was peeling off. Quite
> strange adn I haven't got a clue
> what it was, have never seen this
> before. Any thoughts out there? The breed is hereford.



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[Anonymous]

sounds alot like extreme case of photosensitization.Caused by sun and a plant that contains a chemical that reacts with animal causing the symptoms that you discribed.Often the cause is a plant like clover.this will happen to some white faced cattle and paint horses, appaloosas, or cattle with alot of white on there boddies etc.. Hope this helps..Cindy

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[Anonymous]

Thanks Cindy. Some further research has spointed me towards yoru diagnosis. In our case it could be a secondary form of photosensitization which has resulted from liver damage over a period of time. Teh cuasse is probably a weed we have here which this particular heifer took a liking to without knowing the consequences. e call this weed Pattersons Curse and it is also known as Salvation Jane (Echium spp). Thanks again, all teh others seem fine at the moment so here's hoping it was an isolated incident. Cheers!

sounds alot like extreme case of
> photosensitization.Caused by sun
> and a plant that contains a
> chemical that reacts with animal
> causing the symptoms that you
> discribed.Often the cause is a
> plant like clover.this will happen
> to some white faced cattle and
> paint horses, appaloosas, or
> cattle with alot of white on there
> boddies etc.. Hope this
> helps..Cindy



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[Anonymous]

> Thanks Cindy. Some further
> research has spointed me towards
> yoru diagnosis. In our case it
> could be a secondary form of
> photosensitization which has
> resulted from liver damage over a
> period of time. Teh cuasse is
> probably a weed we have here which
> this particular heifer took a
> liking to without knowing the
> consequences. e call this weed
> Pattersons Curse and it is also
> known as Salvation Jane (Echium
> spp). Thanks again, all teh others
> seem fine at the moment so here's
> hoping it was an isolated
> incident. Cheers!

> sounds alot like extreme case of

Wow!! what will you do put in barn?? I would rub on zink oxide ointment but that is a big animal,what do you do for such extreme cases?? Cindy

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[Anonymous]

> Thanks Cindy. Some further
> research has spointed me towards
> yoru diagnosis. In our case it
> could be a secondary form of
> photosensitization which has
> resulted from liver damage over a
> period of time. Teh cuasse is
> probably a weed we have here which
> this particular heifer took a
> liking to without knowing the
> consequences. e call this weed
> Pattersons Curse and it is also
> known as Salvation Jane (Echium
> spp). Thanks again, all teh others
> seem fine at the moment so here's
> hoping it was an isolated
> incident. Cheers!

> sounds alot like extreme case of Sorry realized that you already put her down. Wsas thinking out loud. Cindy

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[Anonymous]

It was a shame, she was such a beautiful heifer too. In any case, we don't have barn's over here - I'f I had got to her eearlier I would have put her in teh chook shed! A district vet just told me earlier this mornign that the best thing to do is tofirst give them an injection of cortico steroids (strong anti-inflammatory) adn then to back this up wtih a LA dose of oxytetracycline to help fight off secondary infection which may result from teh skin lesions. Oxytetracycline is preferable to LA penicillin becuase of it's broader specturm control. Interesting nonetheless - I'll know what to do next time. I'm just glad that amongs our herd we only have a few herefords as most of them are angus or Wagyu. Cheers Again. Richard

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