Swollen jaw

[cfpinz]

I've got a young bwf cow with severely swollen jaw, seems most severe around the pivot point of the jawbones. Swelling is evident from base of ear to bottom of jawline and from the rear of jaw bone to halfway up lower jaw. More localized on bottom jaw. Been swollen about a week, figured she jabbed something in it and would go down, no luck. Got her up tonight and shoved a needle in it, nothing. Not hard as bone, but firm, uniform feel. No lesions or drainage. She still chews but seems tender, has lost some condition. Gave her some penicillin and banamine. Doesn't really apppear to be lumpy jaw or wooden tongue by the pictures I've seen. Anyone seen anything like this?

cfpinz

 

[Workinonit Farm]

seems most severe around the pivot point of the jawbones. Swelling is evident from base of ear to bottom of jawline and from the rear of jaw bone to halfway up lower jaw. More localized on bottom jaw. Been swollen about a week,pictures I've seen. Anyone seen anything like this?

cfpinz

Not in a cow but with a horse. In the case with the horse it had gotten a 'splinter' of sorts stuck inside its mouth into the gums between the teeth. Half the horse's face swelled up to the hinge area of the jaw.

Perhaps thats the case with your cow?

Katherine

 

[cfpinz]

Katherine - Very well could be. Wife checked inside mouth while I attempted to hold it open, said she couldn't see anything abnormal. We were kicking that around as well as an abcessed tooth.

cfpinz

 

[Beefy]

CF, its probably one of those more common ailments you are kicking around but years ago we had a cow do like that and we had the vet out pregchecking or something so we had him look at her. her swelling (growth) was hard and larger than a softball. he determined it was cancer. she eventually either died or was put down.

 

[cfpinz]

Beefy, we've had a couple with cancer over the years and every time it's been close to the mouth/throat area you could smell the cow a mile away. I actually got down on my knees and smelled this cow's breath while she was in the chute. Her breath smelled better than my wife's. :lol:

cfpinz

 

[warpaint]

You might want to have her checked for lumpy jaw.
Rustler had a cow a couple years back, that displayed the symptoms you describe and thats what the vet diagnosed.

They were able to save her and she's healthy as a horse today.

 

[Bullbuyer]

Beefy, we've had a couple with cancer over the years and every time it's been close to the mouth/throat area you could smell the cow a mile away. I actually got down on my knees and smelled this cow's breath while she was in the chute. Her breath smelled better than my wife's. :lol:

cfpinz

If your wife happens to be from up here in WV - then you know it takes a lot to have worse breath than a WV woman - 'specially early in the morning.

 

[Cowdirt]

I've got a young bwf cow with severely swollen jaw, seems most severe around the pivot point of the jawbones. Swelling is evident from base of ear to bottom of jawline and from the rear of jaw bone to halfway up lower jaw. More localized on bottom jaw. Been swollen about a week, figured she jabbed something in it and would go down, no luck. Got her up tonight and shoved a needle in it, nothing. Not hard as bone, but firm, uniform feel. No lesions or drainage. She still chews but seems tender, has lost some condition. Gave her some penicillin and banamine. Doesn't really apppear to be lumpy jaw or wooden tongue by the pictures I've seen. Anyone seen anything like this?

cfpinz

Cfpinz, sounds like the swelling on your cow is further back than on a cow I had with a big lump on her top jaw a few yrs back. In that case the bone, which when cross-sectioned is sort of honeycomb structure, had become infected. There was one small opening which drained a little. The vet gave her a shot and was not overly optimistic about killing the infection. He said it's a tough one to deal with. However, the shot worked. I still have her today and have had no problem since.

 

[cfpinz]

Thanks to everybody for the responses.

BB - Wife's not from WV, but pretty darn close. Her family's about one county over from the line.

Cowdirt - Where was the opening your cow was draining from? You wouldn't happen to remember what the shot was that he gave her would you? Did he give the shot in the affected area or a normal position?

If she doesn't show any signs of improvement over the weekend I'll have the vet check her out first of the week. I hate to dilly around with her for too long, she's one of my better cows.

cfpinz

 

[Moocow11]

might actually be an absesse if it is that read my post on the "sick cow" post

 

[Cowdirt]

Thanks to everybody for the responses.

BB - Wife's not from WV, but pretty darn close. Her family's about one county over from the line.

Cowdirt - Where was the opening your cow was draining from? You wouldn't happen to remember what the shot was that he gave her would you? Did he give the shot in the affected area or a normal position?

If she doesn't show any signs of improvement over the weekend I'll have the vet check her out first of the week. I hate to dilly around with her for too long, she's one of my better cows.

cfpinz

cfpinz, - The lump was about midway on the length of the upper jaw. Slightly up on the nose area. There must have been an abcess. The small opening/drainage was centered in the lump. The shot was administered in the normal site not to the jaw. I don't remember what shot was given. Look at the "sick cow" post some good info there.

 

[cfpinz]

Thanks all. Ran her thru and gave another round of penicillin today. May just be wishful thinking but the swelling looked a little smaller, noticed she drools a lot more than normal. If she's no better by Monday I'll get the vet to check her.

cfpinz