Teat Ulcers

[LisaW]

We ran our cows through the chute today to check their eyes - herefords with weepy eyes *sigh* and to vaccinate them - and discovered that one of our cows has her two front teats engorged with a large ulcer on the outside of each teat, about the size of a nickel. I slathered them in bag balm. One is scabbed over and looks to be healing but her calf cannot suck from it. The other one looks more fresh. Other than the ulcers & scab, there's no redness or swelling, just her being engorged and very tender.

The calf, a month old (kids named him named George W. Bush, btw ) is doing well. He's spunky, energetic, curious, and growing. I don't think that he's having any trouble sucking from the back teats.

I have no idea how she got them, and the calves were out of the chute/gate before we discovered her issue, or I would have checked his mouth.

Other than keeping an eye on her, any suggestions? What should I be looking for in her, other than improvement.

 

[Beefy]

sometimes a really aggressive sucking calf will rub the cows teat raw. another possibility if she has pink skin is that her teats have gotten sunburned. one more possibility if she has larger than normal teats is she may have stepped on them getting up or another cow may have stepped on them while she was lying down. its more than likely one of the first two since typically the third option results in a slice or sliver hanging off the tip of the teat. gross i know.

 

[Beefy]

you need to watch her for mastitis.

 

[milkmaid]

Assuming these are just raw places from being nursed or sunburnt, as beefy suggested: Bag balm. Every day - twice a day is better. Sunburnt usually heals in a week or so, if it's raw from the calf sucking it probably needs attention or you'll have a problem.

My nurse cow had a sore on one of her back quarters this past winter, and I didn't notice it until it looked really serious. It had gone from just a sore to a deep cut where the teat attached to the udder. It took bag balm twice a day for several weeks before it healed to the point that I wasn't concerned about it anymore, and still several more weeks before it was completely healed.

As suggested, watch her for mastitis. I'd probably check her now, then if you have a problem treat it early. If those quarters aren't being nursed you're going to have trouble. Might consider penning cow and calf up, separating them for twelve hours and covering the cow's teats in bag balm, then turn the calf loose. Normally they'll be hungry enough they'll completely milk out all four quarters.

Now, I do recall reading something about actual teat ulcers recently. That would be different than just sunburnt or rubbed raw, and obviously treated differently, though I can't remember HOW at the moment.

 

[Linda]

Another possibility is Vesicular Stomatitis. Hopefully, that's not the problem. It's a viral disease that can affect many mammals.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_ahvs.html

 

[LisaW]

Calf was sucking off the more healed teat this afternoon. Hasn't totally emptied that quarter, but it is significantly less swollen. The sore on the other teat is scabbing over as well, only it looks severely engorged.

Calf is trying to suck from all 4. Cow lets him suck some from the more healed side, but it's tender and she kicks him off. She lets him try from the other side also, but he doesn't get very far before she kicks him off. He's hungry.

Sunburn - could be. Her skin is very pink and she's got the largest udder of all the ones we have, so maybe she's more unprotected in our sunny stretch up here? The calf doesn't seem to have any issues in his mouth as he's discovered the salt/mineral block and seems to really enjoy it. LOL As to her possibly kicking her teat - maybe, but that seems unlikely. She certainly couldn't step on it. The dairy animals across the way could - but not ours. :lol:

I think I'll stick with the sunburn idea.

Thanks everyone.

 

[jt]

another possibility is that she could have gotten caught up on something (briars or vines or something like that) and scratched em up.. had a cow once that almost cut one of hers off about 1-1/2 inches from the bottom... it was bad enough that she leaked milk for 2-3 weeks before it healed over..

jt

 

[LisaW]

This evening she looks rather pathetic. She's got her ears drooped and just laying in the shade with her calf. Everyone else got up and moved to another spot, she didn't follow. Her being alone isn't too uncommon, though. She just looks miserable. Could be the heat. Could be the bull (he's rather excited as he was just delivered a few weeks ago and seems to love to chase all the girls around - the girls are stressed from him being so 'excited'. I think they'll settle in...).

Seems odd, the ulcers do. They're perfectly round and in the same spot on each side - the outside of each front teat, about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. Could be from the calf sucking?? I may never know. Nobody else has anything like that anywhere on them.

 

[milkmaid]

Have you checked her for mastitis? any sort of infection can result in a severely depressed cow, be it mastitis, uterine infection, lameness, etc.

They could easily be from the calf sucking; or if she had a little scrape it doesn't take long to become a nasty sore/cut with the constant nursing...or it could be from being sunburnt. Seen that too, esp on the dairy cows with big udders and/or teats. Takes a week or so to heal and it's not that serious, but they can be pretty touchy about that quarter! either way it's irrelevant - if she won't let him touch those quarters they're going to have a nasty case of mastitis. Make sure you check her asap.

 

[Beefy]

probably from the calf sucking. sounds like hes a little careless with his teeth.

 

[sidney411]

Could she be rubbing those front teats on her legs or something while she's walking? Seems a little strange that if it's from the calf that the back quarters wouldn't be affected also?

 

[tapeworm]

Some of you people just alwasy have to look for trouble dont you?? A lot of the problems on this veternary board are just from looking at your cattle to close...why dont more of you just leave em alone and let cows be cows??

 

[bwranch]

Because it has been my experience that the dead ones don't bring as much at the sale barn as the live ones.

Lee

 

[LisaW]

:lol:

Some of you people just alwasy have to look for trouble dont you?? A lot of the problems on this veternary board are just from looking at your cattle to close...why dont more of you just leave em alone and let cows be cows??

:lol: Now, if this were posted by someone with a more serious handle, I'd think twice. LOL But tapeworm - ? :lol:



What am I doing about this now? Well, when I told my husband what y'all had suggested he laughed along with me. There is no way on this green earth that I could get bag balm on her again as they're not in the same pasture as the chute anymore and she wouldn't let me that close to her again if she was in the chute. And even if she was - to milk her?!?! :shock:

Our cows aren't pets. There is one that my daughter can get remotely close to, but she's the only one (cow or person - take your pick - works out the same either way). The one slathering of bag balm is all she'll get and unless she's unconcious or in some sort of restraint (that we don't have access to), all I can do is to watch her. Since the more healed teat is being sucked, I'm not too concerned that the other one will too be sucked again. Granted, I could re-pasture everyone else just for her and get her in the chute again to give her a shot, but access to her teat is a one-shot deal and I had my shot. I took it.

This is the only cow we've ever had trouble with. From recurrent pink eye to bag/teat issues. She swells so huge weeks before she calves that when she lays down she sprays milk - for weeks before. She gets so engorged all the time, that I don't worry about her as much as I used to. It always works out. She's also the worst mother we have, and amazingly enough she's actually doing a good job this year - sore teats and all! Even still, she's the next one to go to the sale barn or wherever - anywhere else but here.

Just this time it's so odd...

Thanks for the ideas as to what could cause it. Strange things, huh? :lol:

:lol: tapeworm :lol:

 

[MikeC]

Some of you people just alwasy have to look for trouble dont you?? A lot of the problems on this veternary board are just from looking at your cattle to close...why dont more of you just leave em alone and let cows be cows??

Gonna have to argue with you a little tape. I don't think we can watch 'em too close unless we're ignoring our other chores.
What really ticks me off are people who only check on their cows once a week or so.

Looking for trouble? Get a clue!

 

[LisaW]

;-) I think someone's trying to place a bee in my bonnet - and yours as well.

Let it go. If someone wants to be ignorant, let them.

Me - I'd rather check on my cows regularly and make notes as to what's going on and when, sometimes why. They may not be pets, but they do depend on me for an awful lot. If I don't come through with my end of the deal, they suffer and when they suffer, my business suffers too. Besides - there's something about being responsible...

 

[tapeworm]

Because it has been my experience that the dead ones don't bring as much at the sale barn as the live ones.

Lee

If you lose cows from nickle size spots on there tits youve got bigger problems

 

[tapeworm]

Some of you people just alwasy have to look for trouble dont you?? A lot of the problems on this veternary board are just from looking at your cattle to close...why dont more of you just leave em alone and let cows be cows??

Gonna have to argue with you a little tape. I don't think we can watch 'em too close unless we're ignoring our other chores.
What really ticks me off are people who only check on their cows once a week or so.

Looking for trouble? Get a clue!

You can argue all you want to. I never said not to check your cows...I check cows at least 360 days a year...and probaly a lot more cows that you do. All Im trying to tell you computer cowgirls is that some of you worry to much about the little things...things that will run there course if you just leave em alone...or if you had never noticed. But I dont care what you do...if you want to work for the vet or the drug company instead of working for money to keep yourself thats okay by me

 

[Dusty Britches]

tape - that was rude.

Lisa was asking a question here because it is a discussion forum - that's what we do - discuss. She didn't say anything to indicate she was frought with concern.

I'm glad she brought it up. I pulled some calves off their mommas this week and one cow had sores all over all teats. Worried? Nah. Calf is pulled, cow is good and healthy. I blew it off, but wondered what could have caused it. Definately not sunburn. No mastitius, no infection. After reading the responses here, I figured it was just an aggressive calf.