Why is it Pinkeye?

[inyati13]

Why is it called pinkeye? It should be called whiteeye. I had my first case in late summer. I had the vet run an aerobic culture. It came back Moxaxella bovoculi and M. bovis. Since that time, I have been doing almost a daily eye check. I have caught three other cases and was able to block it from doing any eye damage with injections of LA 300. I had thought with the relatively cool weather recently that the pinkeye season was over. Yesterday, I noticed that Melaina, a 14 month old retained heifer was blinking her eye. I got a good look at it and there was no indication of infection. In fact, the eye was not even watering. Today, I noticed the eye was weeping. I put her in the chute (WOW, she is so easy to work). I looked and saw nothing. I was about to release her when she turned her eye to the left and on the perimeter of the eye was a little white cloud with a pin point white spot in the center. Here are the pictures:

 

[M5farm]

because of the symptoms of conjunctivitis in Humans not cattle.

 

[inyati13]

M5, I knew it was red in humans. It went through our high school back in 1966. The guy I sat beside in Agriculture class came in with it. I got it soon afterwards. But in cattle it seems to be white.

 

[Bigfoot]

My place is hot with it again. Started early last week. I was out of town on business to, made it worse. I use Draxxin. I think you'll like it better than LA 200 or 300. These were so far gone, I think they'll show signs for a lifetime. Wish I'd been home to treat them. All heifers I was keeping for cows to.

 

[AllForage]

I went over 10 years without ever seeing it. Then it showed up with a vengeance. Got every calf only days old and several adults. Have not seen any since. Draxxin was a life saver. Had one heifer in the chute and a vet shot her in the eyelid. Had to crank her up with a nose clamp. That just about ruined her attitude for life, never again.

 

[inyati13]

I know Draxxin is a very effective antibiotic. The pinkeye and footrot cases I have treated with LA 300 have responded rapidly to treatment. All cases responded without any permanent spots of damage to the eye.

BTW: That heifer is really nice. I guess her at a 1000 pounds at a bare minimum. When you see how she fills out the chute, you realize this is going to be a big cow. Not tall but heavy. Reminds me of some like Kris has.

 

[AllForage]

I know Draxxin is a very effective antibiotic. The pinkeye and footrot cases I have treated with LA 300 have responded rapidly to treatment. All cases responded without any permanent spots of damage to the eye.

BTW: That heifer is really nice. I guess her at a 1000 pounds at a bare minimum. When you see how she fills out the chute, you realize this is going to be a big cow. Not tall but heavy. Reminds me of some like Kris has.

Yes LA300 works and is cheaper. The difference is it is effective in the animal for 4 days versus 7 days for Draxxin. So if you are having to re-treat Draxxin might be a better solution. Also the amount injected is less with Draxxin (I think 1.1 per 100). Does not seem to be as painful to the animal as LA200 or 300 which you have to split the injection sites usually as well.

 

[Nesikep]

When we first got our cattle, a bunch of the freshly weaned calves had it (none of the bred heifers).. it spread a bit, we had "Pinkaway powder" that you'd dust into the eye.. there were a few that had permanent damage, but for the most part they healed fine.
22 years since and we haven't had a trace of it... I'm going to guess that the neighboring cattle are both far away and well enough cared for that it's caught early and treated effectively. Also most people around here all have closed herds.

 

[jerry27150]

let it go long enough & their eyes will get bright red

 

[Aaron]

Google 'severe pinkeye cattle' and you'll find pics of just how bad it can get.

 

[inyati13]

Guys, called Dr. Darin Stanfield's office. As always, I never get Darin but his office associates are about all I ever need. As Bigfoot mentioned, we are having another round of what they call "winter pinkeye". Said if it is mild and you don't want to use the Draxxin ($254 for 50 mL) use the mastitis TODAY/TOMORROW paste in the eye. They do recommend Draxxin for advanced cases.

I guess I was wrong about it being whiteeye. The girl said it will become red in advanced cases. That is going to be a surprise to Kris (FSSR) because she told me this week that the advanced cases are the white phase. In fact, she saw my photo above and was not sure it was pinkeye. She also thought it starts in the center of the eye. The girl said not, it can start anywhere. The girl said if I am catching it that early to use the mastitis treatment. BTW: she said people make a mistake by thinking you should vaccinate in the spring. She said now is a good time to vaccinate because they can get pinkeye in the winter when they scratch their eye reaching into get hay from a ring.

As always, Details, Details, Details. :cry2:

 

[Texas PaPaw]

If you use the rx dose (4.5cc/100) of Noromycin, it should maintain adequate blood levels for 7-8 days. Been using it for pinkeye and footrot for years with excellent results. The big dose of noromycin costs about 54 cents per 100lb, whereas draxxin is about $4.50 per 100. FWIW- Zactran is a cousin to draxxin and only cost 80% of draxxin. IMO-Zactran is just as effective for brd as draxxin at a little less cost.
If there is much damage to the eye, it takes a lot more time for the damage to heal and symptoms to disappear than to kill the infection. Have treated a lot of pinkeye with noromycin and have never had to retreat one.

Just another 2 cents worth.

 

[AllForage]

Vaccinating seems like chasin your tail since there are so many strains and you never which one is going to show up.

My vets are not optimistic on vaccinating for pink eye.

As far as mastitis paste, I think you need to figure what's easiest for you and the animal. Seems like too much hassle to me.

 

[suzorse]

you can also squirt some ocytec in the eye ,no needle , since your cows are easy to handle ,and you are catching it early Suzanne

 

[inyati13]

Vaccinating seems like chasin your tail since there are so many strains and you never which one is going to show up.

My vets are not optimistic on vaccinating for pink eye.

As far as mastitis paste, I think you need to figure what's easiest for you and the animal. Seems like too much hassle to me.

She mentioned that Ryan. But the vaccine I am using is one Darin had prepared specifically for this area. He has been collecting swabs for several years and they make him a new batch every spring. But it is expensive. $100 for a 50 dose bottle. I have been using it. I did make this observation: One of the girls that got pinkeye had been vaccinated so your point is on target. :nod:

 

[Lucky_P]

Ron,
I always use a systemic antibiotic; oxytetracycline has worked well on most cases in my hands - and I'm enough of a dinosaur that I've never used Draxxin at all (new-fangled drug - how long has it been around - 10 years? lol) - but...we have been seeing some oxytet-resistant isolates from pinkeye cases that didn't respond to treatment - mostly M. ovis or M.bovoculi.
With a properly dosed/administered systemic, like LA-200/300, you get the same drug concentration in the tear film that you do in blood/tissue fluids, so the eye is constantly bathed with a 'treatment level' of antibiotic. I presume that Draxxin does the same - and will likely handle any OTC-resistant strains.
While many folks have had success squirting mastitis treatment tubes into the eye, anything you squirt or apply into the conjunctival sac will have only limited 'contact time' - normal tear action will flush any medication out within 10-15 minutes - possibly a lot faster in those irritated eyes that are tearing excessively.
Used to do the old subconjunctival injections, but I'm not convinced that once the needle-prick hole seals (in a matter of minutes) and the antibiotic solution stops leaking out...that they do anything helpful.
Applying a patch or sewing the lids shut(with absorbable suture material) is always helpful - if only to prevent you from seeing it! lol

 

[inyati13]

Ron,
I always use a systemic antibiotic; oxytetracycline has worked well on most cases in my hands - and I'm enough of a dinosaur that I've never used Draxxin at all (new-fangled drug - how long has it been around - 10 years? lol) - but...we have been seeing some oxytet-resistant isolates from pinkeye cases that didn't respond to treatment - mostly M. ovis or M.bovoculi.
With a properly dosed/administered systemic, like LA-200/300, you get the same drug concentration in the tear film that you do in blood/tissue fluids, so the eye is constantly bathed with a 'treatment level' of antibiotic. I presume that Draxxin does the same - and will likely handle any OTC-resistant strains.
While many folks have had success squirting mastitis treatment tubes into the eye, anything you squirt or apply into the conjunctival sac will have only limited 'contact time' - normal tear action will flush any medication out within 10-15 minutes - possibly a lot faster in those irritated eyes that are tearing excessively.
Used to do the old subconjunctival injections, but I'm not convinced that once the needle-prick hole seals (in a matter of minutes) and the antibiotic solution stops leaking out...that they do anything helpful.
Applying a patch or sewing the lids shut(with absorbable suture material) is always helpful - if only to prevent you from seeing it! lol

Lucky, the cases I am getting are not that acute so I don't use the eye covers.

I am told of three benefits of Draxxin:
1. Requires less so no multiple injection sites.
2. Stays in their system longer so no retreatment.
3. Does not cause as much tissue discomfort.

Vet Assistant said it is more effective but that has not been a problem in my use of LA 300 for footrot or pinkeye.

 

[Lucky_P]

Ron,
I'll agree on all 3 counts.
I have no idea what the cost differential is.

 

[Blaithin]

Well since Draxxin is super expensive the cost differential is definitely there. Personally I've used it for things like Footrot and Pinkeye when it was the easiest drug to administer. By dart in field for example. Never going to be able to dart LA but Draxxin works wonderfully.

If the animal can be put in a chute though we use LA 200. It takes more injections and can have localized discomfort (Then again so do darts!) but for most cases it works fine. Draxxin stays in the system in treatable levels for up to 7 days - as mentioned - and in therapeutic levels for up to 14 days. Personally I'd rather wait the 4 days of LA and see if it needs a retreat then than the 7 days of Draxxin. Even a lessening in the watering of the eye is a sign of healing so that's all I need to see but waiting 7 days can give it that much extra time to get worse or spread. You could of course retreat sooner than 7 days but if that's the case you just doubled up your Draxxin dose or used a drug you could've used to begin with.

Either way both work and it comes down to preference and accessibility.

The small dot, usually in the centre, is the very, very beginning besides the watering. At later stages the eye is completely white with an angry looking red rim and looks like it's going to reach out and poke you. Quite disgusting. Even if you treat and the little white spot doesn't go away animals have the ability to see perfectly fine. Maybe minus one little shadowed/blurry spot in the middle of their site. The full out white, protruding cyclops of an eye is beyond help though. They rarely even react to shadows and there's no potential of a decent site coming from those eyes that I know of.

 

[AllForage]

I understand the concern on drug cost, but I kinda chuckle sometimes over this. A lot of folks here are feeding hay in new JD's that cost over 40K new when an old 4020 would do the job just as well.

I like my cows and enjoy them very much, but running them through the chute or sqeezin them between gates multiple times just ain't my idea of fun. My thoughts have always with my cows/sheep are the less I touch them or fuss with them the more money I am makin.