Woody tongue

[wbvs58]

Ozhorse, have you had a good feel of the tongue and had a good look inside the mouth? The tongue will feel very firm and wooden. They will respond well to the oxytet, the iodides are supposed to loosen the fibrous tissue allowing better penetration of the oxytet from memory. Potassium iodide can be given orally.
Ken

 

[Ozhorse]

She seems improved by the antibiotic. Today I had a chance to have a good look in her mouth. She had stinky grass wadded in her whole mouth and cheeks. That alone was stopping her swallowing. She was very co-operative with me getting it out and seemed much relieved. Much of what appeared to be swelling was the grass so I am thinking she may have a chance. She sucked on the end of a hose and I think she managed to swallow water. The tongue was more mobile than I was expecting at the front but I think it is still hard further back. She is still drooling but does not have her tongue stuck out.

I took hay away as I think she will only get that stuck again and gave her a little horse sweet feed. I will find out tomorrow if she managed to eat.

 

[Ozhorse]

Not so good today. She was trying to eat some hay when I gave her the second round of long acting Oxytetracyline. She has not tried to eat since. I don't know if she is drinking. Tomorrow, if she is still going. I will try to get her to drink some electrolyte.

I think it might not be woody tongue. The cheek swellings seem to be from the grass stuck in them. One of her jaws is a little swollen. Perhaps she has something stuck in her throat back behind the jaw bones. Perhaps woody tongue a long way back?
Perhaps she is just so severely dehydrated that her gut has shut down along with other body systems whatever the initial problem was.

I haven't had time to put into her because of other crisis more important. I had 1000 late pregnant ewes 24 hours off shears out when we got an unexpected 6 inch snow fall with 50 km/h winds. Also got 110 cows including 30 first calvers in the snow storm, of course half a dozen of the maidens gave birth in the storm. I don't think I lost any sheep and only one calf I know of. Very stressful day mustering and shedding the ewes up again so they didn't spend a second night out in bad weather.

 

[rockridgecattle]

Iodine IV is a good treatment and usually takes 2 times to make it go away, along with oxy. If you can get your animal to the vet it would be a good idea.

Sorry to hear about the snowfall and winds. I know how hard it is when dealing with calving and lambing...take care

Lumpy Jaw and woody tongue and footrot are directly releated to iodine deficiency as per our vet and research which i have done.
We seem to get a good go around when we get sloppy in putting out minerals and adding in extra iodine.

 

[Ozhorse]

I let the heifer out of the yards today because she wanted grass but would not eat alfalfa or sweet feed. She looks terrible. I think she is drinking so she has a chance. A vet visit is worth about the same as the value of the animal if she were healthy (Australia) so that is not an option.

Very interesting that you mention iodine deficiency. We have problems with benign foot rot in sheep, foot abscess in bulls, foot abscess in sheep. There is an odd skin condition in the cattle, between the back legs above the udder. I might post picks of that here sometime.

I had been enquiring about zinc deficiency and those problems. I will add iodine to my list to research.
We know we have a severe Selenium deficiency but they are all needled for that annually.

The previous owner shipped out a few cows with lumpy jaw at the time we purchased this place so that has been here too.

I will get some mineral for her and perhaps a molasses block to make her feel better if nothing else.