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Eye Problem?

Ben H

Well-known member
Sorry for the bad picture, I used my phone. I noticed this little girls eye this afternoon when I was implanting CIDRs. It's not pinkeye, she's not tearing. It's the tissue behind/to the side of the eye that's swollen. I'm not sure what to do about it. This same calf did have a bad abscess on the inside of her front let about 4" below her knee that finally drained itself. It was about half the size of a tennis ball. I'm wondering if something from the got systemic and that's what I'm seeing in the eye, maybe it's unrelated. Wasn't sure what to do and had a bottle of Tetradure with me and figured it couldn't hurt. The cows will be going through the chute again on Friday.
eyeproblem.jpg
 

I Luv Herfrds

Well-known member
First off have you called the vet yet?
It could be an abcess or even some sort of growth. I would get the vet out and have them take a look.
 

Clarencen

Well-known member
A vet can give you a better opinion than any of us can. I haven't had anything like that for a number of years but it does look familiar. It could be an abcess caused by something that was in it's eye, but it looks to me like a starting of cancer. When you get passed the withdrawl period of the anti-biotic and see no responce, put wheels under her while it is still localized.
 

Ben H

Well-known member
My vet is going to view the picture tonight or tomorrow (she's on the road) then get back to me. She doubts it's cancer eye due to the age. The calf was born in May.
 

mrj

Well-known member
Isn't it time to stop selling cancer eye cattle? Especially considering it can be surgically removed.

mrj
 

alabama

Well-known member
mrj said:
Isn't it time to stop selling cancer eye cattle? Especially considering it can be surgically removed.

mrj

Cost. what is she worth today? What is she worth after the surgery less the the vet bill?
 

Bullhauler

Well-known member
I seriously doubt that a three month old calf has cancer eye. Selling a single calf that age with a blemish won't pay the fuel to haul it to town either. Best to keep her and hope she gets better or grows up to be a butcher heifer.
 

Ben H

Well-known member
From the conversation with the vet, she said it could be an injury, there coud be a little piece of something in there. The cow herd has been eating some regrowth where some land was "reclaimed" this spring, there are a few brushy areas. I have never had a case of cancer eye in my herd. This heifer is only 50% Hereford and the other half is Red Angus. Aren't Herefords supposed to be more prone to cancer eye? Again, only had the crosses for 2 years, prior to that it was purebred herefords with no cancer eye ever.
 

Kato

Well-known member
We never had cancer eye in a cow either, until this winter. We bought some bred Simmental cows last year, and sure enough, at last fall's preg checking time one had a runny eye. The vet looked and said it was cancer eye, so we took her in and had it operated on. He just removed the tumour, because he said it looked as though it had been worked on once before. We took her home and let her calf. Shortly after calving it started running again, and once she weans her calf she's going to be put down. No one would buy her anyway. Auction marts here won't even let you unload a cow with a bad eye.

Needless to say, we won't be buying any more cattle from that particular breeder. :x This was supposed to be a reputable group who put on the sale, but I guess they weren't that reputable.
 

Ben H

Well-known member
Follow up, the vet looked at the picture and gave me some NPD Opthalmic Ointment. I treated her 2x a day for a few days, showed improvement and kicked her and mom back to the herd. She is now back to normal.
 
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