Pinkeye

[Silver]

We found a bull the other day blind with pinkeye. He can't be moved (he just turns circles). We haven't had a case of pinkeye for 30 years around here, so I'm wondering what you folks that deal with it more often are using, or if there even is anything effective to deal with it. Looks to me like this guy is past help, but thought I'd ask.

 

[TXTibbs]

WD-40......works good on pink-eye

 

[ropesanddogs]

We put about a drop or so of penicillin in the eyelid tissue,and then put a patch whitch is usually an old jean pocket over the eye with tag glue,and when it falls off theyre usually fine.There was also some purple stuff i remember helping with as a youngster,and i also remember it staying on my hand for a few days,ill ask dad what it was...

 

[Kato]

Give him a great big shot of Liquamycin LA. The penicillin in the eyelid works too, but you need a good headgate. Inject it up under the top lid, and it seeps out the hole over the next few days. Patches are a good idea too.

There's a vaccine for it, and believe it or not, giving it to an animal who already has pinkeye will help clean it up.

 

[DJL]

We find that Speed Sew works well for eye patches, and isn't such a sticky mess to clean up off the fingers. You need to apply the Speed Sew to the patch and let it tack up a bit before sticking over the eye, but it holds well for us. I also glue a dart into the patch so it has clearance over the eye. We use Liquimycin LA as well.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

We put about a drop or so of penicillin in the eyelid tissue,and then put a patch whitch is usually an old jean pocket over the eye with tag glue,and when it falls off theyre usually fine.There was also some purple stuff i remember helping with as a youngster,and i also remember it staying on my hand for a few days,ill ask dad what it was...

ropesanddogs - I imagine that the "purple stuff" you refer to is Potassium Permanganate. It is a dark-purple, crystalline compound, KMnO4, used as an oxidizing agent, disinfectant, and antiseptic. I would give a call to your Vet and check with him. He may have something that is more effective and quicker.

 

[John SD]

My experience with pinkeye is that if you treat it, it will get better in 7 days. Left untreated, it will be better in a week!

That said, all of the previous suggestions are good. I would also add if you do get him in to treat him give the bull some kind of pour-on fly treatment. Not only improves the bulls quality of life but IMO I think flies are one of the biggest factors spreading pinkeye.

 

[Faster horses]

This probably doesn't apply in this instance since we are only talking one animal~but if you have a major outbreak of pinkeye, it could be IBR.

 

[Mudhen]

We just let them be, if it's not better in a week then we give them some LA200. We have found that more herfords get pickeye; is this just us or not?

 

[DOC HARRIS]

We just let them be, if it's not better in a week then we give them some LA200. We have found that more herfords get pickeye; is this just us or not?

No, it is not just you. Animals with white faces are more susceptible to Pinkeye than one's with darker pigmentation, particularly around the eyes. Likewise, cows with white udders are sensitive to sun-burn and snow-burn - as opposed to " Black hided " cattle. Granted, it is of minor importance, until something like Pinkeye hits your herd, then it becomes just something else to contend with in your daily routines. This is one reason why bos indicus breeds are important in the hot, humid southern states when considering cross-breeding for their resistance to heat and insects. God made NO mistakes!

 

[Silver]

We just let them be, if it's not better in a week then we give them some LA200. We have found that more herfords get pickeye; is this just us or not?

I often wonder just how true that really is. I can't speak from direct experience because I've never had herefords, but I wonder if it isn't just spotted easier on the white faces. A ranch I worked on had about 2000 head of blacks and one year we had lots of it. But you didn't allways see it right away unless you were looking for it or it was advanced. Just my thoughts.

And thanks everyone for your input. By the way, I didn't mention that this bulls eyeballs are sort of ruptured on the pupil. Does this mean he's blind forever regardless of treatment?

 

[Kato]

Maybe not totally blind, but he probably won't see 20/20 either. If they have gone to the point of rupture, then definately get some Liquamycin into him. He will probably have cloudy vision, but we've seen them like that and they've gotten by very well. One of our bulls has a bit of a cloudy spot on one eye from pinkeye before we bought him, and it sure hasn't slowed him down. He does get vaccinated though, just for insurance.

For $2.00 each pinkeye vaccine, and $4.00 for footrot vaccine, as far as bulls are concerned, it's cheap insurance. We vaccinate all our bulls. They're such a pain to treat in a pasture. :?

Let us know how he does. 8)

 

[Silver]

Thanks Kato, I'll keep you posted.
PS; we do vaccinate our bulls for footrot, but I haven't seen pinkeye on this place since I was a kid, so never think of it. I'm wondering if maybe it was aquired while we rented our yearlings out for the winter to the team penning club, as I see now that there is 2 other yrlings with minor cases of it now.

 

[Kato]

You may have something there. A couple of years ago a fellow I know leased cattle out for team penning, and treated cattle with runny eyes all summer. I think the dust they kick up doesn't help. :?

 

[Denny]

We just let them be, if it's not better in a week then we give them some LA200. We have found that more herfords get pickeye; is this just us or not?

I often wonder just how true that really is. I can't speak from direct experience because I've never had herefords, but I wonder if it isn't just spotted easier on the white faces. A ranch I worked on had about 2000 head of blacks and one year we had lots of it. But you didn't allways see it right away unless you were looking for it or it was advanced. Just my thoughts.

And thanks everyone for your input. By the way, I didn't mention that this bulls eyeballs are sort of ruptured on the pupil. Does this mean he's blind forever regardless of treatment?

I had a heifer calf like that a few years ago she has her 2nd calf now she can see but her eyes are a bit cloudy.

 

[kevin]

seed heads on grass,flies,all kinds of stuff. if it has gone that far as to almost rupture. just take a syringe and give him a squirt right in the eye of some LA. or throw a handful of table salt in it. or fasten him up in a drak stable.Also you can give a shot to prevent,25% effective,put in an ear tag with insecticide,25% effective,put up a back rub10% effective,a back pour of ivomec on a regular basis,20%effective and clip the seed heads off with a bushhog 20% effective. so i guess what i am saying is nothing will cure prevent completly but a bunch of small things can help. and also a good free choice mineral will help too.
%

 

[Silver]

Thought I'd update the bull. I have to admit we did a very uncowboy-like thing.
Because the bull was so far away and totally blind (making him unmoveable) we went to plan b. This involved quads and a pole syringe. Filled the syringe with 20 cc's of liquimiacin LA, drove up behind him, stabbed him with it. The syringe comes out stuck to the bull and emptying it's payload, then is pulled out by the string between it and the pole.
Anyway, the long and the short of it is now he seems to see pretty good, the ruptures are gone, so when I get a chance I'll saddle up and go get the bugger.

 

[Faster horses]

Thanks for the update, Silver. I love a good ending!!

 

[Kato]

Excellent. :clap:

 

[Northern Rancher]

When my wife was pregnant one smmer I got her one to treat-with-I'd rope them and she'd wouldn't have to get so close to inject them. I've seen alot of LA squirted on the ground with them things.I actually gave mine to a neighbor so I wouldn't be quite so tempted to use it .