Yes, another wart question - but different, please help!

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Davidsonranch

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Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
443
Location
SE Oregon
So my boy's 4-H steer started getting a few warts here and there.  We went with the "normal" proceedure at our house, put him in the squeeze and plucked them out at the roots with a pair of needle nose pliers.  We then put them in his daily grain and let him eat them.  Usually within 30 days the warts are gone.
With this steer after doing this routine, I swear it caused an outbreak.  He got probably 100 more and they are everywhere now, not just his face and neck.  Just not as big.  It's probably just a coincident.  I don't know what to do.  he looks horrible up close.  Any other remidies or advice?  I guess we can do the plucking method one more time?  With as many as there are, it may take a few sessions.  He is UTD on shots, vac's, has suppliments, etc. 
 

Mainevent

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Joined
Mar 27, 2010
Messages
893
Location
Decatur Texas
There is a wart vaccine, depending on where you are I'd ask your vet, they can find it, it kills them and after time the calf will rub them off. It may not seem like it is working but it is. Hope this helps.
 

Davidsonranch

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Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
443
Location
SE Oregon
I thought I read all of the wart vaccines are only good if you give them prior to the calves getting them?  Historically squeezing them and ripping them off, and feeding works.  I believe building an immunity to the warts?  This case was so different than the past.  Instead of them starting to decline, it seems as though it caused way more.  But again, this is / could just be a coincidence.
 

obie105

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Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Messages
780
Pry not what you want to hear but I had a steer once that after several tries to rid his warts we went as far to do surgery to cut them out and they actually came back twice as bad everytime we cut them off. The vet claimed it was just a different strain and after he literally had them 2 to 3 inches high off of his neck we thru in the towel and sold him. I am not saying to give up by any means but they may not clear up also we tried everything that year. We also we told to clean the pen dirt and all. We sprayed down all the walls of the barn and the fences with a bleach mixture. We have never had a problem with them since either. I would talk to the vet in your area and see what he has to say especially if it is a reoccuring problem. After my ordeal I did quite a bit of research and you can spread them from calf to calf without knowing it but using the same eartagger if it punctures the ear or using the same needle or anything that comes in contact with blood so if you use the same pliers all of the time to rip the warts off you could have inadvertantly gave him another strain of the virus. Just a thought.
 

Davidsonranch

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Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
443
Location
SE Oregon
Thanks for the info.  I stopped by the vet tonight and he gave me a new "killed virus" wart vaccine.  He said to give it and 6-8 weeks later give it again.  If it does not work than nothing probably will he said. 
I'm definitely going to clean up everything this year and trying to research what works best for the virus end of things.  Is bleach water enough? Are there other preventative measures I can try to make sure we don't have this problem again?  I'm crossing our fingers because he is one of the best we have raised.  Just nasty warts that don't look too hot. 
Thanks again.
 
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