Need help...Knot on steer's neck

[Simmymom1]

My daughter's steer must have got stuck wrong when he got his vacc's a couple of months ago.  He was done up north before we got him.  When we picked him up I noticed the big knot but I was told just to give it time and it would go away. 

Well I massaged it daily and also put DMSO on it.  The knot is still just as big today as it was a couple of months ago.  Someone told me yesterday that is was just scar tissue now.  My question is if there is anything that we can do for it, or will it eventually go away?  Any advice is greatly appreciated.  Lisa

 

[Bulldaddy]

It takes time--maybe months-- but they usually go away.  On show calves, I  like to give the  shots  in the loose skin behind the shoulder to avoid injection site blemishes on the neck.

 

[Simmymom1]

  (thumbsup)  Well,  she won't show him for our county fair until May, so maybe by then it will be gone.  I guess the only good thing is that it is not on the "show side".  Lisa

 

[CAB]

We had 3 calves this year develop knots if you want to call them that. Actually they became abscesses. I ended up having to get them all 3 in and make an incision @ the bottom side of the "Knot" and if you do it early enough in the deal it is usually fluid, but I would guess that in your case it will be kind of a creamy thick nature and you will need to work it out with your hands. After I get what I can out of the pocket I flush it with a saline solution, that can be as simple as warm salt water mix, then I take long acting pen and flush up in the cavity. In this case a bigger cut @ the bottom is better than too small. You want it to drain for some days B4 it closes. It will take some time to disappear, but it will and you won't be able to tell it in a month or two. Good Luck, if you're squeamish you may have to get a vet to do it.

 

[Simmymom1]

    Yeah Brent, this sounds like a good idea.  But you are right about the squeamish thing..I think maybe I will have my vet do that, I might end up passed out on the ground!!  Thanks, Lisa

 

[Bulldaddy]

There is a big difference between an abcess and an injection site blemish.  I would definitely suggest taking the steer to your vet if you suspect an abcess and aren't comfortable treating it yourself.  You can test for an abcess by inserting a needle in the lump.  If pus trickles out then it is an abcess and should be drained.  If nothing comes out then you whould cause more problems if you tried to lance it.

 

[hunter1]

We had a steer that did the same thing last year just put ice pack on it a couple times a day for about 10 mins each and should go away in 5 days or so.

 

[Show Heifer]

An abcess will be soft. A vaccination knot will be very hard.
DMSO is a cancer causing agent. It is used as an absorbant carrier for other meds, so anything that was on your hands got "pushed" into your system. I tell you that just as an FYI. Please wear gloves (hopefully you did) if you use DMSO again.

In our farm stores, they carry a product called Ichthamol (SP) salve. It is almost like road tar! But, put that on the knot (regardless of abcess or vaccination knot) and in about a week it will be shrunk considerably or close to being gone. It doesn't harm hair and will wash out with shampoo.  I mix it with epsom salt. Works great and doesn't cause cancer! 

Good Luck 

 

[Simmymom1]

An abscess will be soft. A vaccination knot will be very hard.
DMSO is a cancer causing agent. It is used as an absorbant carrier for other meds, so anything that was on your hands got "pushed" into your system. I tell you that just as an FYI. Please wear gloves (hopefully you did) if you use DMSO again.

In our farm stores, they carry a product called Ichthamol (SP) salve. It is almost like road tar! But, put that on the knot (regardless of abscess or vaccination knot) and in about a week it will be shrunk considerably or close to being gone. It doesn't harm hair and will wash out with shampoo.  I mix it with epsom salt. Works great and doesn't cause cancer! 

Good Luck 


  (angel)  Thanks Show Heifer for the help and information.  I did wear gloves, I learned that a long time ago with having horses.  It is definitely a vaccination knot because it is very hard and no softness to it. 

I will see if I can hunt some of this Ichthamol down.  I sure hope this works because it sounds like the results will be great.  I will keep you updated to let you know if it works!  Thanks - Lisa

 

[inthebarnagain]

An abscess will be soft. A vaccination knot will be very hard.
DMSO is a cancer causing agent. It is used as an absorbant carrier for other meds, so anything that was on your hands got "pushed" into your system. I tell you that just as an FYI. Please wear gloves (hopefully you did) if you use DMSO again.

In our farm stores, they carry a product called Ichthamol (SP) salve. It is almost like road tar! But, put that on the knot (regardless of abscess or vaccination knot) and in about a week it will be shrunk considerably or close to being gone. It doesn't harm hair and will wash out with shampoo.  I mix it with epsom salt. Works great and doesn't cause cancer! 

Good Luck 
Years and years ago we had the very same thing with a steer.  If the icthammol won't work enough, which this one didn't then you can have the knot excised.  It is no big deal at all, our vet had it off and sewn back together in 10 minutes and it was the size of a fist.  When it healed you couldn't see it very well at all

  (angel)   Thanks Show Heifer for the help and information.  I did wear gloves, I learned that a long time ago with having horses.  It is definitely a vaccination knot because it is very hard and no softness to it. 

I will see if I can hunt some of this Ichthamol down.  I sure hope this works because it sounds like the results will be great.  I will keep you updated to let you know if it works!  Thanks - Lisa