Sick cow? Can't identify problem

[yellowdog5]

I just received a call from a friend who's mature cow that isn't due to calve until January has the following symptoms: She is standing by herself, not fighting flies, he says the flies have really eaten her up, she has a fever, and acts like she may be blind. He says her condition is great, she's not thin or gaunted up, he would take her in the show ring tomorrow. This is a guy who knows his cattle. We are stumped. I told him to call my vet, the fever indicates illness, but does anyone have any ideas? We live in Western Oregon

 

[TMJ Show Cattle]

Sounds like Thiamine deficiency...this needs treatment IMMEDIATLY !!  I am not a vet so I reccomend getting him there within the hour.  The blindness comes from brain swelling if this is what she has.  Good luck and treat this with urgency!

Carrie

 

[yellowdog5]

Thanks Carrie he has the vet there now and I relayed your info.

 

[Cattledog]

Interesting.  Please let us know what you found out.

 

[Cowboy]

Good call Carrie -- that was my exact thought as well -- outhere -- we will see this some times. If your cow acts like she is having trouble seeing, and walks in circles, that is a dead give away!

Best of luck on your treatment -- usually pretty easy fix, Tetracyclene has been the standard treatment in our western area.

Terry

 

[yellowdog5]

Is it (thiamine deficiency) accompanied by fever?  Does tetracycline restore thiamine levels?

 

[yellowdog5]

My friend just called , and even the vet , who in my opinion is very good, didn't have a definite answer, but they treated her for everything they could think of including thiamine deficiency and the prognosis is good.  They gave her electrolytes, magnesium, biomycin 200 and banamine.  The vet said she is not blind, and her temp was 103.  Some of his suggestions were fatty liver and a lymph problem.  Thanks, everyone.

 

[wrc]

Better have them check for annaplasmosis.

 

[M Bar]

Check for anaplasmosis.  Here is a link  (my favorite website to look at)


http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/10401.htm&word=anaplasmosis

 

[Cowboy]

Biomycin 200 is Tetracyclene.

This treatment will actually treat the liver -- and if any abcese is there, will allow thge liver to regain normal function fromwhat I have seen in the past cases.

The normal Magnesium and Cal-dex will also help with her overall well being, along thelines of grass tetany in early spring. If this is actually a Thiamine problem, you will see rapid improvement over the next few days.

The above poster also mentioned Anoplasmosis -- something I had thought of either. Good point, very possible. One thing I had noticed is that most of the cows affected with Thiamine did not have a high fever -- only a degree or two at most. 103 is not a really high level compared to the norm of 101.2

Sounds like she is on her way to normalcy. Good job.

Terry

 

[Ohioteerchick]

will Thiamine deficiency kill them ?