Bullock with Timber Tongue

Gilroy

Hi all,

I have a very sick bullock with Timber tongue. Vet was called early Sat Morning Injected with Streptomycin to kill bacterial infection. I did him again over last four days with Streptomymin.

Drinking bit of water today but really empty, not eating. Its looks like a might lose him.

Any ideas?? He is swollen under jaw still and more so on left hand side near his eye.

Sam Kade

I had a couple over the years their heads swelled up overnight they couldn't eat and never recovered

Base price

Just asked OH and he said that he remembers using Iodine spray into the mouth and throat along with injections of pen strep.

Farrell

Does the tongue not have to be bathed?

primary 2

had one a few years ago,wasnt able to eat or swallow and i could see silage chewed up and spit up around the neck rail,he could chew but couldnt swallow and had a bad swelling under the throat and could only barely stand he was so week,gave him plenty of injections of penasilin every night and he made a perfect recovery

greysides

Ring vet, maybe let them have another look.

whelan2

is it only bullocks that get timber tongue or can heifers get it too?

farmersfriend

whelan2 wrote: »

is it only bullocks that get timber tongue or can heifers get it too?

Both get it

Dunedin

Gilroy wrote: »

Hi all,

I have a very sick bullock with Timber tongue. Vet was called early Sat Morning Injected with Streptomycin to kill bacterial infection. I did him again over last four days with Streptomymin.

Drinking bit of water today but really empty, not eating. Its looks like a might lose him.

Any ideas?? He is swollen under jaw still and more so on left hand side near his eye.

I normally get 3-4 cases of TT every year. It's a curse in that you have to inject for 4 days usually. Devonmystem (excuse the spelling) is the best I find for it. Pen strep will do also but not as good as devon.

that said, I have never gone close to loosing one nor have I ever had to get a vet for any so I'm not sure as to why your animal is so weak - could he have something else??

whelan2 wrote: »

is it only bullocks that get timber tongue or can heifers get it too?

bullocks, heifers, springer's, cows can all get TT.

greysides

The response to antibiotics is usually good. That's why I suggested a re-visit.

Sam Kade

Are timber tongue and lumpy jaw the same. I think it was lumpy jaw that my bullocks got.

whelan2

Sam Kade wrote: »

Are timber tongue and lumpy jaw the same. I think it was lumpy jaw that my bullocks got.

lumpy jaw is different

F.D

we have a weanling froating from the mouth, but still can eat and drink, its like spots on his tongue and its slightly back in his mouth, we spoke to the vets and they reckoned if his mouth had nothing stuck in it, it could be an infection or the start of timber tongue
and to give pen step for 3 days, its now 4 days and still froathing slightly, but not better yet, think we will have to get the vet out to give something stronger later today

Farmer Pudsey

I had one two years ago vet injecyed him with penstrep (Betamox LA) and I had ti inject him 1-2 times more. He recovered fairy fast. I am inclined if I have an animal inside to use ordinary as opposed to LA injections as I think tou get better results.

However in your case I be contacting vet again and explain your concerns. he may change the anti-biotic to something stronger. The tongue is soft tissue with good blood supply to it. Side of face is different and vet may have different approch

cristeoir

F.D wrote: »

we have a weanling froating from the mouth, but still can eat and drink, its like spots on his tongue and its slightly back in his mouth, we spoke to the vets and they reckoned if his mouth had nothing stuck in it, it could be an infection or the start of timber tongue
and to give pen step for 3 days, its now 4 days and still froathing slightly, but not better yet, think we will have to get the vet out to give something stronger later today

That sounds very like Diptheria to me , its usually calves that get it from drinking dirty stagnant water, I had a couple with it a few years back , reckon they picked it up from old tyres that were lying in the ditch.

F.D

cristeoir wrote: »

That sounds very like Diptheria to me , its usually calves that get it from drinking dirty stagnant water, I had a couple with it a few years back , reckon they picked it up from old tyres that were lying in the ditch.

thanks for the info, i would say your right, what did you treat it with and how long did it take them to come right
Now i am trying to rattle the brain to see where he could have picked it up from unless it was a feed trough that had some water in it

cristeoir

I am racking my brains but I cant remember what the injection was but I do remember having to rub iodine in to the sores for several days but it was several years ago now I don't think they do that, definitely think you should get the vet to look at him anyway

Base price

We had a weanling with it a few weeks ago. Vet had a look at him and gave us Betamox to inject daily for 5 days and recommended spraying inside his mouth and down throat with Iodine (teat spray stuff). If you open his mouth and have a sniff you will get a unusual unpleasant smell. Not the normal grassy/gassy smell.
Simular treatment as for timber tongue.

whelan2

Gilroy wrote: »

Hi all,

I have a very sick bullock with Timber tongue. Vet was called early Sat Morning Injected with Streptomycin to kill bacterial infection. I did him again over last four days with Streptomymin.

Drinking bit of water today but really empty, not eating. Its looks like a might lose him.

Any ideas?? He is swollen under jaw still and more so on left hand side near his eye.

did you get vet again? How is the bullock?

Gilroy

whelan2 wrote: »

did you get vet again? How is the bullock?

Im afraid the bullock died this evening. He fought hard but heart gave away in the end.

Terrible disease and hard to cure. The lump reduced to fluid under his jaw. Drained it to give him relief.

Tied everything, disappointed to lose him.

AP2014

Gilroy wrote: »

Im afraid the bullock died this evening. He fought hard but heart gave away in the end.

Terrible disease and hard to cure. The lump reduced to fluid under his jaw. Drained it to give him relief.

Tied everything, disappointed to lose him.

Tough, hopefully it's your bad luck used up for awhile.

Nettleman

Gilroy wrote: »

Hi all,

I have a very sick bullock with Timber tongue. Vet was called early Sat Morning Injected with Streptomycin to kill bacterial infection. I did him again over last four days with Streptomymin.

Drinking bit of water today but really empty, not eating. Its looks like a might lose him.

Any ideas?? He is swollen under jaw still and more so on left hand side near his eye.

Never had this before, but I had a case of TT over the weekend, vet called, pen strep recommended for 4 to 7 days. Froating has stopped. I might ring vet to see if I can try the iodine spray into the mouth also. Unbelievable fast weight loss and swollen under jaw. At least he is eating a grain of meal for me and trying the grass

KatyMac

Would you consider making porridge for him out of the yellow meal, I think it's called clarenda?? (Looks a bit like cornflakes)
Years ago a friend of mine's Char bull went down with timber tongue and was in a very bad way, very weak and not able to eat much. She made porridge for him and literally spoon fed him until he improved. I saw her sitting on a bale at his head with a bucket ladling it into him. The outcome was that he was ridiculously quiet for the rest of his time in the herd. Lucky I suppose that he didn't become bold.

Kovu

I know what you're on about Katy but I can't for the life of me think of how to spell it. Flaked maize is the technical term but we call it clorendar here too.

Capercaille

Local vet gives 45 gramms sodium iodide in 450ml water into the vein for timber tonue/lumpy jaw. works much better than Pen /Strep.

KatyMac

Yes Kovu, that looks nearer the spelling!! It makes a nice mush with warm water and the smell is like something you'd like to eat yourself!

Gilroy

Nettleman wrote:

Never had this before, but I had a case of TT over the weekend, vet called, pen strep recommended for 4 to 7 days. Froating has stopped. I might ring vet to see if I can try the iodine spray into the mouth also. Unbelievable fast weight loss and swollen under jaw. At least he is eating a grain of meal for me and trying the grass

is he still alive?? how is he now

Nettleman

KatyMac wrote: »

Yes Kovu, that looks nearer the spelling!! It makes a nice mush with warm water and the smell is like something you'd like to eat yourself!

4th day of pen strep, and he is on the med, swelling of jaw is gone and he is eating grass and meal for me, caught him early I think. weigh gain to be recovered next job

Kovu

Nettleman wrote: »

4th day of pen strep, and he is on the med, swelling of jaw is gone and he is eating grass and meal for me, caught him early I think. weigh gain to be recovered next job

That's good news! Glad to read something cheerful here tonight. Make sure to finish out his prescription of shot, I'm sure you know yourself!

Gilroy

Nettleman wrote:

4th day of pen strep, and he is on the med, swelling of jaw is gone and he is eating grass and meal for me, caught him early I think. weigh gain to be recovered next job

Your lucky, I lost mine 2 days ago. Found him early but couldnt stop it and I tried to recover his weight gain. did u drain the puss under jaw after swelling went down?

Nettleman

Gilroy wrote: »

Your lucky, I lost mine 2 days ago. Found him early but couldnt stop it and I tried to recover his weight gain. did u drain the puss under jaw after swelling went down?

Sorry to hear that Gilroy, will have a good look in his mouth again tomorrow. tks a mill

Gilroy

Nettleman wrote: »

Sorry to hear that Gilroy, will have a good look in his mouth again tomorrow. tks a mill

Look under his chin, puss lies there after hardness goes. So dangerous.

welton john

KatyMac wrote: »

Yes Kovu, that looks nearer the spelling!! It makes a nice mush with warm water and the smell is like something you'd like to eat yourself!

think they call it perate round here.rolled oats steeped in warm water with sugar aswell a sick cow will eat that even with very little appetite