Pink eye

Good morning, good morning! This little tidbit of info is going out to the the cattlemen & cattlewomen, and those just starting to get into cattle.

SUBJECT: Pinkeye.

Not going to bore you with the name of the organism, & you won't see me standing by a cow with a stethescope around my neck; you already know I'm a vet, does the stethescope bring credibility????

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Things to know( meat & potatoes man!):

1. Costs alot to treat in terms of meds and time,

2. Highly contagious,

3. Flies are main culprits of transmission,

4. Vaccine for 1 of the organisms causing Pinkeye is available.....BUT!!!!!! There are 2 (TWO) organisms that cause pinkeye. (Look it up!!) So, may need to get an autogenous vaccine made for 2nd organism,

5. Start prevention program NOW, BEFORE FLY SEASON,

6. Fly tags work...IF you follow directions/ recommndations,

7. Good herd health protocols & nutrition programs also contribute to prevention, & take your time and ACTUALLY walk through your herd and put "eyes on" your cattle,

8. DO NOT!! DO NOT!! INJECT antibiotics, especially tetracyclines into the eye. Yes I HAVE seen the aftermath of this and IT IS a true FUBAR!!,

9.Call your veterinarian, if you can find one that comes out anymore, and get help,

10. Make sure where you have your cattle is "EYE FRIENDLY" , no low hanging branches, no old, stemmy hay in hayrings cattle can poke their eye on, no overgrown pastures with forages with "big/rough heads," & make sure the loafing areas are dry as possible & manure not piling up which causes flies. Might consider moving those hay rings around & not feeding hay in same spot......

Well, don't know if this helped or not, but bet it planted a seed.....Have a GREAT DAY! Dr.T Thompson Veterinary Services (TVS)

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