Red Eye

[SundayCreekBuckers]

We have a yearling bull that is red where the white is suppose to be in his eye. It doesn't seem to be pink eye, because its not draining or swollen just real red. Any ideas on what it could be? A bull fight cause it? Hay or dust in it? Anyone else experience this? Not sure if I should give it more time or haul him in to the vet.

[SundayCreekBuckers]

The bull is not squinting, which also leads me to believe it is probably broken blood vessels. If it is, is there something other than time, that we should be doing to treat broken blood vessels? Thanks for any and all info.!

[kansasdad]

As far as I know time is about the best remedy for broken blood vessels.I am not a vet,but have seen similar cases.I don't know that a vet could help much in this case.The bull hasn't gone off feed or act like it bothers him much does he?


Kelly Hinman
Quinter,K.S.
785-299-0503

[socattleco]

sounds like pinkeye to me.

[Summerrain]

Sunday Creek Buckers
heres some information on pink eye, but it also has some other things that might cause it too.

Pink-eye, or infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis, occurs in cattle throughout the world. It is a contagious disease, occuring mainly in young cattle in summer and autumn. Occasionally outbreaks occur in winter, generally in closely confined cattle such as those in feedlots.

Deaths are rare, but economic loss occurs through retarded growth rate, decreased milk production and increased handling costs. Most affected animals recover without treatment in 3-5 weeks.

Cause
Occurrence
Signs and course of pink-eye
Other causes of eye trouble
Treatment
Control


Cause A number of bacteria and viruses have been found to cause pink-eye but the most important is the bacteria known as Moraxella bovis. Several factors probably influence infection of the eye by Moraxella bovis. Infective material discharged from the eyes of affected cattle can be spread to other animals by flies, or onto long grass grazed by the cattle. Sunlight and dust make the problem worse. There may also be other organisms, such as viruses and mycoplasmas, that cause eye damage and allow Moraxella bovis to become established.


Occurrence
Pink-eye is mainly a disease of young cattle. It is commonly seen in young cattle in their first summer. Severe outbreaks may occur in older cattle if they have never been exposed to the disease. After infection, cattle develop a temporary immunity which lasts up to a year. Exposure to the causative agents in following years gives further immunity, usually without eye changes being obvious. Infection can occasionally persist in a few animals and these are a source of infection in the following summer. The infection rate increases to a peak about 3-4 weeks after the first cases appear, and then gradually decreases.

The prevalence of pink-eye in districts and on individual farms varies from year to year, depending on seasons and weather, the fly population and whether cattle are grazing long grass. On some farms there may be only occasional cases while on others 60-80% of cattle may be affected in very severe outbreaks. In most years the average infection rate is 5-10%.


Signs and course of pink-eye Top
The first signs seen are:

copious watery eye discharge

aversion to sunlight

signs of irritation: for example, excessive blinking

reddening and swelling of the eyelids and the third eyelid.

The eye will then go cloudy in the middle and may ulcerate during the next two days. Many animals spontaneously recover at this stage. In a small number of untreated cases, ulceration may progress to abscess formation, with possible rupture of the cornea and permanent blindness. After recovery about 2% of affected eyes have a residual white scar on the cornea. An even smaller percentage progress to abscess formation.

Most animals are completely recovered 3-5 weeks after infection without treatment and usually only one eye is affected. Animals that are severely affected in both eyes may grow poorly. Milking cows may produce less milk. Cattle become more difficult to muster with blind animals in the herd. Accidental deaths may occur if affected animals fall into dams or are trapped in fences.


Other causes of eye trouble
Grass seeds
Grass seeds are also troublesome during the time of the year when pink-eye usually occurs. Examination of the eye will reveal one or more grass seeds. Damage to the eye caused by a grass seed is generally more varied than damage due to pink-eye, and the eye does not get better unless the grass seed is removed.

Cancer of the eye
Eye cancer may originate on the cornea but usually can be seen as a plaque or tumour of the third eyelid or conjunctival membranes. The growth is raised above the surface and the edges are ragged.

Viral disease
Some viral diseases, such as malignant catarrhal fever and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, may be confused with pink-eye because they cause cloudiness of the eyeball. However, affected cattle will also show other signs, related, for example, to the central nervous system or the respiratory system. If you need further advice contact your veterinarian or the district veterinary officer.


Treatment
Most cattle recover from pink-eye without treatment, 3-5 weeks after infection. Mustering cattle for the purpose of treating pink-eye is unwise because dust and flies increase the spread of infection. If mustering is needed for essential management procedures such as weaning and drenching, affected cattle should be treated for pink-eye while in the yards, and severely affected cattle, such as those with abscesses in both eyes, should be isolated, treated daily and carefully nursed.

In commercial herds treatment is usually given once only. If the disease is in the very early stage (the watery discharge stage) dusts, sprays or ointments may be used successfully. These preparations contain antibiotics and occasionally anti-inflammatory drugs and are available on a veterinarian's prescription. Ointments are preferred because they are effective for longer periods, and are less irritating and less traumatic to the eye. However, they are more expensive and require the use of better facilities; such as, for example, a head bail.

In late and more severe stages of the disease, injection of a combination of a broad-spectrum antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory drug underneath the upper eyelid is often successful. This form of treatment is more expensive, requires head restraint, and is best given by a veterinary surgeon.

When valuable stud cattle are affected special treatment may be given. This may consist of ointments containing antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory drug, or an injection under the upper eyelid using the same drugs as described for commercial cattle. These forms of treatment are often used in combination with either an eye patch or a third eyelid flap which protects the eye from dust, flies and sunlight. Occasionally intra-muscular injections of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are used despite the expense.


Control
Few control measures are available at present. Unnecessary yarding during the problem months should be avoided.

[socattleco]

ive seen a increase in pinkeye here lately,especially here with the tall broomweed and plants as tall as they are this summer.

[born2fight]

This may be totally different but we just had the same thing happen to a horse we took him in to the vet they ultrasounded and dialated his eye they said it was cuased by a blunt trauma [ very likely in a bull] he had a bunch of blood clauts in his eye , and could not see anything from that eye we had to dialate his eye and add a steriod creme to it every day [ twice a day ] for six weeks and now he is fine the eye still looks a little different but is ok the vet said if we would have waited much longer he would be blind because the pupil was so small and would stick to the cornia, I know it would be hard to tell if the calf cant see was easy for us [this is my daughters new barrel horse and started giving her trouble at the first barrel ] then we notived the eye did not look right , if this is what is happening you dont want to wait to long it wont be fixable because the pupil has to change sizes with the light or it will stick , may not even be close to the same but hope this helps REX

[born2fight]

Summerrain = wealth of knowledge
always there to help thanks for the info SR

[SundayCreekBuckers]

All the information is appreciated, thanks! His eye looks like it has improved since I posted the request for info. So hopefully we are on the right track!