# Swollen eye



## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

I've got a dexter heifer with one swollen eye, it's been 3 days. She keeps it closed for the most part and is using the other for all her sight.

Eating and drinking just fine. My guess is she rubbed it on a branch, burdock, something like that but have no proof.

What do you do from here? She isn't really handleable. Thanks.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

If you have no means of catching and immobilizing her then that poses a huge problem. If she meant a lot to me I'd ask a vet to shoot the animal with a tranquilizer dart then treat. Maybe the vet has a knock out type drug that can be added to the animalsâ feed pan. Most wounds heal just fine naturally but why take the risk...


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Is the eye watering excessively and is the white portion of her eye still nice and white or has it turned red?


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## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

I'll go check her eye again right now. It didn't seem to be watering at all but will update- thanks.


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## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

It has been raining- but it does seem that the affected eye is watering quite a bit.
The white of her eye is about the same as her other eye.
There is swelling.

We only get vets out this way every second week, I will look up the date- but around here you end up needing to manage the problem yourself for the most part.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

With no red to the white portion of the eye then the problem should not be pinkeye. If there was foreign trash in the eye and trash was moving about it would IMO also cause the eye to get reddish. Look as closely as you can for what may be a stye or a raised flesh pyramid growth on the edge of the eye or the eyeball itself protruding in a point and comment back. Thanks


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## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

Yes you would expect some red with debris in the eye. I'll go spend some more time and hopefully get some more info. Thanks.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Do you have any neighbors with horses and roping skills? If I had a $2,000 dollar holstein cow with a damaged eye I'd be using all options available....Just an example...Keep in touch.


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

I, unfortunately, have a bit of experience with wild, "unhandleable" livestock, from barbado sheep to llamas, to longhorn cattle. What I would recommend is to take the time to build a chute of some kind, even if just with t-posts and welded wire panels. You will need to immobilize the cow if you are to get a decent look at her eye. Dexters should be small enough to control a bit easier than a wild as the hills texas longhorn (i got "lucky" and bought one that could jump OUT of 5 ft high chutes and pens...the seller saw me coming and claimed she was "gentle".....)


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

You may want to read and look at the photos here
http://www.facs.sk.ca/welfare_bovine_cf_cancereye.htm


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## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

Great idea on a basic shoot. I just bough some T-posts and will get something together.

And good news- with those photos it is not cancer eye nor pink eye. Well, it is still closed but look nothing like those.

I'm going to get a clear pic of it in the morning. Thanks again.


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## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

Here's a couple pics. The swelling has gone down somewhat. It is still watering, however it is also still raining out so it isn't as wet as the pics suggest.
I think it may be getting a bit better but difficult to tell. Pics have been sent to the vet so hopefully I hear back-guessing not until at least Monday...

I am fairly certain a bit of burdock is the cause as they just went through a nasty patch of it. Thanks for any and all ideas.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/organicfarmer/coweye2.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/organicfarmer/coweye1.jpg


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## Dexter (Sep 27, 2008)

They are too small and blurry to see anything I'm afraid...


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