# cow with eye issue/problem



## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

I have done a fair amount of research on cancer eye. This animal has a growth on its eye that IMO does not match any of the pics that I have seen. Anyone have a strong opinion of what this growth is?









Different view


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

It does look like some of the pics here. Look at the the pics on the bottom.
Cancer eye in cattle | NSW Department of Primary Industries


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

My guess would be cancer, but I`m not a vet. > Thanks Marc


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## Kato2010 (Jun 24, 2012)

Sure looks like cancer eye. Call the vet. Maybe it can be removed. Most processors, at least around here, won't take a cow with cancer eye.


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## bigbluegrass (Jan 11, 2011)

My first thought is a stye (or stie), which is what I have always called them. However, I cannot find any pictures online or links of a stye that looks like that. Maybe I have used the term wrong in the past.

It doesn't look like cancer eye to me. I think it looks benign. If it is cancer eye, it is the early stages and very treatable. IMHO


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Hate to say it, but that looks like the cancer eye that one of our Holstiens had. She wasn't a good cow anyway, so we sent her to slaughter.
Our vet said that if we didn't want to send her to slaughter, to restrain her well, pull that out taught with pliars/forceps and cut it off near the eye. Said no matter what, it was going to keep coming back at that stage.

Curious as to why processors wouldn't butcher a cow with cancer eye??


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

bigbluegrass

My thoughts are that it is a wart like growth and I also do not think it is cancer. However, I am unqualified to make that call. I have only seen one case of cancer eye and that growth did not have the point of attachment at the location on this animal. When I first saw the problem I mistakenly thought the animal had a splinter from a plastic post stuck into the eyelid. The cow is bred and in great BCS and I do not want to cull her at this time.


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## bigbluegrass (Jan 11, 2011)

I am not qualified either! I have limited experience with cancer eye. But I have seen a cow get something that looked a lot like what is in your picture. The best I can remember, we treated her with antibiotics and it went away. We may not have even treated her at all. That was 15 of so years ago. I know we never called a vet.

It could be a wart. We always called them styes, but that is probably not a common term. It doesn't really look infected at this time, but I would watch for an infection. It doesn't look like it is on the eye. The attachment looks to be to the inner eyelid, which I think could be removed fairly easily if you were so inclined to try, without removing the entire eye. It looks exactly like what we called a stye.

If it is cancer eye it is early. You can always keep an eye on her and if she starts to take a turn where you know it is cancer eye (when it gets nasty) then ship her immediately and I would think you could still get salvage value. You may want to confirm that with the local sale barn or a processor. Find out at what stage they will still accept a cow with cancer eye.


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## Kato2010 (Jun 24, 2012)

Processors won't take them for fear that it has spread and the cow has it elsewhere, which means the meat is not fit to use. They're not willing to take a chance on it. 

It looks like it's on her third eyelid, which means you may be able to have it removed. I worked at a vet clinic, and we used liquid nitrogen to do it when it showed up in that spot. If it gets bad, the eye has to be removed. The advice always given was to keep her long enough to wean her calf, and then get rid of her, even if she looks good.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

An update on the cow above. It is difficult for me to believe what has happened. That growth has completely disappeared on its own! There is no evidence that it ever existed.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

That is great! You said she was a good cow, so now her career goes on. Wonder if she got a bit of something in her eye and her body was ejecting it?? Like how a thorn or blister in your finger will fester up?? 

You should take new pictures from the same angles as much as possible and show your vet.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Here is a pic I took this evening. Not quite the same angle and this is with the phone camera


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