# Pinkeye outbreak in our area, in the East



## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

One case on Monday has now hit about 20 head. They've been treating them with eye infection puffer powder and it seems to be working. Wife called our Vet today and claims it's a new strain that's taken off. He treated 2 cases at the NC State Fair yesterday for a client that shows at the fair every year. The Vet said hit the worst cases with a dose of LA-200. Wife say there's 2 maybe 3 that may have to have the eyes sowed shut. She said it's been at least 15 years since she's had a case of Pinkeye. Strange time of year for it if you ask me. They've quarantined off all the affected ones from the non affected ones hopefully that will stop the spread or least slow it down. She says she's found out one thing, she needs a better headgate that's where I come in with the research ;-)

So folks in the East keep an eye for really watery cloudy eyes and you better hit them hard and fast.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Never had a real problem with pinkeye in any form in our herd. Never had any problems in the dairy herd either.

Closed beef herd, new bulls are quarantined for quite awhile before mingling with the others. Hardly any other cows in the area to speak of anymore.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Grateful11 said:


> Wife say there's 2 maybe 3 that may have to have the eyes sowed shut.


I always just glued eye patches on that completely encircled the eye and they would fall off on their own in a few weeks. Got them at my local co op. Always worked well for me...even on the worst cases along with treatment of course before applying patch.

Regards, Mike


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Had the issue last year. 4 calves and two young cows. I vac all for pe and black leg. Vet said new strain and very aggressive. One cow had to sew eye much better now and no problems this year. Good luck and yes rather late for pe!

Ps vet wouldnt refund for failed vac...lol


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Everyone looking much better today. Only 2 new cases and they were very mild, just barely cloudy, no dot. Wife picked up a box of patches but everyone has improved so much today she decided not to use them. She knows her herd pretty well, it's a closed herd, no one new in it in about 4 years.

We've been looking at head gates online and Preifert seems to have one the easiest to use automatically adjusting size head gates. Pulling pins and narrowing it down or making it wider is a huge pain for everyone. It's a CountyWide brand from TSC. It works fine it's just hard to adjust.

There's not been a calf here since March and I've got feeling when they start dropping its going to be one right after another. Starting to see some really floppy butts and couple starting to bag up a little. The Bull was raised here and his Mother was sold and there no connections between him and the rest of the herd. This is the first time she has tried this, she normally buys a register Hereford bull to run with the herd.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Thanks for the heads up and discussion.

It is good to hear you have it under control. Hopefully you have it wiped out in your herd and have no more problems.

We had some weepy eyes a month ago and gave shots. Not sure if it was pink eye or not.

A good, fast head catch or chute sure makes the catching chore easier. We finally bought a chute earlier this year and it has been a blessing. I can get cows or calves caught by myself now.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Opened my mouth too soon... bringing the girls home and one is bug eyed! Both eyes! Young one 4 yrs old followed the bucket nicely


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

Vol said:


> I always just glued eye patches on that completely encircled the eye and they would fall off on their own in a few weeks. Got them at my local co op. Always worked well for me...even on the worst cases along with treatment of course before applying patch.
> 
> Regards, Mike


I always twist up when the vet goes to inject antibiotic into the eye with a syringe and needle. Only seen it done a couple of times.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Bonfire said:


> I always twist up when the vet goes to inject antibiotic into the eye with a syringe and needle. Only seen it done a couple of times.


Yeah that will give you the willies watching a eye injection. I just started using a sulfa powder in a squeeze bottle....and if it was really bad I would wash the eye first with a liquid sulfa drug and small syringe. I would make a stream about a inch or so from the eye and wash under the top and bottom eye lid.....let them blink off the excess then squirt a couple of puffs of sulfa powder directly on the cornea and apply a patch.

Regards, Mike


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## kyfred (Dec 23, 2009)

We hadn't had any pinkeye for years and three weeks ago we were getting ready to sell some calves and had one calf come up with pinkeye. I treated it with an eye wash then a few days later had eight have the pinkeye. One cow and six calves. Had the vet come and he put a shot of penicillin in the eye. Not something I don't think I could do myself. The eyes are clearing up.


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