Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

dairyman · Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 19

my friend's dairy cow has a lumpy jaw. Swelling is really big .the cow is finding difficulty to chew.It is salivating and weak. another friend says it is actinomycosis and is difficult to treat. Please advise on it. Thank u.

Dr csh · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 425

It is my humble opinion that painful lumpy jaw is beyond humane treatment for a production animal. I would cull as soon as possible.

lcs · Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 65

Treatment

Because the diagnosis is difficult to make, surgery becomes important as both diagnosis and treatment of actinomycosis. Recurrence following surgery alone, however, is very common, and antibiotic therapy is a necessary part of treatment. The course of treatment is two to four weeks of high-dose intravenous antibiotics, followed by three to six months of oral antibiotics.

The mainstay of therapy for years has been penicillin. The semi-synthetic penicillins such as Nafcillin and Dicloxacillin are less effective.

In penicillin allergy, tetracycline is used. Erythromycin is effective, and is recommended in rare cases of penicillin and tetracycline allergy. Clindamycin is also effective, and if co-infection with other anaerobic bacteria or Staphylococcus is suspected, treatment with clindamycin is recommended. The cure rate with appropriate antibiotic therapy is over 90%.

You have to evaluate whether is it worth to treat the animal. because the antibiotic used really cost you a lot. you can try for one week then see how the progress then only decide want to cull this animal or not. Wish you all the best in your farming la

Dr csh · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 425

Well, you probably do not need surgery to diagnose lumpy jaw. Often there will be a draining tract and you will be able to obtain a sample even biopsy without surgery

I'm sorry but I disagree that the cure rate is 90% even with surgical debridement and antibiotics. Where did you get this reference?

If you want to try treatment, don't forget that the animal is in pain. Please add something to your treatment for that or else the animal just wont eat, get sicker and suffer.

dark · Joined: 18 Jun 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Malaysia

Dr csh wrote: Well, you probably do not need surgery to diagnose lumpy jaw. Often there will be a draining tract and you will be able to obtain a sample even biopsy without surgery

I'm sorry but I disagree that the cure rate is 90% even with surgical debridement and antibiotics. Where did you get this reference?

If you want to try treatment, don't forget that the animal is in pain. Please add something to your treatment for that or else the animal just wont eat, get sicker and suffer.

i agree with drcsh ... your treatment cocktail must include more than antibiotic. Depends on severity, if it is still in the early stage and the animal is "a difficult for you to let it go" kind, than proceed with treatment. Else, strongly recommend for culling.

Not sure what is the with drawal period for clindamycin. Mostly local practice using only 2 types of antibiotics, either Penicillin G (or better Pennicilin streptomycine and antihistamin -PENHISTASTREP (r))or Terramycin(oxytetracycline). Withdrawal periods is about 21 days.

If the animal dies within the withdrawal periods, it is a wrong to slaughter it and sell it to ppl.