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Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre Holistic Vet - Homeopathic Vet - Acupuncture Vet - Herbal Vet - Natural Vet Diseases of Cattle Building this page is an ongoing work.
Here we describe various cattle diseases (ox diseases, bovine diseases), with reference to acupuncture, herbal treatment, homeopathic treatment, chiropractic manipulation etc., where appropriate. This section also applies to buffalo diseases. We invite and accept referrals for complementary and alternative medicine treatments and farm programmes. return to farm main page: Farm Animals Cattle Disease List
ACTINOBACILLOSISSee 'Wooden Tongue'. Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
ACTINOMYCOSISSee 'Lumpy Jaw'. Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
ARTHRITISArthritis is inflammation of a joint or joints. It can result from injury to or strain of a joint. If there is bacterial infection involved, it is known as septic arthritis. Septic arthritis can occur as a result of joint injury, if the joint capsule is damaged, or as a sequel to foot rot (foul in the foot). Generalised arthritis can occur in milking cows, as a result of mineral imbalances, particularly calcium and phosphorus. As in all species, treatment can present a challenge, with efforts achieving variable success. Acupuncture and homeopathy can be very beneficial. Common homeopathic medicines that have been used with success, depending upon signs and symptoms shown, are: Bryonia, Calc. phos., Causticum, Rhododendron, Rhus tox., Ruta grav. Septic arthritis (and osteomyelitis) can be successfully treated but is a specialist area. Copyright © AVMC - November 2007 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
BACK & NECK PROBLEMSIt may come as a surprise to some readers, to learn that cows and calves can suffer back problems. It is an unfortunate fact that the ‘unit value’ of cattle is too low to encourage the sort of individual attention that chiropractic manipulation demands, on most commercial farms. The result is that the treatment is not usually given to them. In pedigree herds, however, where ‘unit value’ is much higher, such attention can and is given to cattle. The AVMC attends several herds, providing manipulation to cows and calves who walk badly, hunch their backs, suffer weak hind limb action or sustain injury. The ‘show’ potential of such animals, whereby a pedigree herd is able to advertise its stock, is otherwise severely reduced. The beneficial effect in posture and outlook is almost immediately visible, in those that require this attention. Acupuncture may also be needed, in some cases. It provides rapid pain relief and can stimulate regeneration of damaged nerves, e.g. after calving injury. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
BIG BALE EYESee 'Listeriosis' Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
BLOATChronic calf bloat is often the result of feeding unsuitable concentrate food or powdered milk rather than cow's milk. In either case, homeopathic Nux vomica may help dramatically, pending attention to diet as promptly as practical. At grass, cattle can develop 'frothy bloat'. A thick layer of peanut oil of the surface of the drinking water can act as an effective temporary preventive. Providing plenty of fibre in the diet, to supplement spring grazing, is also important. As a treatment, homeopathic Colchicum will usually provide rapid relief from frothy bloat. The book - The Homeopathic Treatment of Beef & Dairy Cattle - C. Day - Beaconsfield Publ., gives greater detail. The AVMC can supply more information on request. Copyright © AVMC June 2006 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
BLOOD IN MILKHigh-yielding milking cows can secrete bloodstained milk or can suffer a large scale bleed, in which case the milk appears almost totally bloody. This is not only a sign of trouble in the udder, which could lead to mastitis, it is also of economic importance, since such milk cannot be sold. Homeopathic medicines can be very useful in this situation. Farm clients of the AVMC are rarely unable to control this problem promptly, when it arises, since they are well-versed in the use of homeopathic medicines in emergencies. Any one of several different homeopathic medicines may be needed, depending on the situation, upon the cow and upon the appearance of the milk and the bleeding. One can never do harm, however, with homeopathic Arnica, if in doubt. It may help to a significant extent, even if not the correct remedy. The book - The Homeopathic Treatment of Beef & Dairy Cattle - C. Day - Beaconsfield Publ., gives greater detail. The AVMC can supply more information on request. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
BLUETONGUEThis is a notifiable disease of ruminants and therefore of cattle, sheep, goats, camelids, buffalo, reindeer and wild deer. It came to the UK in September 2007, possibly as a result of climate change. It is a viral disease borne by biting midges and appears to have spread from Northern Europe.
Although it is possible that cattle can show no
signs of illness, usual signs in cattle are: fever, nasal
discharge, swelling of the head and neck, conjunctivitis (runny
eyes), swelling and ulceration of the mouth, swollen teats,
languidness and drooling of saliva.
Sheep are the most susceptible and can die of the disease. The disease signs that typify this condition suggest that it should be responsive to homeopathy (homeopathic treatment) and to homeopathic preventive methods (homeoprophylaxis). However, as this is a notifiable disease, if the AVMC were to treat cases we would need specific permission from DEFRA. Copyright © AVMC November 2007 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
BRUCELLOSISThis is a notifiable disease and, therefore, the AVMC does not provide treatment or prevention for Brucellosis, unless special dispensation were to be offered by DEFRA. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
BSE - BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHYThis is a notifiable disease and, therefore, the AVMC does not provide treatment or prevention for BSE, unless special dispensation were to be offered by DEFRA. We would anyway be very cautious about preparing a nosode (by potentisation) from a prion. It is a source of deep regret that this disease ever took hold on the UK cattle population, with an unquantifiable risk to the human population. MAFF refused to listen to any advice offered by practising veterinary surgeons (including AVMC), in the early days of the outbreak, which would almost certainly have resulted in rapid control. In particular, the warnings of the possibility of 'vertical spread' were ignored. The outbreak itself and its subsequent severity were due to unwise feeding practices and lack of will to apply proper controls, including inadequate compensation for animals taken by MAFF. Copyright © AVMC August 2005 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
BVD - BOVINE VIRUS DIARRHOEAThis section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
CALF DIPHTHERIAThis section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
CALVING PROBLEMS - DYSTOCIASee also 'Research'. This section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
DIGITAL DERMATITISWe have been very fortunate to have hit on a formula of homeopathic medicines that appears to deal successfully with this difficult condition, using a parlour spray. This section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE - FMDThis is a notifiable disease and, therefore, the AVMC does not provide treatment or prevention for FMD, unless special dispensation were to be offered by DEFRA. In the 2001 outbreak, the AVMC offered MAFF research, treatment and prevention help, free of charge. This involved telephone calls and faxes on an almost daily basis. All were ignored. We have a dedicated page for this disease (click), updated December 2007. Copyright © AVMC August 2005 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
FOUL-IN-THE-FOOT (LOW - LUER - FOOT ROT)The disease is characterised by a foul-smelling, necrotic lesion between the claws of the hoof. It is potentially serious, if neglected for a few days, in that infection can enter the deeper structures of the foot and even the digital joints*. The bacterium usually associated with this condition is Fusiformis necrophorum but more than one type of bacteria is likely to be involved. The early sign is acute-onset lameness and sometimes an affected foot can be held in the air. Treatment with homeopathy is usually very effective. The earlier the disease is caught, the quicker the resolution. In early cases, injection of homeopathic medicines for two consecutive days has been sufficient. It is triggered by injury to the soft tissues in the cleft of the foot. Even a scratch may suffice. Stones in mud can be a potent cause. Lime is a very effective way of reducing infection in poached areas around water troughs, for instance. Lime application to deep straw bedding can also be an effective way to reduce cases in housed cattle. It is prevalent in barley-fed intensive beef cattle. *Such a septic arthritis can be very difficult to treat with antibiotics and the claw is often amputated as a result. Happily, we have never needed to amputate a claw, when using homeopathy. Copyright © AVMC - November 2007 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
HEEL DERMATITISThis section is in preparation. However, we can state that homeopathic treatment is usually a very rapid and effective way to deal with cases. It can also act in a preventive capacity. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
IBRThis section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
INFERTILITYWhen we ran a busy cattle practice, we were carrying out routine fertility visits on large modern dairy farms. This was a major part of our work at the time. We were able to treat cows with cysts, those not seen bulling, those that would not hold to service and all the other fertility issues, using just homeopathy. No hormones or drugs were required. This section is in preparation. However, we can state that homeopathic treatment is usually a very rapid and effective way to deal with cases. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
JOHNE’S DISEASEThis section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
JOINT ILLHomeopathy appears to have been successful in the treatment of some very difficult cases. This section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS - KERATO-CONJUNCTIVITISSee 'New Forest Eye' and 'Listeriosis'. Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
KETOSIS - ACETONAEMIAThis section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
LAMENESSThis section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
LAMINITISThis section is in preparation. We have a policy of ongoing improvement, augmentation and updating, so that our website is constantly changing. We hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far and found it helpful, so that you will revisit us soon, to see the latest developments. Put the home page in your 'bookmarks'/'favourites', for ease of revisiting. Why not take a few moments to send us your comments and feedback, along with requests for new pages, to let us know what we have done well and to help our policy of constant improvement? Thank you for spending some time with us. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
LISTERIOSISListeriosis is the name given to diseases associated with the organism Listeria. In cattle, it either manifests as kerato-conjunctivitis (‘big bale eye’ or ‘silage eye’), or as a head-tilt, owing to an infection in the VIIIth cranial nerve or inflammation of the meninges or the brain itself. The nervous form is generally quite resistant to antibiotics but cases treated homeopathically have usually responded well, if caught in the earlier stages. Later stage cases can respond but the percentage success rate falls. The eye form (which looks not unlike New Forest Eye) usually responds extremely well, whether to homeopathic treatment or prevention. The book - The Homeopathic Treatment of Beef & Dairy Cattle - C. Day - Beaconsfield Publ., gives greater detail. The AVMC can supply more information on request. Copyright © AVMC August 2002 Back to Cattle Diseases List Back to Farm Main Page
LUMPY JAW
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