tumor

[mamagoose]

I'm hoping someone else here with AI/Vet experience might see this post and give an opinion. I was AIing a 3+yo dairy cow this week and there was a mass (that is not found in all my other 100's of breedings). I had come across this once before in a beef cow. Immediately upon rectal palpation/cleaning out for breeding I felt a mass straight ahead, which I describe as the size of a Jr. football. I can't say it was exactly round like a basketball because I only felt one "side" of it. The complete reproductive tract lay below it and I did get through to breed her. I can't believe that it was an organ/part of the stomach. I believe it is a growth. She's not a large cow and they purchased her from a farmer with 15 cows, they told me. They couldn't tell me exactly what her breed is, probably Brown Swiss or Guernsey cross. She's had one calf and was milking when they bought her and was to already be bred back. So, they stopped milking when the guy told them and waited and no calf. I don't know that a tumor would keep her from breeding, but if it is that then they need to move her out now. I have suggested they have a vet palpate her for pregnancy at which time the vet should be able to tell them if it is a tumor. FIL said that once he had a cow with a tumor that the vet said was because of an "infection" of the umbilical cord that kept growing from birth. This doesn't seem the right location for such a thing, though. What do y'all think?

[Jennifer L.]

I've never heard of one like that, but I suppose a cow can get a tumor in a lot of different places just like we can. Be interesting to see what a vet says when they check it.

Jennifer

[MARYDVM]

The bovine leukemia virus can cause lymph nodes in the pelvic region to enlarge. You might have felt one of these. Usually other lymph nodes are also swollen. You may be able to see or feel enlarged nodes just in front of the shoulder blades, on the flanks in front of the back legs, or between the udder attachment and the back legs.. Definitely have her palpated by a vet. Cows can have cancer and act fine for awhile, but once they start to go downhill, it can get bad very quickly.

[mamagoose]

Thanks, Mary. How soon and by what method(s) can a vet check for pregnancy? (I thought by palpation was 30 days.) Is there a blood/urine test?

[MARYDVM]

I didn't like to palpate for pregnancy much earlier than 40-45 days since the real early embryos can abort more easily if you disturb them. If she has cancer it is unlikely that she will settle.

[dosthouhavemilk]

Fred used to preg check as early as 30 days.

The slipping method (for early detection) is dangerous though.
There are blood tests taht can detect as early 28 days post breeding I believe.
www.biotracking.com

We've never used blood. Always had Fred check. I learned how to check and have been checking the 4+ months bred animals.

[mamagoose]

Thanks for the info. I hate to tell them it doesn't look real good.