dehorned cow now has an abscess

[lasergrl]

I have a yearly highland that I bought perhaps 2 months ago. She was dehorned before I got her and was healed but a small scab on the right side and the shaved hair was growing back. About a month after I got her the scabbed dehorn site started getting bigger. It abscessed and the tissue under was exposed, looks like couliflower on the skull but pretty small actually. I keep flushing the site and bluecoating it, but it just wont heal. I also gave a big shot of dura pen once 2 weeks ago. What more can I do? I also have nuflor and oxytetracycline if that is a better choice.

[Jennifer L.]

Keep after it so the flies don't get going in the wound. Other than that, I'd say make sure it is able to drain and let nature take its course. When cool weather hits in the fall you'll probably see it heal up ok. Doesn't sound like a nice situation, though.

Jennifer

[lasergrl]

thats pretty much what I figured. She has been stalled for the last 4 weeks but I cant keep her stalled much longer. I ordered some fly tags to fasten to her halter to discourage flies. I'll probably flush it once more and give another penn shot and set her loose.

[copperhead46]

Ask your vet about some stuff called "Granulex" (sp) It's good to keep down proud flesh in a wound, it might make the stuff on her head dissove away too. I use it on deep cuts and wounds on cows and horses.

P.J.

[agmantoo]

Worm her with ivermectin prior to releasing her. That will give her another 30 days free of flies.

[MARYDVM]

A dehorning wound that won't heal may mean the infection is in the sinus cavity - very hard to drain from there. Look closely and see if there is a small round opening in the center of the pink granulation tissue. This would be the drainage tract that connects to the sinus. If you find an opening like this, you can use part of a tube of mastitis treatment injected into the hole daily until the infection is gone and the opening closes naturally.