Lump on jersey cow

[eacrouch]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eacrouch/4740974654/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eacrouch/4740983680/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eacrouch/4740977376/
Here are a few links to pictures of Foxy. I am wondering if the lump underneath her skin is anything to be aware of. Foxy is 6yr old JErsey, giving me 2 gallons/day OAD. She is eating find and such. I also found a sore that I popped on her side that gave me puss as well. I have goats who may have CL and I wondered if this could pass to cows?




Thanks ERin

[gone-a-milkin]

Your pics are not working.

[eacrouch]

Thanks for the notice on the pictures. I can't seem to load them from flickr so I will just link them.

[springvalley]

I can see the pics, but have no idea what would have caused them. Could she have gotten some splinters and they festered? Don`t know,>Thanks marc

[gone-a-milkin]

So, when you popped it only puss came out? Did it look like the other one does?
Do you think that both lumps are the same thing, that is my question.

I have seen cows get a lump and have it burst, where you never knew for sure what happened, poked by a branch or bug bite or something.
The blukote makes it hard to see. How deep a hole did it leave?

[eacrouch]

The sore could have been a scratch or something that festered but the lump is under her skin. I noticed it about 3 days ago and it is getting larger by the day but she is not in any discomfort that I can tell. And of course it is on the side I don't milk her on. It may have been there for awhile and I wouldn't have known it right away. Yes I look at both sides of the cow but you know how chores can be. Erin

[gone-a-milkin]

Hmm. I have no idea. Sorry.

[MARYDVM]

Picture is a little unclear, but if that lump is on the flank, right in front of the thigh, it is probably the prefemoral lymph node. There are lymph nodes you can feel in front of both thighs, both shoulders, and at the attachment of the udder, in back below the vulva. If one lymph node is enlarged, it may be due to an infection in the area. If several of them are enlarged, bovine leukemia (cancer) could be the cause.

[ozark_jewels]

And yes, though CL is primarily a goat and sheep disease, it is proven that CL can and does sometimes carry to other species(including humans). Since CL is a lymph system disease, its not impossible. Its simple to have it tested for if this other lump comes to a head. Save the pus in a sterile container(I have used blood tubes), and take it to your vet. They should be able to send it to the closest lab that does testing. Its not that expensive, at least not here. Well worth finding out what you are dealing with.

[Madsaw]

I am with Mary on this one, if you are refering to the lump just ahead of the white speckling in the last picture. DO NOT TRY TO DRAIN THE LYPHM NODE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If that is the only one swelled up its due to infection from teh other sore you have already drained. It looks to be a abcess of some sort. I would suggest a week of penicillin. She will take some time for the node to go down. I had a old jersey get a node infected between her front leg and chest cavity. That was nasty. It finally drained itself and healed over. There is just to much you can mess up it you try it yourself.
Bob

[eacrouch]

The original sore left a pencil eraser size hole when it popped. The lump just behind her hip is under the skin and I am not putting holes in my cow. It could be the lymph node. I will watch it. I also noticed a small nodule developing in the same spot on her other side, maybe another lymph node.

Erin

[ozark_jewels]

But if it comes to a head on its own, catch the pus when it busts and have it tested.

[eacrouch]

Will do ozark. Thanks for everyone's help.

[eacrouch]

We took the cow to the vet and she has a swollen lymph node. We are having her tested for bovine leukemia. Also they did a slide on some of her tissue. So we will know next week.

[tinknal]

You didn't happen to give the cow an injection in the spot of the original sore did you? Sometimes an injection can cause an abscess.