With the keeping of older cows, mainly as a result of BSE, conditions such as wooden tongue and lumpy jaw are increasing in frequency. Contrary to popular belief, the success rate in treating these conditions is very high if caught early enough. Most can be cured and go on to productive lives.
True lumpy jaw is caused by the bacteria Actinomycosis, which gain access to the mouth and jaw area by through abrasions or ulcers caused by teeth laceration from feed, or irritation from barley beards and grass awns. Older cows and bulls, as their teeth get sharp points, are more commonly affected. Once the bacteria gain entry in this area, a large swelling will develop over the maxilla (upper) or mandible (lower) jaw. More commonly the mandible is the one affected and the swelling is rock hard because the bone is involved. The jaw bone eventually looks like a honeycomb with multiple pockets of infection present.
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These pockets will often drain, heal over and a new area start to drain if left long enough. The fluid looks granular and has a straw colour. This fluid is full of the Actinomycosis bacteria and are infectious to other cattle in your herd. If producers leave one case too long they are often blessed with more cases in subsequent years.
We must as veterinarians be alerted to these cases early so the infection can be treated and stopped before it spreads. If left too long the porous bone deforms the jaw to the point where the teeth don’t line up and mastication becomes difficult. The result is severe weight loss, essentially from starvation.
Treatment involves antibiotics (I personally find tetracycline effective) together with sodium iodide intravenously. Sodium iodide acts as a carrier to get the antibiotic to the site of the problem and is a necessary part of the treatment. It is extremely irritating to tissue so it is imperative it be administered intravenously. It carries a warning on the label it can cause abortions but this is only in a very low percentage of cases so is definitely worth the risk. If cows are heavily pregnant I may wait until they calve before treating.
Success of treatment is very high a few need to be retreated. One must remember the damage to the bone is permanent so the swelling will not go away. Keep an eye for an increase in size of the swelling, which indicates the infection has not been cleared. The quicker we treat, the higher the success rate and the prevention of the drainage which is infectious to the herd-mates. If stopped before deviation to the jaw there is no reason not to retain the cow or bull in the herd. The swelling will only be a blemish at this stage.
Your veterinarian may use a mouth gag to differentiate lumpy jaw from a simple abscess or broken jaw, both of which require a different treatment.
WOODEN TONGUE TREATMENT
Wooden tongue (actinobacillosis) is caused by the bacteria Actinobacillosis Lignieres, which is similar to lumpy jaw. The treatment is identical. Clinically there will be profuse salivation and the tongue will often protrude from the mouth. Again your veterinarian will often use a mouth gag to fully examine the entire mouth and rule out a lacerated tongue, foreign object or a broken jaw, all of which cause salivation and swelling. We vets always have rabies in the back of our minds when salivation occurs.
With wooden tongue a hard woody feel is present, especially the back of the tongue. This makes eating and drinking very difficult so the weight loss is very dramatic. Swelling is often evident below the jaw and accompanies the weight loss.
Often with one treatment success is very high, with the accompanying weight gain and return to normal function.
Both these conditions offer a high chance of success if treated early. Antibiotics alone don’t cut it but in combination with the sodium iodide when the diagnosis is right most cows or bulls will go on to be productive in your herds. Remember the swelling with the lumpy jaw will be a permanent fixture and a blemish when the animal is sold but that is all. Individual treatment is definitely worth it in these cases. I personally have not known of one case of wooden tongue that did not turn around.
