NEMO | MU1979 - 3/28/2025 21:59
Sounds to your vet is learning at your expense. Really stupid question has anyone looked good in his mouth for anything strange inside it. I seen dumb over the years.
Vet had mouth open today and looked/poked around.
First diagnosis was by cell phone pics 2 days ago. Remote area with no corral and no way to get vet out or bull to the vet in a quick manner.
We really don't know if it happened overnight or was gradually getting worse. (Vet just assumed it happen suddenly so that's why he initially thought blue tongue). I'm guessing it was gradually getting worse. Bull has been on alfalfa/clover/grass hay field with some heavy reeds canary grass and stockpiled fescue around a pond. Couple wooded draws with trees and brush so plenty of opportunity to pick up something he shouldn't have.
There has been plenty of picking and you can see the cattle from the road on 3 sides of the pasture. Lots of times just do a drive by to see that the cattle are in from a distance if there is no snow and they usually don't need a hay bale. Bull was running with goofy fall bred heifers and they usually run the opposite direction when you do pull in the pasture (unlike our cows that always come to the truck). The heifers are slowly getting trained to the truck.
Vet has been at it awhile and seen a lot but is still a long ways from retirement. He worked hard trying to help figure out the liver flukes and red water deal we had going on in this area a few years back.
We were both shooting from the hip 2 days ago off of a hired hands cell phone pictures and limited information as neither one of us could physically get to the bull to properly examine it. While it is likely that it is Wooden tongue, he has seen enough crazy crap happen to be open to the idea or possibility that something else could of been the cause.
Deer are super thick in our area. So the idea of a bull having blue tongue, CWD, emd or whatever of the lastest viral deer disease that can cross over to cattle is definitely in the realm of possibilities. |
My Vet is Not Convinced...
