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A growth that appears before a cow’s eyes does not bode well. Such formations resemble cauliflower in appearance. In fact, the cause of the appearance of such warts is bovine papillomavirus.
Bovine papillomavirus model looks like a ball
Causes of growths and bumps on the eyes of cattle
Among several hundred types of papillomaviruses, 7 are specific to cows. And only one of them affects exclusively the skin. Other types can form growths on the udder and cause benign tumors in the tissues of animals. Three types provoke gastrointestinal and bladder cancer. But growths on the skin in the scalp area are mainly due to the BPV-3 virus strain.
The disease is transmitted very easily. Minor damage to the skin is enough. Usually the first bump grows where the virus enters the skin. The calf can become infected from the mother while suckling milk.
The growths in the head and neck area are caused by cows scratching their skins against the fence of the pens. There is also an opinion that cattle often become infected with papillomatosis while watering in a lake overgrown with reeds. This can occur due to micro-cuts of the thin skin on the lips and sclera of the eyes by plant leaves.The causative agent of the disease is well preserved in the external environment. Since the incubation period is 2 months, usually the entire herd manages to become infected with papillomatosis.
Often papillomas appear first on the eyelids due to the fact that cows scratch their eyes trying to get rid of flies
The growths may not necessarily appear on all cows. The ways the virus enters the body are known, but it is still not clear why and how papillomas appear.
Papillomatosis mainly affects young animals under 2 years of age. So the occurrence of growths may be associated with the still weak immunity of calves. In addition, livestock kept in unsanitary conditions are more likely to get sick.
It is believed that with cutaneous growths, the virus is concentrated in the wart itself and is not spread by blood. But the appearance of lumps in different places of the cow’s body indicates the spread of the causative agent of papillomatosis through the bloodstream. It can settle in the tissues it “needs”, rapidly giving rise to new formations.
The duration of growth of skin formations is about a year. After this, the mature growth disappears, although the virus remains in the body. There is another way of developing papillomas. They appear one after another until the body develops resistance to the virus. Because of this diversity and the relative recovery of livestock, debate continues about how to treat the virus. And whether it needs to be treated at all.
Warts can be not only on the head and eyes, but also on the neck, back, sides and chest
Appearance
Growths caused by papillomavirus exist in 2 types: a bunch of small sticks attached to a thin stalk, semicircular formations, the surface of which is similar to a head of cauliflower. Skin growths on cows belong to the second type.
The surface of these cones is usually light to dark gray in color. Normally they should be dry. If the papillomas bleed or ooze ichor, this means that the cow damaged them somewhere.
Skin formations of the second type that have grown to indecent sizes resemble more an “Alien” nest than cauliflower
Treatment of a growth on the eyes of a cow
In most cases, treatment for warts involves removing them. Experts differ only in the methods and time of cutting out growths.
Veterinary doctors at the University of Georgia believe that papillomas should be removed as soon as they appear. And repeat the procedures until the cones stop growing. That is, the cow will develop immunity. True, removing growths on the eyes can be difficult due to the location of papillomas on the delicate eyelids.
The veterinary textbook from Merck & Co. recommends waiting until the growths reach their maximum size or even begin to shrink. According to the author of this textbook, a wart can be removed only after its development cycle has completed. This theory has some basis. Practice shows that removing an immature growth can cause rapid growth of subsequent ones.
Bumps on the eyes of cows are the most dangerous, since when they grow too large, they can damage the cornea. And papillomas will appear again in these places. Animals scratch their eyes, damaging the skin of the wart and causing the formation to grow.
If the cow has already been infected with papillomavirus, stimulation of the immune system will cause rapid growth of warts.It is difficult to explain what this is connected with, since the owners of the affected animals established this fact experimentally.
Therapeutic vaccination
To treat existing growths, a vaccine based on the BPV-4 E7 or BPV-2 L2 strains is used. It causes early regression of warts and their rejection by the body.
Animals whose warts have taken up too large an area of the body are recommended to be sent to slaughter
Preventive actions
Traditionally, preventive measures include compliance with veterinary and sanitary rules when keeping cows. Practice shows that this does not work well.
A more effective remedy is a preventive vaccine. It is used only on cows that do not yet have growths. A veterinarian can prepare the drug on the spot. The product is a suspension of papilloma tissue. The virus is killed by adding formalin. A vaccine is effective if it is used against the same type of virus. This explains the need to manufacture it in “handicraft” conditions. The growth must be collected from a cow in the herd designated for vaccination.
Cows eating bracken are at risk of developing human papillomavirus-related cancer, but the growths are not affected.
Conclusion
If the growth in front of the cow’s eyes is small and does not interfere with her life, it is better not to touch the wart. Removing or attempting to burn it out using “folk” remedies can damage the eyeball. It is necessary to remove papillomas only when they reduce the quality of life of animals, affect other important organs and cause discomfort.
