Veterinarians are often asked to check problems or disease involving the oral cavity of cattle. Clinical signs such as swelling, excessive salivation or reluctance to eat and weight loss are the only obvious signs.
By careful examination the cause can often be determined and treatment started, if necessary.
When examining the mouth, proper restraint is necessary, as well as having a proper gag and good light source. Cattle are tremendous producers of saliva so with any irritation copious amounts of saliva are produced. The drink-water gag is my favourite because it slips in between the molars on one side and allows a complete view and ability to poke around the oral cavity without risk of being bitten. Veterinarians usually have one for each side. A large hardwood handle inserted sideways in the mouth may accomplish the same purpose and can be used in a pinch.
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The tongue can then be moved side to side to allow a better view of the entire mouth.
Two common diseases encountered in the oral area are wooden tongue and lumpy jaw. Both are treatable, if caught early. Wooden tongue is especially responsive to antibiotics and sodium iodide intravenously. It will generally cause lots of salivation with swelling under the jaw, and the back of the tongue feels like a chunk of wood, hence the name. If the cow is pregnant the sodium iodide can cause abortions, but in my experience this is seldom the case.
Like wooden tongue, a specific bacterium causes lumpy jaw and, if treated early, the damage it causes to the jawbone can be stopped. The lump that is present seldom goes away so the cow will have this blemish for the rest of its life. In advanced cases that are discharging fluid, the animal should be shipped, as it is unlikely treatment will be successful and the discharge is spreading the bacteria around.
When examining the mouth, veterinarians are ruling in or out other less common ailments. Broken jaws caused by trauma or ulcers from cattle biting their cheeks or tongues are always a possibility. I have seen two cases where cows have bitten part of their tongues off.
One must remember the mouth is sensitive with lots of nerve endings and a good blood supply, so healing will often occur naturally withtrauma. The pain though, suppresses the ability to eat so weight loss is a likely outcome until healing occurs. Cancers or tumours can be tested by biopsy to determine their prognosis.
The teeth should always be examined for signs of infection, alignment and proper wear. Occasionally, teeth have to be filed to reduce sharp points that may be cutting the area. Cattle seldom exhibit teething problems but in young cattle up to three years of age, the loss of baby teeth can lead to excess salivation.
A fun trick to play on people is to be aghast at the fact you have found no upper front teeth. This can serve as a teaching experience that people won’t soon forget.
Other species like camelids and bison are the same, having no upper incisors.
Whenever there is excess salivation we must think of the possibility of some nervous problem causing the inability to swallow. Rabies must always enter our minds. This is rare here in Alberta but more common in other areas of Canada. After having just examined a cow with copious saliva or the inability to swallow, we hope to find an obvious cause. If none could be found, then rabies would definitely be on the list of possibilities.
Cows can choke on such things as potatoes or sugar beets. Tremendous salivation occurs in these situations as well because more saliva is produced because of the blockage. Your veterinarian would again use a gag and would do one of two things. He would go in and retrieve the blocking agent if it could be reached or pass a stomach tube to attempt to push it into the rumen.
With problems in and around the mouth, the biggest mistake we make is in not looking close enough. Most problems can be sorted out with a thorough visual exam of the area. In most cases a specific treatment will alleviate the problem. This may simply involve palliative care until the situation heals on its own.
Roy Lewis is a veterinarian practising in Westlock, Alta.
