Teat pox in dairy cow

Introduction

Teat pox in dairy cows is very common but problematic disease, caused due to mild infection of udder and teats of dairy cow. Very often it is misunderstood as cow pox which is rare disease, seldom it happens. It is a zoonotic disease, generally occurs in animals of age more than 2yrs. Freshly calved and recently introduced cattle are more susceptible. Its leads to difficulty in milking may increase the chances of mastitis. The disease can be transferred to humans, infection usually resulting in development of milker’s nodules in the hand.

Etiology

Family: Pox viridae
Subfamily: Chordo pox virinae
Genus: Para pox virus
Species: Pseudo pox virus

Symptoms

1. Acute form

Lesions start to begin after 48 hours of virus invasion, which raptures resulting in formation of thick scab markedly elevated by developing granulation tissue beneath it, after 7-10 days the scab drop off leaving a horse shoe-shaped ring of small scabs surrounding granulation tissue. This lesion may persist for months in the teats and udder.

2. Chronic form

More dark and rough scabs can be seen over teats and udder of cow, lesions may persist for many days but pain is not there.

3. Milker’s nodules

Disease gets transmitted to the hands of milker and similar symptoms develop as that in cow.

Diagnosis

Isolation from scabs or from fresh lesion. Isolation from teat skin culture.
Identification by :

a) Microscope

b) Fluorescent antibody technique

Injection on chorioallantoic membrane of embryonated chicken egg: only in case of cow pox gives pock lesion

The lesions of cow teat pox are more numerous, larger, stay for longer period and painless than cow pox.

Preventive measures

Follow hygienic measures such as:

Isolation and treatment of affected cow.
Milking of affected cow in last.
Disinfection of milker’s hand and teat cups.
1% KMnO₄udder washes before and after milking.
Reduce teat trauma because infection is facilitated by discontinuity of the skin.

Treatment

Removal of the scabs, which should be burned to avoid contaminating the environment
Emollient ointment should be applied in prescribed dose
Iodophore teat dip
Multiple modalities for treatment of molluscum contagiosum have been described, including cryotherapy, mechanical curettage, and chemical treatments with podophyllin/ podofilox, cantharidin, iodine, and tretinoin in doses as prescribed by competent veterinary practitioner after proper diagonosis
Astringent preparations containing calamine lotion, zinc oxide, lugol’s iodine solution may be used on vesicular or wet lesions
Corticosteroid or enzymes may be used to debride necrotic tissues

Note: Photos are taken from internet for information purpose only. Author does not commit it to be his own.

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