Ticks are considered one of the most dangerous blood-sucking animals for animals, as they cause serious infections. Medicines and tick preventatives for cows help treat animals and prevent bites. The key to the health and full development of a cow is a timely diagnosis and the prescription of the correct treatment regimen.
How dangerous are bloodsuckers for cows?
Tick bites can cause cows to develop various diseases. Blood-sucking insects that pose a danger to animals include: ixodidae, scabies, subcutaneous, and cutaneous.The most common diseases carried by arthropods are:
- piroplasmosis – 2-3 weeks after the bite the animal develops a temperature of 41-43 °C, loss of appetite, digestive functions are impaired, and the liver is affected. The milk exhibits bitterness and a reddish tint. Without medical care, the cow dies within 4-5 days;
- psoroptosis is caused by a cutaneous bite. Symptoms: thickenings appear on the body, causing severe itching, body temperature rises, hair falls out, areas of bare skin appear;
- encephalitis - the incubation period lasts one to two weeks. However, symptoms of infection may appear as early as 4-5 days. The animal experiences damage to the central nervous system (convulsions, paresis of the limbs), a lethargic state, and body temperature rises.
If the infection is not diagnosed in a timely manner, animals most often die. Milk and meat products obtained from sick cattle also pose a danger to humans.
Which areas are most likely to be attacked?
The greatest blood-sucking activity is observed in approximately 16 regions. Ticks begin active life from late January to early February. Livestock breeders in the Crimea, Krasnodar and Stavropol territories are the first to encounter cattle tick bites.
It is known that ticks become more active as the weather gets warmer. A global increase in air temperature contributes to increased arthropod activity. And the problem is beginning to affect livestock farmers in other regions.Also, the boundaries of endemic areas begin to expand due to animal migration, as ticks infect animals with viruses, and the latter, in turn, transmit viruses to other ticks.
Methods for protecting cattle from ticks
Untimely detection of blood-sucking insects on a cow’s body leads to the development of dangerous diseases. To decide on a treatment regimen, it is important to correctly diagnose the disease.
To avoid mistakes, it is recommended to do laboratory tests.
Pharmacy drugs
When prescribing medications, the diagnosis, the cow’s well-being, and the nature of the disease are taken into account. Common medications prescribed for tick bites:
- For the treatment of piroplasmosis, a single intramuscular injection of an aqueous solution of “Berenil” in a volume of 3.5 mg/kg of animal weight is prescribed. In case of severe disease, the injection is repeated and hemodez is administered intravenously. Additionally, an injection of Diamedin is given intramuscularly at a dose of 1-2 mg per kg of cow weight. The disease causes vitamin B12 deficiency. It is important to make up for the deficiency - the vitamin is injected intramuscularly or added to food;
- Before prescribing drugs for the treatment of psoroptosis, scraping the skin is done. A common treatment regimen: Ivermec is administered intramuscularly. To treat the skin, a 2% suspension of colloidal sulfur is used, the animal’s body is sprayed with Psoroptol aerosol. For treatment to be effective, procedures are carried out within 7-15 days;
- Ivermectin injections are given subcutaneously when demodicosis is diagnosed. Small mites cause severe itching, live in the sebaceous glands and actively reproduce. At the initial stage of the disease, the skin is treated with Acrodex aerosol. A good effect is observed when using the Sevin solution.
To protect the cow from ticks and remove them from the udder, use ITALMAS VP MINT, the main active ingredient of which is mint essential oil. Pharmacy products are also often used as preventatives. The most popular are: “Bayofly” (an oily liquid is lubricated on the body of a cow, the duration of action is 28 days), aerosols “Centaur”, “Alezan”, dust “Sevina” (animals are treated monthly in the period April-October).
Folk remedies
Decoctions and infusions prepared at home are often used as prophylactic agents. Useful solutions can be made using several recipes:
- to coat the animal's body, use an oil solution of tar (prepared in a ratio of 1 part tar solution and 10 parts oil);
- To remove bloodsuckers, infusions of medicinal herbs are prepared. Of the strong-smelling plants, the most suitable are mint, wormwood, and tansy. To prepare a solution of wormwood, pour 20 g of dried leaves into two glasses of hot water and boil for 1-2 minutes. Animals are sprayed with chilled broth before grazing.
When preparing solutions and decoctions, you need to remember about the short-term period of exposure of blood-sucking animals. Even strong-smelling sprays disappear from the cow’s skin within 2-3 hours. Therefore, to ensure long-term effective protection, it is recommended to treat animal skin with sprays recommended by a veterinarian.
Preventive measures and timely detection of ticks prevent the development of diseases in animals. Cattle require special attention during the period of active life of arthropods. It is not recommended to treat cows yourself; be sure to seek help from a veterinarian.
