Early treatment is best for wooden tongue

Veterinarians in the North West Livestock Health and Pest Authority are reminding producers to be on the lookout for wooden tongue and report the disease quickly so treatment can be undertaken.

Ted Irwin, North West LHPA district veterinarian, says many producers are not aware of the condition or that is it treatable.

"Wooden tongue is a common disease in the Warialda region at the moment but it also occurs throughout NSW. It is caused by a bacterium, Actinobacillus lignieresi, which lives in the mouth and potentially the rumen of cattle. 

"Traditionally this disease occurs where there is access to sharp, stalky pasture or hay, but it may also occur when cattle are grazing cereal crops like oats, especially when wet conditions follow a drought.

"The bacterium enters the animal through cuts or abrasions in the mouth resulting in micro-abscesses and hardening of the tissue. This causes the tongue to exhibit a hard, swollen and ‘woody’ characteristic," he said.

Dr Irwin says that wooden tongue is easily misdiagnosed with other conditions, such as liver fluke and grass seed abscesses, resulting in incorrect treatment. Often animals are euthanased when they become emaciated.

"Classic signs of wooden tongue include swelling below the jaw, much like ‘bottle jaw’, the animal losing weight, and sometimes the tongue protrudes from the mouth.

"The bottle jaw should not be confused with that caused by liver fluke, as the swelling is due to a different process. Unlike liver fluke, wooden tongue generally only affects one or a small percentage of animals at any one time."

Once wooden tongue has been confirmed, the earlier treatment is instigated the more likely it is to be successful.

"There are varying treatment regimes for the disease and if effective drugs are used, treatment often results in a positive outcome. However, some cases may be too advanced for treatment," Dr Irwin said. 

"There is potential for affected animals to release more of the organism into the environment, so ideally they should be isolated from the mob during treatment and it may help to disinfect water troughs and feeding areas if this is possible."

If you suspect wooden tongue, contact your LHPA district vet or private vet for a consultation or advice on treatment options.

Media contact: Kylie Dunn 6391 3720 / 0428 465 378