1st calf heifer down after birth

Help Support CattleToday:

A

Anonymous

Hi,

When going out to check on a heifer that was due to calve the other day , my husband got to the field and she had already given birth , the calf was dead and she was down. The vet got there shortly after and he said that she had touble getting the baby through the birth canal but he (bull calf). She was not injured ( her back) as far as he could tell.

She has some eye twitching and her head is curled to her body. She is drinking water and eating some . She did hit her head the Vet said. He thinks she is exhausted. We have her proped up against hay bales. She is being given Dexamethazone (sp) and Banamine, & B-12.

Any suggestions? We are really upset by this, we should have been there to pull him. It was 36 degrees and raining and we kept checking on her but she calved quickly. We hope to get her up. I have a sling that will be here Monday.



[email protected]
 
> Hi,

> When going out to check on a
> heifer that was due to calve the
> other day , my husband got to the
> field and she had already given
> birth , the calf was dead and she
> was down. The vet got there
> shortly after and he said that she
> had touble getting the baby
> through the birth canal but he
> (bull calf). She was not injured (
> her back) as far as he could tell.

> She has some eye twitching and her
> head is curled to her body. She is
> drinking water and eating some .
> She did hit her head the Vet said.
> He thinks she is exhausted. We
> have her proped up against hay
> bales. She is being given
> Dexamethazone (sp) and Banamine,
> & B-12.

> Any suggestions? We are really
> upset by this, we should have been
> there to pull him. It was 36
> degrees and raining and we kept
> checking on her but she calved
> quickly. We hope to get her up. I
> have a sling that will be here
> Monday.

Kat- She'll probably be up before your sling gets here, maybe even by morning. Sounds like the tough birth may have pinched some nerves. I have had several heifers and old cows that wouldn't move for hours after a tough birth. Some for a couple of days. Most come out of it. She may need a little steadying help when she gets up because she could be wobbly.
 
> Kat- She'll probably be up before
> your sling gets here, maybe even
> by morning. Sounds like the tough
> birth may have pinched some
> nerves. I have had several heifers
> and old cows that wouldn't move
> for hours after a tough birth.
> Some for a couple of days. Most
> come out of it. She may need a
> little steadying help when she
> gets up because she could be
> wobbly.

Thanks SO much for your reply, she has been down now for 2 days. This happened Thanksgiving night.( And yes the Vet came out, he is great!) My husband just went to prop her up again and she seems to be a little more with it. Still with the head to the side and can't get up. Any more suggestions would be appreciated!

kat



[email protected]
 
Has her blood been tested for mineral deficiency? She sort of sounds like she may be lacking either Ca, Mg or most likely P. Good Luck V
 
> Has her blood been tested for
> mineral deficiency? She sort of
> sounds like she may be lacking
> either Ca, Mg or most likely P.
> Good Luck V

No she has not been tested. Is the blood something that can bring back to the vet clinic and find out? Vicki, she has had Ca as they thought it might be Milk Fever, where can I get Mg or P? Please respond as quickly as possible, Thanks!

kat



[email protected]
 
These are generally tested at the clinic. Ca, Mg and P can all be part of the IV fluids given--check it out and ask your vet. Mg generally kills them quickly, P keeps them down a long time--ask your vet. v

PS Ask your vet! Get the hint??
 
> These are generally tested at the
> clinic. Ca, Mg and P can all be
> part of the IV fluids given--check
> it out and ask your vet. Mg
> generally kills them quickly, P
> keeps them down a long time--ask
> your vet. v

> PS Ask your vet! Get the hint??

Vicki,

Thank you for your reply. I got the hint! It is Sunday and Vets are sometimes slow to call back. Also as most people know , it sometimes hard to get a Vet to make a diagnosis and that can be frustrating as we pay a tremendous amount of money for vet bills. They come out at a drop of a hat, but sometimes they remain clueless ( we are in a very rural area) which leads me to the internet trying to save their lives or the State University. I plan on calling them in the morning. Thanks again for the reply! I appreciate it!

kat



[email protected]
 
Hi Christina,

Thanks for asking.. She is still down with her head curled to her body. But seems to be getting a little better. We just do not know what is wrong. I have just called the state vet shcool. So I hope they can help. We bring a lot of animals there for treatment. They do a great job.

I have a new sling that will be here tomorrow. I will be at the gate meeting the UPS man.

kat



[email protected]
 

Latest posts

Top