Advice please regarding a cow that had nasal discharge and isn't eating

[guestonhere]

Hi,

I am really having problems with knowing what to do about a cow that started showing symptoms of a nasal discharge with blood in it. She stopped eating but was walking around the fields ok and even bossing the others as she always has done. I rang the vet to get an idea of what he thought it might be. My partner wouldn't pay to get him out and I wasn't very happy with that because she's always been a good cow. The vet said on the phone that he thought it might be something to do with her lungs but he was obviously trying to provide the best answer he could without having seen her. This was on the Tuesday after I noticed on Monday night that she had bloody mucus coming out of her nose. She also has her eyes half closed when sitting or walking and they don't look as bright.

On Wednesday, the blood had more or less disappeared from her nostrils but there was still a clear discharge. She wasn't eating but moving around almost as well as she did at any time. Yesterday, we tried her with a bit of hay and didn't think that she would accept it, especially since she had access to fresh grass that she wasn't eating. She actually started eating it in extremely small quantities in very slow motion. The same thing today but she hasn't had much because we don't have much of that particular bale of hay left and she spits out the other hay. She is drinking water but I noticed that she hasn't been quite as active today.

Anyone with any ideas, please?

Thanks

 

[bird dog]

Sounds like she has an infection or pmeumonia and would need a good antibiotic. I assume she is an old cow?

 

[SBMF 2015]

Get her in and restrain her enough to check her temp,and see if she has a fever. Sounds like pneumonia, but could be hardware or lymphoma. Mature cows are tough. It takes a lot to wear them down, but when they do get sick it's an uphill battle all the way to bring them back.
Please keep us updated.

 

[wbvs58]

Is it both nostrils or just one? We see very little pneumonia in paddock animals in Australia so my line of thinking is usually more on foreign body lodged up the back of the larynx/soft palate area.
I would be getting her in a head bale, pull her tongue out to the side between her teeth and put my hand down to feel around. You need to be carefull with scratches, may need gloves. We don't have Rabies in Australia.

Ken

 

[sstterry]

We don't have Rabies in Australia.
Ken

That never even occurred to me. Are there any other diseases that we have that you don't have down under?

 

[guestonhere]

Sounds like she has an infection or pmeumonia and would need a good antibiotic. I assume she is an old cow?

Yes, she's actually 18 years old. My partner won't get a vet out so I can't really get antibiotics for her. The on!y thing I can say is that she is drinking water.

Thanks

 

[guestonhere]

Hi bird dog,

Yes, she is actually 18 years old. My partner won't get a vet out for her, so in that case I can't get any antibiotics for her. She is drinking water and my partner says that he saw her pooping small amounts today but I've tried hand feeding her today and she chews the hay but then spits it out again. I'm sure she swallowed it yesterday.

Thanks

 

[guestonhere]

Get her in and restrain her enough to check her temp,and see if she has a fever. Sounds like pneumonia, but could be hardware or lymphoma. Mature cows are tough. It takes a lot to wear them down, but when they do get sick it's an uphill battle all the way to bring them back.
Please keep us updated.

It isn't something that I could manage to do and my partner won't do it because he didn't want to keep the cow anyway. Thing is, she's always been a good cow and I thought she deserved attention and treatment.

Thanks

 

[guestonhere]

Is it both nostrils or just one? We see very little pneumonia in paddock animals in Australia so my line of thinking is usually more on foreign body lodged up the back of the larynx/soft palate area.
I would be getting her in a head bale, pull her tongue out to the side between her teeth and put my hand down to feel around. You need to be carefull with scratches, may need gloves. We don't have Rabies in Australia.

Ken

We're based in the UK. The discharge is coming from both nostrils but it isn't as bad as it was and it has turned to clear.

Thanks

 

[guestonhere]

I'm wondering if there is something else that I can give her that would help instead of antibiotics. Would human aspirin be any good? How do I administer it if I can't open the cow's mouth? I'm not sure my partner would help with this because he wanted her to go at the first sign of illness. she is a favourite cow. Also, I hope that waiting until now to provide any treatment isn't too late. I'm worried that she might not be getting the food she needs.

Thanks

 

[Hpacres440p]

Aspirin is an anticoagulant-would cause additional bleeding if there is a source. Sounds like you may have a dental or throat problem, but at 18 years old, it's likely more of an end of life problem. Sounds like you're fighting to find an answer without your partner wanting to participate, which leaves it difficult to find an answer. Good luck

 

[guestonhere]

Aspirin is an anticoagulant-would cause additional bleeding if there is a source. Sounds like you may have a dental or throat problem, but at 18 years old, it's likely more of an end of life problem. Sounds like you're fighting to find an answer without your partner wanting to participate, which leaves it difficult to find an answer. Good luck

She has been unable to get up today and has only drank water. My partner has arranged to have her picked up tomorrow and I am upset about it because she was very special to me and I always looked forward to seeing her. I've known her for 15 years.

 

[wbvs58]

We don't have Rabies in Australia.
Ken

That never even occurred to me. Are there any other diseases that we have that you don't have down under?

I think there is but none come to mind at the moment. We have some that you don't have there, Ephemeral fever is one that comes to mind. A bad zoonosis as in kill you that we have is Hendra virus in horses spread by bats.

Ken

 

[wbvs58]

Guest, I think due to the restraints on what you are able to do with her without the help of your unfairly in my opinion uncooperative partner. I think having her picked up might be the most humane solution.

Ken

 

[guestonhere]

Guest, I think due to the restraints on what you are able to do with her without the help of your unfairly in my opinion uncooperative partner. I think having her picked up might be the most humane solution.

Ken

She has been picked up this morning. I wasn't sure whether she'd still be alive and she wasn't, she had probably gone in the night. I am very upset and I also know that we shouldn't get too attached to animals but the affection built up over time.

Thanks