Arthritis

[Nesikep]

Well, My old cow, who's a bit over 16 years old, has got some arthritis, and it's getting worse... she's had a slight limp since spring, but it's getting more pronounced... I got some Banamine from the vet, but at a 20cc IM dose daily, she's not going to like me very much, and it's expensive... Are there other treatments out there that could at least enable her to be comfortable for a little while that don't cost $21/day?

if this treatment is really effective, and 3 doses make her feel better for a good while, I'll still be happy.. My vet says he'll look into large ASA tablets for cows, which given daily would be cheap and may keep her going once the inflamation is under control

 

[dun]

A dozen aspirin morning and night with a bit of grain to get her to eat them

 

[Nesikep]

Alrighty, I'll give that a shot next time I get to Costco and can pick them up in bulk

 

[SSGenetics]

Sounds like she's ready to head to town....

 

[KNERSIE]

Sounds like she's ready to head to town....

Mmmm I agree.

If you have prickly pears there you could cut some leafs into cubes and boil them to make a tea and dose her daily with that, it will give longer term relief after the inflammation has been dealt with. If you can get her to drink it at free will just add it to her water. Works on humans too.

 

[Nesikep]

we got fields full of prickly pears!.. if I could de-prickle them and dice them I'm sure she'd take them with some grain.

I gave her the doses of Banamine, and the analgesic in it did help her, though I'll have to see about the long term effects of it. I also saw she has a skin lesion just above her hoof, and she wasn't cooperative about letting me look at it, so it does hurt, and maybe it's been there a while and I misdiagnosed arthritis. I'll be taking her into the corral for closer observation within the week.

A cow like her has no town to go to... she'll be put down on the farm. but she give me such amazing heifer calves I don't mind collecting a couple more... the one she's raising now is 5 months and is 550 lbs, the biggest heifer calf of the herd, and the cow is only about 12-1300 (she used to be about 1400), and she bred back first time around again. If the limp isn't arthritis, I'll give the hoof a wash with an antibacterial/antifungal and try to get a better look at it.

I might try the prickly pear tea for my tendinitis that keeps naggins my elbows, thanks for the tip

 

[wildsawmill]

i have tried lots of different pills for that arthritis .seems sour mash bourban works the best but it limits your driving to 0

 

[Nesikep]

bourbon would be really costly for a 1400 lb cow... but after she drank it, she certainly wouldn't feel like walking much anyhow