BLOODY HOOF

[KATHYWEEKS]

One of my older cows has a front bloody hoof. She is limping. The injury appears to be to the outer edge of the hoof. Not between the toes. It is dripping blood. (slowly) I'm new to all this. Any idea about this-looks like she might have got it caught on something to me. Should I let just let it be?

 

[r and s peckman]

I would bring her in and put her in a chute. Wash the area with some water and iodine. Check to see if there is anything in the wound. Wrap the wound with some gauze. Give her some LA200 and keep her in a dry lot and keep and eye on her.

 

[KATHYWEEKS]

I checked her again this morning. It has stopped bleeding. The area is dry -not icky looking. But she really is not putting any weight on it at all. She got up when I walked over to her, ate some hay, and then tried to make a step and laid back down. She's got the bad foot tucked up under her. I took her some water-which she drank right up. I don't have a cute-so Guess I will tend to her in the field. The weather is mild and dry right now-since I don't have a chute is there an antibiotic I could put in her water? Yes, I'm a newbie. Please be kind

 

[Alan]

Sounds like you have to get her caught up and tend the foot. See if it's an abscess that broke which means an infection is already there, and she's in bad need of antibiotics. Which I'm leaning towards since she is off the foot. If it was a cut she would still most likely walk on it until infection set in. You need to get her caught up and safely secured, so you do get hurt, clean the area, check it out, and get her treatment... antibiotics..... or call a Vet out to treat her.

Alan

 

[Alan]

Sorry, you hadn't had your second post up before I posted mine. I don't know of any antibiotic to put in the water, doesn't mean there isn't one, but you still have to get her to drink it. As far as a chute goes, since I think giving her a shot is the best way to go, if you have a STRONG gate that opens against a building or a STRONG fence you can "pinch" her between those. Tying the gate close on her to keep her in. I think long acting penicillin is the drug of choice. It can be bought at feed stores. If it is dry and not muddy you can also put a local spray or puffer on the area. You may just want to have a vet out and learn first hand at a cost to you. With most antibiotics, the cattle can not be slaughtered for 30 days after the treatment.

Good Luck,
Alan

 

[KATHYWEEKS]

I coaxed her into the small barn. Got her tied up and shot her up with LA200. She was surprisingly cooperative-for my first shot. Sprayed some Iodine on the foot-got her hooked up with lots of nice dry hay and watered her. Hopefully tommorow she'll be feeling better. Thanks for the help-I'll post back and let you know how it goes.

 

[Kelly]

I would make sure there is nothing in the foot. Try to soak it clean in warm water and Novalscan for a few minutes. Then look real close at it. Once it is clean put some salve on it and wrap it with gauze and vet wrap. If the wrap falls off then spray a blue cote on it a couple times a day. I treated one in the field (once it was first treated) for about a week and a half with the blue cote on a wire cut and it healed real well. Of course I carried water and feed to her the first few days. She was a cow that I could not keep penned up by the barn because she did not want all the rest to leave her and would get very upset. This was in the summer and I also had to spray Catron to keep the flies out of it.
I am glad you got her up and gave her a shot. There are antibiotics for in the water but they don't work as fast or as good. Is she up to date on Tetnus?

 

[Roadapple]

As you have no chute you might want to think about using Tetradure as it has residual effects for 7 to 8 days. Would'nt have to chase her around but once a week instead of every other day. And it's an oxytetracycline to. 300 mg. per ml. instead of 200. More expensive of course.

 

[KATHYWEEKS]

Checked her this morning again, she still is limping. I'm starting to think she has got something in it. There is no swelling or bad smell, and the claws are not spread aprat like its swollen. She is still eating and drinking normally. Can someone give me any ideas on how to tie her up so that I can check that hoof? I don't have a chute (yes I understand now that I desperatly need one) but till then any ideas. To inject her I tied her head to the barn support and she held still. But as for letting me touch her foot for very long-she didn't go for that. Do you just rap a rope around the foot and draw it up where she can't kick it? I don't want to cause her to break a leg or anything.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Alice]

Can ya' load her in a trailer? If you can, take her on to the vet. He'll have the facilities and the guess work can be taken out of it. Yeah, it'll cost a little bit, but look at all the time and effort and money you've already expended. Sometimes paying for a solution is a whole lot easier than suffering with the headache.

Alice

 

[Alan]

Kathy,

I sense by your last post that you have realized that this 1000lb animal isn't going to just stand there and let you mess with her. I wasn't going to step on the toes of others while I gave you my advice.

First choice, like Alice and I said before, get her to a vet or have one out. I think, while LA200 may help, it is the wrong antibiotic of choice. LA200 is for things such as pnumona (sp), snots, pink eye, not neccassily infections. Penicillin is my drug of choice for infection and like LA200 you only have to treat her every 3 days (long acting pen). Just my opinion.

second if you still want to try it yourself, hopfully you have a panel or a gate you can take off and use as a panel and pinch the cow between a strong wall and the panel or gate, tie it very secure, with the bad foot toward you. You should be able to treat her safely then.

Good luck,
Alan

 

[Kelly]

We have used gates that we hung (or you could use panels fastened very well) one on each side and the cow would face the wall. Tie the head in front and we also put a chain around the back end to keep them positioned where you want them.The width would be as wide as the cow is. We have one short gate so her back end sticks out farther then the gate. That way when you put a soft rope around her foot you do not put your hands or arms inside the gates or panels. That is a great way to get your arm broke if they kick at you. You can put the rope on something above the cow to help raise the foot a little by pulling on the rope. I would NOT tie this rope ... just have someone in control of this in case she loses her balance they can put the foot down immediatly to prevent her from falling. Have everything ready before you start and work fast. Wash it very good and soak it if she will let you. Put ointment and gauze and wrap it well with vet wrap and maybe even some duct tape. I would also give a long acting antibiotic if there is any chance of infection.
This set up worked real well when we had the vet out to work on a foot before. We have a chute now but still have the gate system set up in case we want to use it as it is under a roof and the chute isn't.
We have also used it to help a cow nurse a slow calf before and used it to AI and it worked well.
We actually have 3 gates that all close the cow in so which ever way they are facing it will work. 1 long one on one side and 2 short gates that close into each other with chains to secure them together.
Let us know how it goes.

 

[KATHYWEEKS]

Just a quick update, last night she seemed to be getting around a little better. Decieded to let it go another day-since this will be quite a task for me...Thanks for eveyone's suggestions hopefully things will heal themselves. I'll keep ya'll posted -your a great bunch!