bull calf with weak hips

[Lucyloo]

First post here! I've "stalked" the page for quite some time when I've had cattle questions and thought I'd pick your brains with a little bull calf I just picked up...

I've gained a reputation as a softie, and take in bucket calves that need extra tlc (I usually have the time a patience, when others don't). I picked up a 2 week old red angus bull calf yesterday with a really weak back end. He was checked over by a vet, given Draxxin, MU-SE, Multimin, and Dex last week. I also gave him Banamine last night as soon as I got him to my place. There are no visible abnormalities in his back legs or hips. He can get up and stand on his own but when he tries to walk, his back legs twist around and he goes in a circle until he goes down. If I stand next to him with my knee in his back hip, he can lean into me and walk normally (just very slow).

He was nursing on mom (the lady brought the cow up to the calf every 3 hours to nurse) so he has grown well, hes a little beast. He has a lot of spunk, every few steps he will try and hop and kick his back legs up. His hip mobility seems to be ok when I hold his leg and move it around, and he is a strong little bugger! I was told his birth was really fast and easy, no pulling or hip lock.

I took in a calf with similar issues a couple years ago and he came out of it after several weeks, but that may have just been dumb luck. Just curious if anyone else had ideas or suggestions on what I can do to help the little guy out?

Thanks in advance!

 

[A.J.]

:welcome: Did the vet have any suggestions to what thought it might be wrong with it? Sounds like he's a fighter with some spunk, so that's a good thing to have in your favor.

 

[Lucyloo]

The vet didn't give an indication of what he thought it could be. It was more of a shoulder shrug and a "well, he's either going to come out of it, or he won't".

The more time I spend with the little guy the more I see there's no rhyme or reason to how he moves. Sometimes he acts like his back legs are totally paralyzed and he can't move them at all. He will get up and move his front legs forward and his back legs drag and make him fall. Other times he will hop and jump around almost completely normal for a few steps before he falls. I've also watched him start to fall/stumble and pull his back legs up in time to catch himself. He's a fighter, that's for sure!

The hardest part will be deciding when enough is enough. If he doesn't improve quickly he's going to be too heavy for me to handle within a few weeks :cry2: