Bull hoof problem

[Toad]

I have an issue with my bull that I haven't had any experience with. It seems the inside toe of one back hoof is cracking. Its almost as if its splitting away right where it joins his leg. It looks to be just a hairline crack that runs maybe a third of the way up starting in the back and going forward.
A little background, I checked these cattle Sunday morning and he was working on breeding a cow. I got the stomach bug and missed checking on them a few days. Sometime in between I guess he hurt himself.
Currently he is eating like a pig and limping along. Showing a small amount of swelling and I pumped him full of the only thing I had LA200. Tried to contact my vet but they are closed through tomorrow. Thinking of calling Virginia Tech tomorrow and see if I can bring him over there. They did good things on another cow I had problems with last year. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm a little bothered as this is my first registered bull and he is only a two year old.

 

[kenny thomas]

You have dont what you can do. Sounds like the calls to the vet are the next thing.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Good luck.
Can you post a picture of it?

 

[skyhightree1]

Picture posted for bullfrog :lol2:

 

[branguscowgirl]

Could have been an injury up in the coronet band, where hoof growth starts. As it grew out, developed a bacterial infection in the crack. Just a thought.
Are you seeing any improvement after giving the LA 300?

A good hoof guy might be able to open the hoof wall and flush it out real well. I would definitely keep him on antibiotics. Which one, I am not sure.

 

[skyhightree1]

I would try to clean that area and then spray it heavily with blu kote just to try to keep it clean

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Ouch!
Is it wet? Like seepage of fluids? Depending on what happened, or how it happened, will determine healing. I know when we had such a crack with horses, the farrier would clean it real well, then spackle the crack with an epoxy to keep junk out and help keep it from spitting further. Either way, I would show that to a hoof trimmer or your vet, and see what their action would be. You will likely have to weigh sending him to the barn before he gets worse and can not go and paying to treat it.

 

[Toad]

It seems fairly dry although he hasn't let me get any closer then this. From the back it looks almost like a straight cut only on the left side. Hopefully I can get him some attention tomorrow when the vet office opens back up.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I have had horses do this when they abscessed and blew out through the hoof wall with additional cracking. They often need some outer portion of the hoof removed to be able to soak and flush it. Hopefully your vet has a tilt table so he can really get in there and look at it.
Good luck, and let us know what happens.

 

[Toad]

I have had horses do this when they abscessed and blew out through the hoof wall with additional cracking. They often need some outer portion of the hoof removed to be able to soak and flush it. Hopefully your vet has a tilt table so he can really get in there and look at it.
Good luck, and let us know what happens.

Thats what my vet seems to think is going on. She is only doing emergency visits until Monday and seems to think he will be okay until then. Asked that I give another round of LA200 and keep him up where he doesn't walk much. Monday at 9 he goes to meet her at Virginia Tech because she said they have the facility to handle it better there. Also it allows the students to observe as well which is pretty good. I feel fortunate to be close to a good facility like that.
http://www.angus.org/Animal/EpdPedDtl.a ... baCQ%3d%3d This is the bull. I know he isn't top of the line but I'm just starting out on the cow calf thing and I though he would do the job for a few years while I learn.

 

[skyhightree1]

Toad don't take him to the vet I will give you 5 crisp ben franks and drive down there and take him off your hands sunday

 

[Toad]

:lol2: He goes in my freezer long before he gets sold for that!

 

[skyhightree1]

:lol2: He goes in my freezer long before he gets sold for that!

Maybe I should have taken you out for 2-12 packs before I asked you :lol2:

 

[Toad]

Today we made the trip to VT to see the vet. It was abscessed and they had to open it up. The vet seems to think he will be okay long term. Recommended keeping him up in the barn for a week and then 3 months off. They glue a wooden lift onto the good toe so all the weight is off the bad toe.
On a side note I can't begin to say how much I appreciate living near an ag school. Its really neat to get good service and also be part of the learning process. 5 students were part of the process today.

 

[branguscowgirl]

That's great toad! Thanks for letting us know.

I know that many of you don't believe in trimming, but when you put them on a table and you can see a separation between the wall and sole, you need to worry about this happening. "Gravel" getting in to that space and abscessing out through the wall or the coronet band. I believe that it has more to do with nutrition and environment then it does genetics. Or perhaps even an injury. But none the less I like to check feet on a table once a year to ward off any potential problems, especially with a valuable bull. Just my :2cents:

 

[Toad]

I obviously don't know a lot about this but I think I understood the vet to say she sees more feet problems when a bull is on a hot diet. Is this true or maybe I misunderstood. She asked about his diet and I told her right now its free choice hay and about 2 gal of corn gluten a day. She seemed to think that was balanced and shouldn't have been an issue.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Yes hot feed, being over weight, consistent wet ground and many other things can contribute to damaged hoofs. Being on the brink of foundering at one time or another is a big culprit. I have seen it over and over again because people want these fast growing fat bulls. They often get puffed hocks and risk their feet being prone to damage.

Have you always owned him? He could have been pushed hard as a calf on hotter feed.
Or maybe he just simply got something lodged up in his foot.

 

[Toad]

I bought him in March off a test. I slowly worked him down to grass and then started supplementing a little gluten when we went to hay. The vet said that may have been where the issues started although that was 9 months ago.

 

[Toad]

He definitely isn't over weight, in fact I was worried I have run him down a bit. He turns two this month and has already bred around 30 cows since I got him( two different groups, not at the same time). I know thats probably more than he should have been with but he seems to have settled every one on the first shot.

 

[branguscowgirl]

You may never know for sure toad. All you can do is take care of the current infection and keep his feet in good shape.
If by chance he was ever foundered, or on the verge of foundering, they are susceptible to it again. Keeping him on the slimmer side will be better for him. But that is just a big if.......since you do not know that is the cause of the abscess to begin with. I am only throwing a scenario out there.
Good luck.