Bum Leg Bull

[wlamarparmer]

Ain't there so just judging from pictures and 40 yrs since done large animal medicine, Appears muscle loss scapula area and dropped shoulder with swelling area of humerus and radius/ulna. Got no dog this hunt but best guess old fracture of humerus or lower. Has DVM checked, sometime we know what we're doing ???
Wilson Lamar Parmer, DVM

 

[wlamarparmer]

Not paying attention, just saw Lucky P post., I defer to him, My opinion he the expert, me just a retired
old phart.
Wilson Lamar Parmer. DVM

 

[rockroadseminole]

Have not taken him to vet. Probably a mistake on my part, but didn't see where it would help at the time and probably too late now. Day of I spoke with two vets on phone and had one "wise old man" look at him, and all said that no matter what diagnosis (after ruling out footrot) that the treatment was the same... wait and see, or take him to Auburn for surgery (AU not being an option $$$). We gave the recommended anti-inflammatory and even some antibiotic for good measure the day after we found him. Continuing with the wait and see for now... both vets acted like they didn't want to charge me for guesses or were too old to fool with him. Never a good sign when the vet says "wweellllll, I could come look at him, buttttt".

Lucky P you are 100% correct on the advance of the foot statement. As of yesterday we should be good to go for slaughter (from a medicine standpoint). How long would you wait for improvement? It has been 32 days with no real improvement, but not any worse either. He's not in the way and isn't dropping excessive weight, yet.

 

[angus9259]

As of yesterday we should be good to go for slaughter (from a medicine standpoint). How long would you wait for improvement? It has been 32 days with no real improvement.

-1 days

 

[Lucky_P]

rockroad,
This is one that is not likely gonna get any better. I'm just guessing on the nature of the injury and Dr. Parmer could be right as rain - but in either case, it's a bad deal, and unlikely that the folks at Auburn (my hometown and alma mater) can do anything for him.

If you're out to your slaughter withdrawal on the drugs, go ahead and do the deed - unless you feel like he's putting on some good weight gain, despite being 3-legged, and you want to put a bit more 'finish' on him - but if he's just 'getting stale' hanging around, I'd get him processed asap.

 

[Kingfisher]

. Got no dog this hunt but best guess old fracture of humerus or lower."
How would a bull fracture his humerus or lower? Would one be aware of that soon after it happen?

 

[Lucky_P]

Something was rattling around in the dark recesses of my feeble old brain... this looks a lot like 'sweeney' in horses... used to be fairly common in cart/plow horses, due to ill-fitting collars damaging the supraspinatus nerve. But there are also some features that suggest radial nerve damage...
My guess is the bull ran into something or another cow/bull delivered a blow or kick in just the right spot to damage that nerve.

Kingfisher, it's a amazing, sometimes, to see the predicaments these animals get themselves into. Very little surprises me, any more.

 

[rockroadseminole]

UPDATE:

So, we went to the beach with the family for a majority of last week. Made up my mind when we left that if there was not any change upon return... hamburger. Actually told the bull that before we left! He must have heard me, because I pull up yesterday to find him standing on all four legs! He is still limping, but using the leg again (not hopping around). I couldn't believe it. Significantly more movement, etc! He bought himself two more weeks. I'll give another update soon.

 

[TCRanch]

UPDATE:

So, we went to the beach with the family for a majority of last week. Made up my mind when we left that if there was not any change upon return... hamburger. Actually told the bull that before we left! He must have heard me, because I pull up yesterday to find him standing on all four legs! He is still limping, but using the leg again (not hopping around). I couldn't believe it. Significantly more movement, etc! He bought himself two more weeks. I'll give another update soon.

I'm telling you, cattle are way smarter than given credit Thanks for the update & good news! Hopeful he continues to improve.

 

[rockroadseminole]

UPDATE:

Bull has been putting good weight back on and progressed from hop, to bad limp, to now slight limp! He will get all excited when we give him some feed and do the hop/buck/run happy dance. Leg seems to have almost made it back to normal. No doubt he could breed as is, but still room for improvement. I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow.

 

[TCRanch]

Good to hear, thanks for the update!