Calf update

[cowgirl8]

Since i've never doctored a wound so bad, i've been surprised at how good its healing. Once a day i irrigate, then since its on top of the calf's back, i have to sop out the water....i then pack it with antibacterial paste and gauze. The hole was big and deep enough to hold it, but as its closing, its getting harder so i'll cross that bridge when i get to it.
At first the calf was unable to move his tail. But last night, it moved. SO maybe he'll be able to swat flies when he gets healed.
Has always had a great appetite, always slurps his bottle down fast. If he heals as fast as he's doing now, if i have someone lose a calf, i'll be able to graft him onto another cow.. This is my plan. If not, he'll go live with my sister in law who's wanting a pet. I say its iffy that he grows normally, not sure what permanent damage he's had to his spine..
Anywho, for any who are interesting in his progress, i'll post them. I'll get up to date pictures today if i can and get them uploaded in the morning..
During surgery at vets to remove bone...wound was just a puncture when he went. Opened up to remove bone fragments made when cougar chomped down on his spine.. SO hole is not what we found him with, he had one puncture wound..

 

[Nesikep]

I must have missed it. what was the cause of it?

Good to hear he seems to be on the mend at least.

When the vet was here, he told me a guy ran into one of his cows with the bale spear.. through and through, and the cow was just fine with a little stitching up... As long as they keep eating, they're pretty tough critters!

 

[skyhightree1]

Its always good to see a calf fight and make it.

 

[Ol' 243]

I must have missed it. what was the cause of it?

You haven't heard? It was a cougar by George. :lol:

 

[cowgirl8]

I must have missed it. what was the cause of it?

Good to hear he seems to be on the mend at least.

When the vet was here, he told me a guy ran into one of his cows with the bale spear.. through and through, and the cow was just fine with a little stitching up... As long as they keep eating, they're pretty tough critters!

This is the one the cougar chomped on. The latest pic is in your FB mail... Past 2 days, nothing on the game camera and nothing in the traps. I'm guessing it moved on. We'll keep everything set just in case.
The picture is of the surgery... Vet had to cut down to the spine to dig out bone fragments, which left the big hole. I'll post pictures of it healing as it heals... I find it interesting that such a big hole can close up on its own..

 

[cowgirl8]

Its always good to see a calf fight and make it.

Hes an adorable calf too... I'm kind of pulling for him to go live as a pet at my sister in laws...

 

[Nesikep]

I kinda missed that thread.

I had one cow get dehorned, and it got infected and full of maggots.. it took a while to get the critters out, and it definitely wasn't for the weak of stomach, but once I got it cleaned it healed up really fast.
Another cow I had had an ingrown/broken horn nubbin, and again, that got infected and maggot infested.. she wasn't nearly as easy to deal with, so I put her in the head gate and just drenched the area with Absorbine Ultrashield, and one treatment was all that was needed. Last year Prada had a cut between her hooves, I cleaned it out and wrapped it with a bandage and tetracycline paste, 2 treatments and she was back on her way.

 

[cowgirl8]

I kinda missed that thread.

I had one cow get dehorned, and it got infected and full of maggots.. it took a while to get the critters out, and it definitely wasn't for the weak of stomach, but once I got it cleaned it healed up really fast.
Another cow I had had an ingrown/broken horn nubbin, and again, that got infected and maggot infested.. she wasn't nearly as easy to deal with, so I put her in the head gate and just drenched the area with Absorbine Ultrashield, and one treatment was all that was needed. Last year Prada had a cut between her hooves, I cleaned it out and wrapped it with a bandage and tetracycline paste, 2 treatments and she was back on her way.

Yes, very worried about maggots...the horror.. I'm keeping the salve gooped up around it so that maybe will keep the flies out...

 

[cowgirl8]

And there is not a single post i made on the cougar thread that i would be ashamed to show anyone. I didnt even comment the last 2 pages..

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=103065

 

[Workinonit Farm]

That's one of the good things about babies, as long as they are in good health otherwise, they heal pretty quickly.

 

[cowgirl8]

That's one of the good things about babies, as long as they are in good health otherwise, they heal pretty quickly.

I'm really glad to see he's able to move his tail, being a cow and not having a fly swatter would be horrible...

 

[cowgirl8]

I'll take some more pictures when i go to clean his dressing and such.. I do it while he drinks his bottle, makes it much easier to do while he's occupied. I had to change the nipple so that it takes him a while longer.. I'll post them in the morning..

 

[cowgirl8]

Not a picture from yesterday, but a few days ago while calf was in trailer. Kept him in there out of the rain. Once the rain was over i put him in a pen. Rain will be a problem with this open wound..its like a cup.
Would have taken pictures yesterday but inlaws showed up and MIL loves asking questions. So i did not get the opportunity to take pictures.

 

[cowgirl8]

Doctored Tuff yesterday morning and all seemed really good. Then, that evening, i noticed some white dripping but not in the big hole...in the picture you can see another fang puncture just below, that little black spot in the picture. That whole area has caved in so i suspect more crushed bone. So off to the vet i go this morning. A very large area starting at the big hole towards his tail is weird too, i suspect he'll have a open hole all the way to his tail there..now one on the other side. Other than that he seemed fine..Hope he is this morning....lots of infected areas, but luckily it has a place to go and isnt building pressure....again, didnt get pictures was too busy irrigating it and he finished his bottle before i was done...then he wanted more. It was kind of a frenzy, him wanting more milk and me trying to clean him while he was running around me..

 

[cowgirl8]

Vet visit went better than i thought. Husband offered to go, i think he was worried that the vet would suggest putting the calf down.
Not only is there a large area of dead flesh around that big hole left from digging out bone fragments, but where the other puncture wound is, all surrounding flesh is dead...so, both sides are now open and deep. Not only did our calf get good news, but we also got tons of cougar stories...
Vet said it actually looked ok... long way to recovery, but doable

 

[cowgirl8]

Pictures tomorrow...

 

[Craig Miller]

I'm glad to see he's doing good

 

[cowgirl8]

Here we are at the vet.

 

[cowgirl8]

Amazing at how deep this is. I'll irrigate it once a day. Vet said maggots are nothing to really worry about, although horrific looking. Maggots happen.. :frowns: ..My main worry now is dogs. I have him at the corral which is in front of our house, but we've had it happen before, someone's hog dogs get 'lost' and find a calf i'm caring for....but of course, hog dogs dont bother calves...lol..Anywho, keeping my horse in the same pens in hopes that might keep any dogs out.