Calf with badly buckled front legs

[Rusty2]

Hi all,
I'm hoping you can help me with a problem I have with a new calf. Last night we had an angus heifer having calving difficulties. I tried to pull the calf myself but ended up calling the vet who managed to pull a big bull calf. This morning the calf has still not got up. Its front feet are very buckled and I have trouble straightening them out. In other words, the calf cannot stand because the lowest joint will not straighten. I've had calves with tight tendons etc before and have read some info about splints etc but even after manipulating the joints, I cannot get them to straighten. Has anyone else had a case this severe? I know that usually they come good but haven't had one that can't walk before.

To make matters worse because he cant stand I don't think he's fed yet (20hrs). I'm about to try to strip the cow out but she's a bit flighty so I'm not too confident.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Rusty

 

[Nite Hawk]

Do you have any frozen colostrum? Need to get some in the calf ASAP or he may not make it. Do you have a squeeze you can run the cow into and restrain to milk some out?
Most contracted tenons will fix themselves if you can keep the calf alive and get him up at all.
Never dealt with one so bad it couldn"t get up at all. Even if he can "tippy toe" I have seen them straighten out.Maybe someone else has dealt with splints, but right now this calf need food in his guts for the anti-bodies and strength to stay alive.
Nite hawk

 

[Nite Hawk]

Was thinking that it might be possible to put the calf in a sling with his front feet just touching the ground. Maybe if he could put a small bit of weight on the feet and yet be supported, he might have a chance.
Anybody out there ever try this with contracted tendons? If that would work you would still possibly have to bottle feed him.
Make sure moma cow doesn"t get too excited if you are messing around with her calf and plow you down, they will do that from time to time.
take care.
Nite Hawk

 

[Rusty2]

Thanks Nick,
After my opening post I managed to get the cow into the crush (squeeze) and tried to attach the calf. Even when holding him up he couldn't attach because he was too unsteady. I ended up milking the cow by hand and bottle feeding the calf about a litre which I guess is better than nothing. Not long after I tried to stand him up again and this time he had a lot more strength and could stand up, but the first joint in his front legs are still curled under with the hoofs facing backwards. He has taken a few steps - not on his tip toes, but on the front of his lower joint (wrist??) without his hooves touching the ground at all... it must be very painful.

I've tried to massage and straighten them but don't want to snap a tendon. I guess I will milk the cow each day and supplement it with some formula to keep him going and see what happens with the legs?? - I did consider making a sling to support him but haven't yet. Splints wont work because even when manipulated they wont straighten.


Rusty.

 

[snake67]

I am pretty sure I could solve your problem if there - but time will be the best healer - time is something we all seem to rush today

Hope you have them confined together in a small pen so it has a better chance of sucking

Feel its belly to see if it has something in it

If not .....

It needs to drink so start stripping that cow - hope you have a squeeze or system to restrain her

Your best results in all honesty would be talking to the same vet you had out there in the first place - small bit of money for a calf.

Best to all

Bez

 

[Chris H]

Thanks Nick,
After my opening post I managed to get the cow into the crush (squeeze) and tried to attach the calf. Even when holding him up he couldn't attach because he was too unsteady. I ended up milking the cow by hand and bottle feeding the calf about a litre which I guess is better than nothing. Not long after I tried to stand him up again and this time he had a lot more strength and could stand up, but the first joint in his front legs are still curled under with the hoofs facing backwards. He has taken a few steps - not on his tip toes, but on the front of his lower joint (wrist??) without his hooves touching the ground at all... it must be very painful.

I've tried to massage and straighten them but don't want to snap a tendon. I guess I will milk the cow each day and supplement it with some formula to keep him going and see what happens with the legs?? - I did consider making a sling to support him but haven't yet. Splints wont work because even when manipulated they wont straighten.


Rusty.

He'll be fine since he's up this much already. Get more milk in him for at least another day.

 

[jerry27150]

if you keep him fed his legs will straighten up in time,may take a week or so

 

[dun]

Seems like I recall the horse folks taslking about giving a shot of something for bumblefoot. Can't recall what it was though

 

[ohiobeef]

I had a calf last year that wanted to buckle at the ankles, I made splints out of a short piece of 1&1/2"PVC pipe split in half & ground the corners smooth. then I wrapped a rag around around the ankle & duct tapped it on. Then we caught the calf each day & took the splint off & worked the ankle to stretch the tendons. In about 5 days she was much better. good luck.

 

[colleen]

Better known as bumble foot or contracted tendons. We had one a few months ago. Stretched its legs out and pushed gently on the joint to stretch the tendon. Did it several times a day till the momma cow got tired of us. Only a few days. It walked around on it's tip toes. Fell on its knees a lot but within 14 days it was good as new. If it hadn't of gotten better vet was going to give it a shot of oxytetracycline. Didn't need it and he did not advice using splints. Could cause more problems when all it needed was time to walk around and stretch the tendons on its own. Do a search on bumble foot calf or contracted tendons in calves on here or online. I would just try to stretch them out when you can and it will be fine. Good luck!!
Colleen

 

[Rusty2]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I've been able to get him to stand and drink a small amount from the cow in the crush, then strip her out and bottle feed him. He's moving around a little on his front wrists and when Im feeding him I try to work on his joints and get him to balance on his tips, which he still cant do but there's more movement there so that's progress. Hopefully more will follow tomorrow.
Ta,
Rusty

 

[rockridgecattle]

Selenium Shot
Will do amazing wonders in a short time.
Calves with contracted tendons tend to be short on selenium. Follow the directions on the bottle for treatment...not preventative

 

[KNERSIE]

intravenous oxytetracycline

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

I can speak from personal experience here. Leave him alone. We had one born with pretty bad contracted tendons:

He was born twin to a heifer, and she was contracted also, just not as bad.

Here he is a few days later
We thought we were helping him by putting on a "Sam Splint", which is like a soft cast. After 24 hours and him not nursing without assistance, we took him to the vet. The vet gave him IV Oxytetracycline, and cut the splint off. He said the calf needed to stretch the tendons naturally, and that we would only slow down his progress by casting it. We were also told that we could help by doing some physical therapy and stretching out the tendons with our hands, several times a day for several days. A few days later, he had not straightened much (see pic above), so the vet advised to give more IV oxy and we did.
After several weeks, he was just about normal! His twin sister straightened out without medication.

I will try to upload a you tube video we took so you can see how bad it looked, and why we were so worried!
Just two months ago, I sold the bull for $2500 at 15 months old. He went on to win numerous champion awards at State Fair and district fairs in our area. Just make sure the calf is nursing, and he will walk out of it. I was told it was because there was not enough room in the uterus with both calves, so environmental not genetic. That cow has had 5 calves, and not one has ever had a problem except the twins.

Hope that helps!

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

http://youtu.be/UpnH-dnqBh8

Here is the video of the calf walking... (be warned, it is sad for some to watch)

 

[Rusty2]

Thanks everyone, and thanks for the video Fire Sweep Ranch - the video is exactly like our little guy, it's reassuring that yours improved so much. I'm still massaging when I'm feeding him and I can feel it's getting more stretched. Today he stood on the point of his toes! - bit still walks on the underside.

He was the result of a pretty tricky labour where the vet intervened and he was pretty big, so I believe the 'cramped in the womb' theory. Regards,
Rusty.

 

[farmforever]

So there is no worry as far as keeping these animals as replacemnets?

 

[KNERSIE]

No, just make sure you breed them to low birthweight bulls.

 

[Rusty2]

Hi all,
Thought I'd update on how our little gut is doing. It's been 2 weeks now and he's able to stand on his tip toes when you lay them out but he still walks on the back if his wrists. They make a horrible cracking sound when he walks - I'm a little worried that he's getting to comfortable on them and making it worse? Thanks for the video fire sweep ranch, that's exactly what he's like. I guess it just takes time hey? Did yours crack when he walked?

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Hi all,
Thought I'd update on how our little gut is doing. It's been 2 weeks now and he's able to stand on his tip toes when you lay them out but he still walks on the back if his wrists. They make a horrible cracking sound when he walks - I'm a little worried that he's getting to comfortable on them and making it worse? Thanks for the video fire sweep ranch, that's exactly what he's like. I guess it just takes time hey? Did yours crack when he walked?

Yes, and it was painful to watch! Did you ever get the IV oxy in him? That worked wonders for our calf, did it twice. I am not sure how good it works when they are older, I thought I was told if you get it in them within 3 or 4 days of birth is best, the sooner the better...
Keep us updated! A pic would be good to :nod: