Calf with lower gums separated from teeth

[TCRanch]

Have a calf that's almost 3 weeks old, fine last night but this morning I noticed her tongue was sticking out but I could see her teeth (like an under bite), bloody drool and naaasty bloody gums. Amazingly, she is still able to nurse. Vet thinks she was most likely kicked & fortunately her jaw isn't broken but he couldn't even stitch the gums back together because they separated at the base of her teeth - there's nothing for him to stitch. Cleaned with Chlorhexidine solution, gave her Excenel and Banamine, sent us home. We're supposed to keep her at the barn for at least a week, drench/clean the wound with the Chlorhexidine every day plus 1.5 cc Banamine.

Is something that traumatic really so easy to heal? Just looking for similar experiences &/or additional advise.

 

[dun]

As long as the jawbone isn;t broken badly at the roots of the teeth I would think she'll heal. At around 18 months they lose their baby teeth anyway. May take some babying for a while till she can graze or at least eat hay.

 

[M-5]

Benign neglect is advise I got a couple years ago for same thing. Calf turned out fine.

 

[wbvs58]

Anywhere around the head and mouth has a good blood supply so usually heal exceptionally well. I would imagine that she will always look a bit funny around the lower lip but the body is very innovative about putting itself back together. I doubt that the Chlorhexidine cleaning will do much for it but it will certainly make you feel warm and fuzzy that you are helping her out. All the best with her but I am sure she will sort it out.
Ken

 

[M-5]

This calfs left side teeth was just flopping. I almost kept her as a replacement. When I checked her mouth as a 6mth old you couldn't tell anything was wrong. I never gave it anything.

 

[TCRanch]

Thank you so much for your replies! Feel better already. She was born 2/25 @72 lbs & already clocks in @150 so had high hopes for her - plus she's a sweetheart, very docile.

Ken, I appreciate pointing out the Chlorhexidine. Maybe just flushing with a plain syringe & picking out obvious foreign objects? I was concerned that daily thorough scrubbing would simply pick off the scabs/irritate the healing.

 

[TCRanch]

This calfs left side teeth was just flopping. I almost kept her as a replacement. When I checked her mouth as a 6mth old you couldn't tell anything was wrong. I never gave it anything.

Wow. Very similar & yet opposite; my little girl's gums have separated near the root on the outside. She may end up butt-ugly but definitely worth considering as a replacement, based on her lineage & the fact she's a little fighter.

 

[wbvs58]

Thank you so much for your replies! Feel better already. She was born 2/25 @72 lbs & already clocks in @150 so had high hopes for her - plus she's a sweetheart, very docile.

Ken, I appreciate pointing out the Chlorhexidine. Maybe just flushing with a plain syringe & picking out obvious foreign objects? I was concerned that daily thorough scrubbing would simply pick off the scabs/irritate the healing.

TC yes just checking and pulling out any debris even just rinsing out with a hose would suffice. The mouth is a dirty place so things get contaminated very quickly after being cleaned but the bodies defence mechanism seems to wall off the contamination very quickly and things heal well in spite of contamination.

Ken

 

[redcowsrule33]

Had one very similar, was kicked in the head (saw it happen, rang his bell so hard he actually had convulsions when it occurred and a heck of a headache after). He did fine. I think as long as she nurses I would just keep an eye on her - the mouth heals quickly.

 

[TCRanch]

Let her & her mama join the herd Thursday. She already looks sooo much better! Nursing like a champ & even munching on hay, running around like nothing happened. That said, it's easy to spot her - she does look goofy