calve limping on back leg

[cah]

We have a three week old calve that I think may have pulled a muscle or something on his back leg. He has been limping on in for about three days. We still have a lot of mud and I think he may have injured it out in that. I did not see how he got injured though. If it is a ligament or something like that it will heal on it's own right? I did feel it for heat but did not feel any. Do you think this is something that I should watch and see or should I call the vet on this one? He is eating good and no other problems other than the limp.... he is putting some wt on it but not a lot. Just have never delt with this and not real sure what to do. My daughter would like to take him to county fair for a feeder calf... ??? I am thinking she may have to pick another calf because I am not sure about the limp. any input would be great.

Thanks.

 

[angie1]

You felt and did not see any heat ~ is a good sign. Feel both legs at the same time, feel for any differences between the two. Did you pick up the hoof and look under it? Maybe is something stuck in there. Some recommend an anti inflammatory in these situations. If you do that pen him up, he will abuse the leg if he is allieviated of the pain and make it worse. If you cannot feel any physical differences between the 2 legs, I would wait and watch. Watch to see if it doesn;t get worse, then you will know is more than a pulled muscle or bruise.

 

[KenB]

Just curious, will foot rot get better on its own with time? If not what will happen?

 

[dun]

Just curious, will foot rot get better on its own with time? If not what will happen?

No it won;t. What will end up happening, or has in the cases I've seen, was the infection get's up into the joint. The vet called it the joint capsule. That leads to a huge discount because it's lame.

 

[cah]

I washed his foot with soapy water.... it looked good... no problems. I went ahead and gave a shot of tylan.. that is all I had here and I could not get ahold of the vet today. He is up and walking , nursing but just don't put a lot of wt on it at all... he stays mostly in the straw area... he don't try to run and play with the other calves. I don't know I have not ever seen any think like it.. he just don't walk on it... Acts like a pulled muscle.. any ideas how long this could go on... ? I felt all around it .. no swelling both legs feel the same... confused...??? I will try to get the vet tomorrow if it is not better. Ideas???

Thanks

 

[angie1]

What is tylan?
It will not be better tomorrow ~ it is an injury or infection. Is he carrying a fever?
I don;t know what more to say until I find out what the tylan is.

OK I'm back. The product label states that it is used to "reduce incidences of liver abscesses caused by .....". OK ~ That is the only indicated use for cattle. I am thinking his leg problem is not a liver issue....so maybe hold off on that.

If he has a fever, give him antibiotics. If her does not ~ give him nothing, or give an anti-inflammatory and lock him in a pen so he doesn;t abuse the leg.

 

[milkmaid]

Tylan is an antibiotic that's not used too much anymore. Don't remember offhand exactly what it is. Supposedly works okay.

cah - did you check all the way up the leg? I had a heifer a few years back with an infection in the stifle joint (next joint up from the hock) and it wasn't very obvious until you put your hands on it.

--edit-- I just went and looked Tylan up. Here's the important part of the product label:

DESCRIPTION: Tylan 200 Injection is a sterile solution of tylosin base in 50% propylene glycol with 4% benzyl alcohol and water for injection. Each mL contains 200 mg of tylosin activity (as tylosin base).

ACTIONS: Tylan has an antibacterial spectrum that is essentially gram-positive, but it is also active against certain spirochetes, large viruses, and certain gram-negative organisms (not including coliforms). It has also been found to be active against certain Mycoplasma species.

INDICATIONS: In beef cattle and non-lactating dairy cattle, Tylan 200 Injection is indicated for use in the treatment of bovine respiratory complex (shipping fever, pneumonia) usually associated with Pasteurella multocida and Actinomyces pyogenes; foot rot (necrotic pododermatitis) and diphtheria caused by Fusobacterium necorphorum and metritis caused by Actinomyces pyogenes.

 

[cah]

tylan is an antiobotic that is for cattle or swine....it is for treating a little of everything... and for foot rot... but I cleaned his foot real good and it looks fine... If he injured the muscle or torn a ligament how long do you think it will take to heal? I'm just not real sure what to do with him...?

 

[CPL]

Is he penned up yet? If he is having to walk through the mud, etc. with a limp he is just hurting himself more and not letting the muscle heal (if he did pull something).

 

[angie1]

I'm just not real sure what to do with him...?

:shock:

If he has a fever, give him antibiotics. If he does not ~ give him nothing, or give an anti-inflammatory and lock him in a pen so he doesn;t abuse the leg.

 

[dun]

Back when Tylan 50 hit the market it was seen as the greatest antibiotic available. The choices then were pretty much pen or combiotic so Tylan was the great saviour. By the time Tylan 100 came along there were starting to be other general use antibiotics and it seemed to fall from favor.