Calving Paralysis

Help Support CattleToday:

aplusmnt

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
3,977
Reaction score
1
Location
Southeast Kansas
Have heifer that is suffering from Calving Paralysis in back legs. (same heifer from below thread about small pelvic area). She has been unable to get up for 5 days now. She seems to have gained some movement in her left rear leg but none in right rear. Wondering if still a chance she will get over it? Or if goes this long is it usually permenant? And any thing I can do to help her? Vet says could last a week but usually a day or two.
 
do you turn her 2-3 times aday ? have you tried to help her up ?
 
I hate to put some clouds over your sunny day but if it was my husband with that problem he'd a shot her a long time ago. When it comes to stuff like that we dont waste our time. I'ts harsh, but our business is business...you have to make tough choices. (although I feel terrible about most things)

The best advice I could give is you need to be able to know and trust your vet with your life. Our vet is very useful in our operation not only by doing his job but by being able to answer questions. When our doc tells us something we do it....no questions asked. If the cow doesn't seem to be getting better, put it out of it's pain.

Good luck, I hope she's a tough heifer.
 
We had one once that was down for quite awhile - a few weeks. We didn't just leave her down though, we used hip lifters and lifted her up every day. At first she would put very little weight on her back legs, one day we lowered the bale handler (that's what we had the lifters attatched to) and she stayed standing. She was wobbly a few days after that and then just fine. She went on to have quite a few more calves for us. Of course you should check with your vet but I really think you should be lifting her and make sure you do turn her.
 
The only experience I had with this did not come out well. If she isn't coming around by now I doubt she will. We destroyed ours on day 7 even with using hip lifters and the vet. Looking back on it I wish we had done it sooner. I couldn't bear destroying her so hubby went to all the work, now I can't bear what I put her and hubby through.
 
My current plans is to give her a week. And then I guess we will call the Butcher and eat her. There is a local one that process in field. Hate to loose her but it is not looking good.
 
Find out what the vet treated her with before you butcher her. This is actually what we did but the meat was so bad I didn't even want to give the idea this was an option. The vet had said that if the meat was going to the general public he would say no but since we were keeping her for us, then go ahead, might as well get some use from her. We did and ended up throwing it all out. Too much stress and too much meds. YUCK!
 
We had one several years ago with the same type problem. I lifted her twice per day with the hip huggers, gave her some grain to eat and water to drink while standing, and kept hay out for her. She never seemed to suffer or thrash about, just couldn't get up. It was labor intensive in the dead of winter. After 30 days, gave up and shot her.

My dad had a similar case two winters ago. He grained and watered her once daily for about 22 days. No lifting, no hay, no turning. She scooted around and ate what grass she could get to. He went out one day to feed her and she was gone! She was up grazing with the herd. He's always been lucky though!

You've got to consider all the information and advice, and make your own decision of what's best - and then be confident in that decision, and not look back, question it, or wonder what if......?
 
doc.. you know situations like you mentioned DO happen. The ones you don't think will make it do, and the ones that shouldn't be a problem, turn out to be.

There are so many things to consider.. and first and foremost is probably "how long am I going to fool around with this cow / heifer / bull / whatever"? Some don't have the luxury of 24 / 7 at the ranch trying to help these animals recover.

Good luck.
 
Never let the sun set on a down cow or a fight with your wife.
 
ollie":1fpbxlih said:
Never let the sun set on a down cow or a fight with your wife.
That is the best advice ever given anywhere Mister!!!! People need to write that down if they cant remember
 
aplusmnt":37r5yt23 said:
My current plans is to give her a week. And then I guess we will call the Butcher and eat her. There is a local one that process in field.
Best check with your butcher before you count this one in the freezer as there are new restrictions on slaughtering "downers" that appear to have gone into effect on Jan 1. At least, I was cautioned by my butcher that my "lame" heifer needed to get to the kill cage on her own - which luckily she did.
 
Well I shot the heifer with small pelvic area that got calving parlysis today :( . Man it is hard to shoot a $3,000.00 meyer heifer two months after you buy her! But I guess live and learn. Thanks to all that gave me advice on how to handle her!
 
Ryder":1gvnqb64 said:
ollie":1gvnqb64 said:
Never let the sun set on a down cow or a fight with your wife.
Would have to be one worthles cow and one mean woman for me to put them down that soon.

I guess we never tried hard enough. If we couldn't get'um right then, very few every got up.

May have been that we didn't give'm 22 days.
 
Wewild":3gd8qvhh said:
I guess we never tried hard enough. If we couldn't get'um right then, very few every got up.

May have been that we didn't give'm 22 days.

Gotta' be lucky too! :lol:
 
docgraybull":viwrw09q said:
Wewild":viwrw09q said:
I guess we never tried hard enough. If we couldn't get'um right then, very few every got up.

May have been that we didn't give'm 22 days.

Gotta' be lucky too! :lol:

I don't think that we score well in that area on EPD's.
 
I'm a new-comer to this Forum, and I too have a heifer with calving paralysis. She calved a week ago now and we have lifted her twice , and it seems that both her hind legs are affected. Her left is worse than the right. The way I understand this problem, the nerve is affected, and that's why it is called a pinched nerve. Are there cases where the paralysis is permanent?

Anyway, how did this heifer turn out?
 
Kathleen":2mmczs5c said:
I'm a new-comer to this Forum, and I too have a heifer with calving paralysis. She calved a week ago now and we have lifted her twice , and it seems that both her hind legs are affected. Her left is worse than the right. The way I understand this problem, the nerve is affected, and that's why it is called a pinched nerve. Are there cases where the paralysis is permanent?

Anyway, how did this heifer turn out?
This may come out mean and I dont intend for it to but if she calved a week ago and you have only lifted her twice you are well on your way to making it permanent for her!!!
 
tapeworm":dlvwitn9 said:
Kathleen":dlvwitn9 said:
I'm a new-comer to this Forum, and I too have a heifer with calving paralysis. She calved a week ago now and we have lifted her twice , and it seems that both her hind legs are affected. Her left is worse than the right. The way I understand this problem, the nerve is affected, and that's why it is called a pinched nerve. Are there cases where the paralysis is permanent?

Anyway, how did this heifer turn out?
This may come out mean and I dont intend for it to but if she calved a week ago and you have only lifted her twice you are well on your way to making it permanent for her!!!

Tape I rarely agree with you on this I do shoot the dang cow and move on this is not a pet business. If they have waited a week and the cow isn't up and moving don't look good
 

Latest posts

Top