Cow down after giving birth, looking for advise

[milkmaid]

30cc's pencillin isn't enough for a mature cow. Minimum of 5cc/100lbs for prevention.

Keep us posted, Hwy27.

 

[jasrnch]

I don't know about 5cc for prevention but according to the label at a dose of 1ml / 100 lb. 30 ml would be enough for a 3000 lb cow with an infection granted that is for a 10 day regimen. I have had to use this a few times every year and that is usually what I have used and been very successful with it. I just had a first calf heifer last week that had snuck through the fence with my herd bull last summer, down and prolapsed. She is up and getting around pretty good this week, not perfect but not dead. ps. milkmaid what part of Wyo are you in. I can see ID from my window.

 

[milkmaid]

Can't go off the label -- labeled dosages are useless.

I go with 60cc's to a 1200lb cow following surgery, 40-60cc's Twin Penn (the longer acting stuff) for uterine infections. If you work out the math using the Merck Vet Manual, it comes out to about 50-55cc's for a ~1200lb animal. Any vet worth their salt will tell you that with bacterial resistance, the dosages have had to be increased repeatedly. Just isn't effective much anymore. Small animal vets go with 10mL/100lbs, large animal vets use 5mL/100lbs (difference due to higher metabolism in smaller animals).

I'm in Laramie... but home is north of Idaho Falls. Where are you?

 

[jasrnch]

I'm in Star Valley, Ok on the pen

 

[milkmaid]

I bought some calves from a dairy in that area a few years back. Pretty country.

What breed do you run?

 

[iowafarmer]

I'm going to have to agree with milkmaid on the pen that it should be at least 5ml/100lb due to the fact that pen has been used and abused for so many years that bacterea has built up some immunity to it so the dosage should be increasedfrom what the label says.

 

[jasrnch]

I run Limousin, Limousin cross. Not many Dairies here any more. Between the Forest service and the wolves We beef producers are getting fewer.

 

[cfpinz]

I'll second MM's recommendation of dex and banamine, has worked well for us in the past. We had one down for 3 hours the other night, pulled the shots and went walking out to stick her. She stumbled to her feet just before we got to her, never did stick her and she's fine today.

The fact of your cow's legs being straight out behind her concerns me.

 

[angus9259]

I'd try a shot of bantamine. It's helped a lot of mine feel better in order to function again. Sorta the morphine of the livestock world. It won't ultimately help though if it's paralysis.

 

[Hwy27]

Morning Update, went out and checked the cow this morning, still alive, drank some water, we pushed her up so she is on all four legs (almost) and we have a vet comming out to assess her sometime today! I am going out there in a few minutes and fill a bucket with water to see if she can drink on her own. Will update later today.

 

[bmiller629]

Just wondering if you are giving her any banamine (suppressor) for the swelling/pain? You have to get a vets okay, but believe me that it works! We have had many problems with calving and have had 2 downer heifers. One popped right back up soon after we gave her some the other one it was about 4 days or so. It has sure been quite a year. Never this many problems!

 

[Hwy27]

Boy we have to agree with you on that one, this is the hardest year we have had yet! We have a vet comming out today, I did mention the Banamine to him, so hopefully he brings it with him, we'll see what he has to say. Went and gave her water, she drank on her own today, just had to get the bucket close enough for her, she held her head up and took about 2 gallons. Will go again in an hour and give her some more. I told her, today is either the first day of the rest of your life, or the last day of your life. Kinda tough but strickly reality. Update later.

 

[Hwy27]

Last update for today, The vet came today, gave her a anti inflamitory, B complex and electrolites.
He said she could make a recover, just a matter of time. We will put in the time, she at about 1lb of 20% cubes this evening, and lots of water. I bet she drank 7 or 8 gallons once we got her upright enough. Will update her condition tomorrow. Thanks for your input!

 

[jasrnch]

sounds like you got it under control. Sometimes it takes quite a while to get them up and going. My Heifer was down 5 days. That's a lot of water to pack, But she is up and doing pretty good now. Good luck to you.

 

[Hwy27]

Daily update, she seems to be holding her own. Drinking, eating some, the herd went and visited her last night, maybe they slept close to her? She is trying to move her hind quarters, but we have her pretty restricted right now to keep her upright.

 

[milkmaid]

Keep in mind you do need to move/turn her so that she can get circulation into the hip/leg on the underside. Not good for a cow to be laying on those muscles and nerves for an extended period of time.

 

[Hwy27]

Well, its Thursday, cow is still alive, still down, she had a lot more energy on Tuesday than she has today. Not drinking much water this morning, not wanting to eat either. We have been moving her 2 or 3 times a day, have her hoofs out from under her but curled like you would find them in a field. Have a call into the vet again to see if there is a follow up shot I can give to get her energy up. Any Ideas?

 

[milkmaid]

Is she running a fever? check her temp.

What anti-inflammatory did the vet give her? banamine? dexamethasone? predef?

 

[Hwy27]

He gave her dexamethasone, on monday, can she have another shot today? I have a call into the vet to see if I can go and get a dose of banamine to give her. This is really a novice question, how do I check her temp? And what is normal? Sure trying anything we can to save her. Like I told my husband, this isn't something I would like to every day, but I don't mind nursing her back to health if I can.

 

[milkmaid]

Temp is taken rectally. Use a standard thermometer. Normal temp for a cow is ~101.5'F.

She really ought to be on antibiotics if she's being given dexamethasone... dex is a corticosteriod with immune-supressing properties. It's a good med for a variety of purposes when used correctly, but should be given in conjunction with antibiotic therapy to prevent an infection from getting a foothold while the immune system is supressed.

At this point I'd be a bit concerned about a uterine infection or pneumonia setting in... the most likely suspects at this point if the cow goes off feed. Other possibilities could be mastitis or a displaced abomasum. Find out if she has a temp, then go from there.