Cow Down - Imput needed please

[skyhightree1]

I had a cow that was up fine Saturday but Sunday morning went down and hasn't been up since. I contacted vet and I did IV's of calcium for her but only thing that did was she did try to get up but she's been trying to get up all along. She has moved all over from side to side in a calf corral that's about 30'x20' she gets her back end up and some of the front then flops down shes eating like a pic alert clear eyes just having problems getting up. I talked to another vet he things shes got hurt from slipping on ice or someone trying to mount her as its time for her to come back in heat and she's gotten hurt some how. He feels its not grass tetany or milk fever because shes moving all around and such. Has anyone had something like this ? I don't have a cow lifter but got plenty of straps and plan on tomorrow lifting her up a little with the backhoe for a lil while to see how she responds and if that may help her in any way. She has an almost three month old calf that's on grain and eating hay but still looking for his mama and her milk. I am nervous about lifting her. Any thing I should try I'm all ears.

 

[M-5]

Don't take this as the gospel but here is how I do it.

I use the 4" straps that are used on 18 wheeler flatbed a wood post with a couple of cross pieces nailed or lashed to front of post and back of post then the straps attach to that. one strap behind front legs one in front of back legs. and lift slowly . I have not had to lift one in several yrs and hope I don't for several more.

 

[skyhightree1]

Thanks I got some of those and I think I know what you mean and will try it. Is there an amount of time you would suggest to pick them up and how often should they be lifted ?

 

[Workinonit Farm]

First thing, and this should give an idea as to her abilities, is once you get her lifted, get her to a point where she is being supported by the straps, then ever so slowly and gently lower her to see if she's able to stand on her own.

I realize that you sid that she cannot get up, but that she tries.

It is important to see if she can actually stand.

When she tries and fails, does it look like the problem is with her hind end? Or does it look like the problem is front end?

If hind end, perhaps she "split" and fell, thus damaging her pelvis. If front, perhaps the issue is in her shoulders.

I would lift her at least 2 to 3 times a day for at least 15 to 20 minutes each time. But being mindful of the pressure-points from the straps.

 

[skyhightree1]

Its weird because sometime it seemed as hind end wouldn't support and other it seems it was the back end pretty strange.. I do notice she keeps front tucked under if you pull them out. I noticed she was like exercising I guess her bottom half of her front legs by basically doing lil curl while sitting there. she has feeling if you twist her tail and I did give her a jolt but not strong enough to come up on all fours. Vet said he has seen some that got hurt and two weeks later got up on there own but that the cow was moved around and lifted some or rolled over.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

If I lived closer Sky, I'd be right over to take a look and give you a hand. But, I think we are about 2 hours apart.

 

[skyhightree1]

If I lived closer Sky, I'd be right over to take a look and give you a hand. But, I think we are about 2 hours apart.

I know and I appreciate that .. Hopefully she will come out of it.

 

[TCRanch]

Sounds an awful lot like the one we had to lift. Vet gave her a calcium IV while she was still in the pasture but he really thought it was a spinal injury because there was swelling near her sacral vertebrae. Eventually got her to the barn in a 12' dozer bucket & got her calf later that day; bless her heart she would roll over on her side so her calf could nurse. Anyway, lifted her 4 times a day for 15 - 20 minutes. She could stand on her hind legs for only for a couple minutes. Unfortunately our girl didn't make it but her calf, Lil' Orphan Annie, is due with her 2nd calf in March. Good luck & keep us posted!!!

 

[Rafter S]

Maybe you're already doing this, but before you mechanically lift her have you tried grabbing her tail and pulling straight back when she tries to get up? Sometimes that extra leverage will help them.

 

[Tim/South]

I use an old mine conveyor belt when I lift the front end. We notched about a foot out of the middle on one side so the belting would stay under her sternum. Before it would slip back under her gut.
I have used the belting on the front and hip lifters on the back to get one up.
Most of the time we can lift the hips, then straighten out the front legs, then try to easy the hips down to see if she will stand.
If she stays down long we like to roll her over to help with blood flow on the hind leg she is lying on.

The ones I dread working with the most is one that has done the splits. I believe something breaks or turns lose.
The first thing I do is give them a tube of CMKP.

 

[skyhightree1]

rafter yes we tried that and nothing its insane how far she can move During the day and not get up and walk...

 

[GRTiger85]

I had one down for almost 2 weeks last year after she calved. Bought a hip lift and picked her up 3-4 times a day.

 

[skyhightree1]

I am not going to try to lift her today I have decided to give her till this weekend. I read and talked to vets and basically lifting can do damage to them or it could not. I figure she is still raising up and scooting around and moving I will wait. I read the hip lift can damage tissue when picking them up too. Not really sure what to do so calling the vet again today. When I spoke with him he never mentioned lifting.

 

[kucala5]

We had a cow down last year after calving and she got a couple Dex shots and was up after four days.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Talk to your vet, but around here the first thing to give would be Selenium.
Why some are severely deficient and some are not, could just be less mineral consumption. But that is exactly how they can act.

 

[skyhightree1]

still down but moves around all day and went to try to lift her and she was in she shed and couldn't get her out will try again. I bought 3 cargo straps and will put them together to make a basket basically to pick her up. Thanks BCG I was messing with her front left leg and she sure didn't like it tried to move away think shes hurt her joint.

 

[Koffi Babone]

Did you give her any anti inflammatory drugs? 20 mg of dex for 3 days, not more (if she is not pregnant). Otherwise, if she is, you can give predef for 3 days

 

[skyhightree1]

yep predef 2x seems to be getting more movement in the leg

 

[Koffi Babone]

Good luck. If it really is an injury, you got to wait it out...

 

[Son of Butch]

I had one down for almost 2 weeks last year after she calved. Bought a hip lift and picked her up 3-4 times a day.

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