Cow Down--need advice ASAP

[Kat]

Hi,

We have a Holstein cow that just had a calf. The vet pulled it and everything was fine. That night (2 days ago) she went down and could not get up. The vet has her on Dex ( shots) each morning.

She is not getting up and one of her legs is swollen. We are lifting her with a sling and tractor but are loosing hope, Does anyone have any advice on what we can try or have any of you had this happen several hours after giving birth? I have only seen it right at birth...

Please help!

 

[ollie]

Don't let the sun set on a down cow or a fight with your wife.

 

[jt]

doesnt sound good with the leg swelling... nerve problem most likely the cause of her being down.. treatment would be to give something to get the inflamation down and hope she will be able to get up again... many times they dont. and those that do, dont for a while sometimes... which means you will have to feed and water her and turn her during this time..

my advice would be to get the vet back out or at least get his/her advice.

and like ollie alluded to... you may just have to put her down.

good luck

jt

 

[Kat]

Hi Ollie,

Very cute--- but I am looking for different advice..I do not want to put her down but I don't know what to do and the vet is no help.. why would this happen so long after birth? Is there something else I can give her?

I am getting desperate I have had this cow since birth...

 

[Kat]

Thanks for the advice...

As I said we are are giving her Dexamethazone (sp) every morning for swelling. The Vet has no advice on this girl. He has seen her twice and not offered any help. He just says to wait and see and we find that very frustrating to say the least. I wonder if he pulled the baby the wrong way. I just am trying to find out if anyone else may had had a solution of something that has worked for them.

 

[jt]

Thanks for the advice...

As I said we are are giving her Dexamethazone (sp) every morning for swelling. The Vet has no advice on this girl. He has seen her twice and not offered any help. He just says to wait and see and we find that very frustrating to say the least. I wonder if he pulled the baby the wrong way. I just am trying to find out if anyone else may had had a solution of something that has worked for them.

there may not be much else that can be done... like i said, if you want to try to save her, you will have to feed and water her and keep her turned, which can be quite a job, and sometimes they get up, but many times they dont.

did you see him pull the calf?

maybe someone else can offer better advice, but the bottom line is, the swelling and inflamation that has her down has to get well first, and that takes time and will wear you out if it continues to go on and on. that is why some will put em down... they dont have the time to put into a downed cow that may never get up anyway.

its tough, but that is just part of it.

good luck

jt

 

[ollie]

Hi Ollie,

Very cute--- but I am looking for different advice..I do not want to put her down but I don't know what to do and the vet is no help.. why would this happen so long after birth? Is there something else I can give her?

I am getting desperate I have had this cow since birth...

Kat, sorry to tell you but I would shoot her. My saying is cute but accurate. You can make more money doing something other than coaxing down cows to rise. The sooner you do it the sooner the whole deal gets over with.

 

[Bama]

I know you think it sounds mean but I'll put in perspective. I would say that only about 20 % of those that go down and are down for a week recover. That 20% cost a lot of time and money on vet bills. In this business time is money. Shooting them from the start and putting them in the freezer can be the best option. Letting them lay for a month with infection and medication can render them unfit to be eaten. Thats a loss all the way around. I ain't saying it can't be done, It may get up the odds just aint good once its down for a week. I don't know how long this one has been down but your against some big odds. Its probally unfit for the freezer at this point as well. The meds the vet gave it will have a period that must pass before being slaughtered. Good luck.

 

[Kat]

Hi,

Thanks for the replys. Yes, I saw the vet pull her. It looked alright, but it seems like this Vet is jinxed. He is really nice and compassionate, but tends to have no answers when things go wrong and I am a problem solver.

I understand about the watering and feeding. That is why I am stressed. I am out there constantly with water and feed and hosing her. I feel bad for her. I know that probaly am going to have to put her down , but we are trying one more thing. We are borrowing a water tank tomorrow so she can float in it with a harness of course. I will pray that will work.

I just want to find a solution when these things happen.. do you guys think it was the way she was pulled out? The calf was 110 pounds , but this is a mature cow 5 years old.

 

[Bama]

. do you guys think it was the way she was pulled out? The calf was 110 pounds , but this is a mature cow 5 years old.

Yes it probally was, but it was probally not his fault. I don't think he hooked it up and started winching until the calf came out. Pulling calves can lead to this even if its done in the most careful way. This can also happen with a natural birth. Expecially with a big calf. Or a cow with a narrow pelvis.

 

[Conagher]

Kat, sorry to hear this. I had basically the same thing happen about 8 yrs ago with a good 5 yr old limo cow, except I lost the 100+ lb calf too. My vet suggested I should put her down, so I did. However, I've heard a few stories of people willing and able to put in the time that were able to save them. Best of luck in whatever you decide.

 

[ollie]

Kat, was the cow up and around for a few hours after he pulled the calf. Sounds more like milk fever.Not his fault. He should have known how to save her though. We insist on making life more complicated. I am trying to make it less complicated for you. I hope she makes it but .....

 

[Kat]

Yes, the cow as up and walking minutes after birth and went to the pond. It was not milk fever. We give them all a tube of calcium as a preventative after giving birth.

My husband is going to get the cow tank now.... so I hope we can figure this out and give this girl a chance.


I do thank you yoyu all for your advice, I know the chances are slim. But everytime this happens, I just wonder if it is nessecary. I just feel like there may be something I can do.

 

[Medic24]

Ok, I think I know where you are coming form on this one Kat,, I suspect she is more a pet then she is a 'commercal' cow?

That being the case, I am going to also assume that you will do everything you can to try and save her.........money, time, and aggravation is not so much a consideration here? I mean, you did go out and get her a float tank ? If that is so...

Milk fever in fact was a good possiblity and a good guess on an other poster's reply, while it may not be likely, it is still possible EVEN WITH a single tube of calcium being administered.. if she is a heavy milker, all the more likely.....but then again, milk fever when they go down like that thay are usaully dead by now. But, a 500 Ml bottle of Calcium glucanate administered I.P. or in the milk vein would never hurt, plus it's cheap enuff.

Now as far as trying to get that swelling down. you are seeing the leg swell, likely you are not seeing the areas around the nerves swelling, but it can be just as likely as well.

The problem with dex. over a long term period of time, even a few short days, there are some unpleasant trade off's. For some reason, and it is documented, dex. makes the treated animals much more suseptable to pnuemonias, and other respiratory infections, compromises the immune system.

Now, I would consider banamine, or even aspirin to try and get that swelling down. And what ever you do, don't let her lay down on a single portion of her body for more then half a day without rolling or lifting her. You can even try massaging out some of the external swelling, and adding cold, or ice packs if you are so determined.

Miracles do happen, and I sure hope this is one of them, but a week is about the limit I would say.

Very best of luck to you.

And by the way, if you do decide to can her, although you can't legally sell her as such, my guess, is that she would be ok for home consumption if you are so inclined. I have eaten on worse. :cboy:

 

[Campground Cattle]

Hi,

We have a Holstein cow that just had a calf. The vet pulled it and everything was fine. That night (2 days ago) she went down and could not get up. The vet has her on Dex ( shots) each morning.

She is not getting up and one of her legs is swollen. We are lifting her with a sling and tractor but are loosing hope, Does anyone have any advice on what we can try or have any of you had this happen several hours after giving birth? I have only seen it right at birth...

Please help!

Yep I did this year I wrassled with that heifer for two weeks. Inocculated with a 44.

 

[SF]

Just throwing good money after bad in these situations. Camp and Texan have the right ideas here. If she is a pet and money doesn't matter, then keep doing what you're doing. I consider some of Medic's advice on treatment. If you are unhappy with your vet and if you've had bad experiences with him / her before, why not try another one?

 

[Beefy]

Kat i'm all for nursing a down cow back to her feet and have done it many times. they have gotten up more times than not for me. BUT, from my experience if she is up after calving and goes down shes probably not getting back up. if down from the start i'd have more hope. sorry, let us know what happens.

 

[Longtails4Me]

I didn't think you could eat downers, no more.

 

[certherfbeef]

I didn't think you could eat downers, no more.

You can eat your own downer. Just can't ship them. They have to be able to walk into the slaughter house.

 

[Longtails4Me]

O.K. I'm with ya now. She has to be processed by a "shade tree" butcher.