Cow Down--need advice ASAP

[SF]

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

Depending upon what medications you've been giving her, butchering her for human consumption may not be an option any more. Certainly wouldn't at my place. Many medications require a withdrawl period. Butchering is a decision prior to medicating. JMO

 

[certherfbeef]

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

Depending upon what medications you've been giving her, butchering her for human consumption may not be an option any more. Certainly wouldn't at my place. Many medications require a withdrawl period. Butchering is a decision prior to medicating. JMO

You are right SF. When I answered, It was a general answer to a general question. Didn't realize that lingtails was refering to this downer cow. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Dusty Britches]

It is possible that the spinal cord swelled after the cow got up after birth. The swelling got worse and eventually caused paralysis.

2 stories from my limited experience with this -
I had a 900 pound heifer that tried to calve a 100 pound calf. The vet pulled the calf, which was dead. After giving Dex for 5 days, we hung our hats. She had a respiatory infection, and due to laying on her side (we only could roll her over) for so long, the legs were swollen and her skin underneath was rotting. The look in her eye was despair. She had given up. The best thing we could do was shoot her.

My neighbor also had a cow go down while calving. The cow went down close to a creek in some bottom land. They couldn't get a tractor down there, so every day the lady went down there and coaxed that cow with alapha hay. She would put it just out of reach. A week later, the cow was on top of the hill, standing. She was lame for many months, but getting around. She wouldn't lay down for a long, long time, either.

Only you can decide when to take which action. Is the cow trying? Is she facing any other health problems? How much time do you want to spend with her?

 

[Campground Cattle]

The best advice you have got is to shoot her, but if you are determined to try watch her eyes you will know when its time to end her suffering good luck.

 

[jt]

this thread has reminded me of why these boards are so valuable... when kat posted this, my first response was probably nerve damage, and it very well may be... but that is not the point.

someone came along a little later and mentioned calcium deficiency... i didnt think of that and that is the point... even though i know better, it just didnt cross my mind.. i guess my memory just aint what it used to be :lol:

anyhowse..it sure is good to have a place to get info from to help you make more informed decisions and diagnoses...

caustic does that mean i'm a hobby rancher? :lol: ;-)

just ramblin some more..

jt

 

[Kat]

Hi Guys,

Well the Auqa Lift is a joke. It is hard to use and I don't see where it did anything. We stayed outside until the wee hours and it just made her tired.

The swelling is still there in that one leg. And as you have guessed, she is more of a pet type cow. I have had her since the day she was born. She still is trying , but the darn leg will not work.

We are stil lifting herup with the tractor with a sling too. I think I am going to try the calcium one more time as someone had suggested. I also will give her Banamine.

I am still feeding her and watering her and hosing her constantly. This is just so depressing, I think I will give it to tomorrow.

Oh as for the Vet, he is the only one in this town. But it seems like something always goes wrong. We are are going to call another one. We don't really have a choice.

Thank you guys for the support, I sure need it.......

 

[Bama]

I know this sounds mean but its the honest truth. If you raise em, your gonna loose one ever once in a while . Good luck.

 

[Medic24]

ok, well that question was answered, and says alot... yes I have a few pet cattle as well....so.. I know how you feel,if your wanting to stick with it..... by all means hang in there...

But, that also means you are gonna have to keep moving her around, physical therapy so to speak.... and try to get the swelling down in her body,,,,banamine and or aspirin,,,,,, long term dex, bad idea in MO, while you are working with her, go ahead and start her on a prophilactic(preventative) dose of tetracycline or the like, perhaps LA200 or something simular, this in hopes to ward off any infections, the most likely being repiratory now...

As long as she is trying, and eating, drinking and pooping ok, and not getting sick,there is always hope right?

continued good luck with her. perhaps when the swelling goes down in time... she will make a real believer out of you...or perhaps not? :cboy:

 

[Caustic Burno]

this thread has reminded me of why these boards are so valuable... when kat posted this, my first response was probably nerve damage, and it very well may be... but that is not the point.

someone came along a little later and mentioned calcium deficiency... i didnt think of that and that is the point... even though i know better, it just didnt cross my mind.. i guess my memory just aint what it used to be :lol:

anyhowse..it sure is good to have a place to get info from to help you make more informed decisions and diagnoses...

caustic does that mean i'm a hobby rancher? :lol: ;-)


just ramblin some more..

jt

Naw jt wait till you get a little older you will be surprised at what you can forget. By the way I would shoot the cow.

 

[icandoit]

I'm just wondering if this vet is a large animal vet. If not, you might end up with a similar situation in the future. I'm not saying the vet is a bad vet, but if he/she doesn't have experience with large animals it will happen again.

Dick

 

[jt]

Naw jt wait till you get a little older you will be surprised at what you can forget. By the way I would shoot the cow.

from the sound of it, i would too.

jt

 

[Kat]

Hi guys.

Good morning.... Well I am sorry to say we just had the vet put her down.


Now for what happened last night, my husband talked to a few cow people and they said also to treat her for milk fever again. Also she had an infection in her leg that was not diagnoised until last night. We had a different vet come out about 10 O 'clock.

The original vet is large animal, just not as "mature" as the rest. She (the cow) went peacefully, but I am spent emotionally. I feel like if I would have went with another treatment (i.e. infection in the leg, not nerve damage, if I would have known this) maybe I could have saved her. I understand that loosing them is part of the deal. But, I always get immediate vet care and will go the distance and give 110% with any of them. Cows are a business but they are also a passion. If they were not, I wouldn't be doing this. I just feel like I let her down........

You guys have been great

 

[dun]

Hi guys.

Good morning.... Well I am sorry to say we just had the vet put her down.


Now for what happened last night, my husband talked to a few cow people and they said also to treat her for milk fever again. Also she had an infection in her leg that was not diagnoised until last night. We had a different vet come out about 10 O 'clock.

The original vet is large animal, just not as "mature" as the rest. She (the cow) went peacefully, but I am spent emotionally. I feel like if I would have went with another treatment (i.e. infection in the leg, not nerve damage, if I would have known this) maybe I could have saved her. I understand that loosing them is part of the deal. But, I always get immediate vet care and will go the distance and give 110% with any of them. Cows are a business but they are also a passion. If they were not, I wouldn't be doing this. I just feel like I let her down........

You guys have been great

I've been at this a few years now and it seems like it never really gets any easier to lose one after you've spent time working to get them recovered.
BTW, I've seen more cows get up from calving paralysis then not.

dun

 

[bwranch]

Hi guys.

Cows are a business but they are also a passion. If they were not, I wouldn't be doing this. I just feel like I let her down........

You didn't let her down because you did what you thought was right to the best of your ability. The passion is admirable. Sorry for your loss.

Lee

 

[jt]

i dont think you let the cow down... like it was said, you did all you could. so dust your clothes off, put your hat back on, hold your chin up and move on... and dont beat yourself up over it. ;-)

you will be better in the future for it..

good luck

jt

 

[Bret]

Sorry Kat

 

[Wilson_Cattle_Company]

If the cow is very old I would shoot her and bottle-feed the calf 2 or 3 times daily.

Or, if the calf can't get to the bag I would still bottle feed with replacer and move the cow to a sick pen and pray.

Give her a shot of Agri-Cillin. Or a-180 or something to the sort.

I wish you luck.

Also, is the bag and tits stiff and red?

E-mail me @

[email protected]

Thanks! :cboy: :cboy:

 

[jt]

If the cow is very old I would shoot her and bottle-feed the calf 2 or 3 times daily.

Or, if the calf can't get to the bag I would still bottle feed with replacer and move the cow to a sick pen and pray.

Give her a shot of Agri-Cillin. Or a-180 or something to the sort.

I wish you luck.

Also, is the bag and tits stiff and red?

E-mail me @

[email protected]

Thanks! :cboy: :cboy:

the cow has already been put down..

jt

 

[milkmaid]

Bummer. I've seen 'em go down and not ever get up again, but most that I've seen recovered in a few days after going down.

I have my doubts that this was milk fever. Neighbor/boss lost a cow to milk fever last week. If they aren't treated they'll die pretty quickly. This cow was up in pasture with the rest of the milk herd, got bedded down in some dry cattails, and wasn't seen when the herd was rounded up. Saw the buzzards circling the next day.

 

[Medic24]

Sorry for your loss there Kat... don't change that passion you have for your cattle... hope it makes up for some of those that couldn't care less, :cboy: