Cow down

[Tomcolvin]

Have you checked her for retained afterbith? If retained this could become a serious issue. When she tries to get up do you still hear 'water'? Where are you injecting her? Are you injecting intramuscular or sub q? Think you can lay off the cortisone now and just give anti inflammatory. I would not try to get her up yet, let her do some healing. You can let her lie flat and stretch at times when you are in attendance, just not too long. Hold her head up if you like. Continue with what you are doing and try and loosen up those back legs ;-) . Good luck!!

Should I give her some cortisone in the hip area? I/m? I have been giving in the neck.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Tom I have wrassled with them as long as they are fighting. Longest was a little over two weeks before she got up. Once they get the look in their eyes it's over IMO.

 

[alisonb]

Tomorrow will be a week that she has been down if I'm not mistaken...I would lay off of anti inflammatory and cortisone treatment for now and try and get her up. Even if she doesn't manage to stand at first the movement/effort will get the blood flowing. Three times a day if possible?

How is she today? Is she still trying, are her efforts getting better at all?

 

[alisonb]

Have posted pics here for you Tom.

What I see makes me very sad.

It could just be the photo's but to me she seems undernourished. She is very small and I wonder about her age. She is lying in almost a 'frog' position which is indicative of Femoral nerve damage but yet her toes are pulling in suggesting Peroneal nerve damage too. If this is the case prognosis is not good. You said you work which means she is not being rotated as she should be. If you pulled the calf out and didn't see after birth it means it's still inside of her...possible uterus infection.

IMHO call a vet out for an urgent opinion. Best of luck!

 

[Bright Raven]

That does not look good. I had a heifer that experienced some trauma on her first calf. Nothing even close to the motor function damage evident in these pictures. But she never fully recovered 100 percent motor function in her left leg. I culled her because every subsequent calf aggravated the nerve damage.

 

[Silver]

It always amazes me how quickly a downer cow loses condition, even when eating and drinking. In my experience a cow in excellent condition that stays down for 2 weeks will look like a HSUS poster cow when she gets up.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

For being down a week, I don't think she looks that under-nourished.

 

[alisonb]

Tom, the intention was not to send you away with my directness. All I knew was that you needed advice from a vet and it needed to be in a hurry before further complications set in(Metritis for one). Forums can be very helpful at times but advice from one person, preferably a vet, is best in dire situations.

Hope you managed to get a vet and that your heifer is on the mend...please let us know.

It would also be great if you shared your experiences with us so that those who are perhaps in a similar position one day can learn from you.