Cow Leg Injury ?

[Stocker Steve]

Have a cow that came off the trailer with a limp yesterday. Today she has some swelling, mostly noticeable above a rear fetlock, and she try's not put any weight on it. I put her into a small pen. Any other ideas on the injury or the treatment?

 

[Silver]

If she walked onto the trailer without a limp, I would assume the injury will heal in good time with some R&R. If it turns out to be more than that I'd guess you'd figure that out soon enough.

 

[TCRanch]

Newly purchased cow or one you've had a while? Had a bull that was favoring his right hind leg, figured due to fighting, but segued into a full limp. I could see & feel some swelling but wasn't sure what was wrong so took him to the vet. Vet shaved his leg all around the hock & fetlock and discovered a small scar from a previous wound, looked like a puncture. Opened up the leg around the fetlock and the amount of pus that came out was unbelievable. Ended up putting in a rubber tube so the wound/pus would drain, I flushed it every day for 10 days and pumped him full of penicillin, completely healed.

That said, if you put a healthy cow on a trailer & she comes out limping is it possible you drive like a maniac? ;-)

 

[gizmom]

Aspirin bolus or bute to help with inflammation and pain.

Gizmom

 

[MRRherefords]

Agree with the aspirin. That always seems to help. I give the limpy ones good footing and they heal up pretty quick most of the time.

 

[Silver]

Metacam works wonders too for inflammation and pain.