Cow with bad hooves...pictures included I hope

[highgrit]

I have a cow with bad back hooves. When she starts to limp I put her in the shoot and doctor her up. First I clean with water and bleach then I put iodine on followed by koper tox then and iodine ointment then 20cc penicillin. She gets better as far as limping goes, but her pads have never grown back. She is one of my best cows and I would like to know if we can keep her. Here's some pitcures. Any ideas would be great. Thanks

 

[rockridgecattle]

I don't know if i understood properly, but i got the impression that this is reoccuring. If not please feel free to correct me! How many coursed of treatment has she had, and how many days per course, and how long before the problem returns?
It takes a good long while before the cracks grow out. Are there soft spots in the hoof?

 

[Aaron]

My advice is to get a hoof trimmer in to do a proper job to fix the root cause. There is way too much pad there and it needs to be scrapped and nipped off so a proper job of cleaning out the crack can be done. Wish I was closer, I like challenges like that.

One visit by a trimmer won't likely cut it, but if you emotionally attached to this cow, it will be money well spent over the long-term (versus drugs and doctoring).

 

[KNERSIE]

Giving Multimin regularly would very likely also lengthen her productive life, either that or upping the Zn in the mineral. A ZnSO4 footbath set up so that the cattle have to pass through it to get to water/mineral/feed would also help.

 

[regolith]

Wow. And I thought I'd seen some bad hooves...

First thing - if this cow is lame and the rest of your herd is sound, chances are you don't want to be keeping heifers from this one, best cow or no.
Both soles are under-run and under-run again, probably stemming from an initial white line injury that has abscessed and spread. If you're lucky there's good firm sole under that loose stuff - you need to have a hoof trimmer pare it down clean and flat till there is no separated sole, and give her a good long rest (no long walks) if there isn't a flat hard surface underneath that mess.

I also enjoy a challenge like that - she looks to me like she'd come good in one or two trims so it's at least worth the attempt. The most likely complication would be if the abscess and infection has spread into the soft tissue of the foot and once it's properly trimmed you'll see if that's happened. If that's the case, hit it hard with good antibiotics and hope for the best. Get your vet's advice regarding treatment - it may take an extended course of something stronger than penicillin to shift a deep-seated infection.

Have you got someone nearby skilled enough to tackle the hoof-trimming? Dairy farmers are generally ok if you can't find a professional.

 

[regolith]

pm me if you want to. I've examined more bad feet recently than I'd ever have wished.
It's possible that her re-occuring lameness is due to small stones lodging in the separated tissue - another reason why the old hoof needs to be removed before she can recover.

 

[highgrit]

Yes, this is a reoccuring problem. I usually treat her every other day if she's limping. She has been good for months at a time, and it seems to reoccur when it gets wet. I am not attached to her, but besides her back feet she's a great cow. Called a few hoof trimmers, but they must of been to busy to call me back. I will hound them this time till they show up. When I grind my feed I add vitaminde and multi-mineral. The cows also have free choice multi-mineral; also use hi-mag and fly multi-mineral at certain times of the year. Can I add the zinc to her feed and how much? I have had the vet out a few times for her feet, we have never seen any infections on her any where. We had corns cut off between her back hooves two years ago. Thanks for the advice, we're going to start calling some farriers today.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

BTW - you did a great job with the pics. Nothing beats SEEING the problem.

 

[KNERSIE]

Yes, this is a reoccuring problem. I usually treat her every other day if she's limping. She has been good for months at a time, and it seems to reoccur when it gets wet. I am not attached to her, but besides her back feet she's a great cow. Called a few hoof trimmers, but they must of been to busy to call me back. I will hound them this time till they show up. When I grind my feed I add vitaminde and multi-mineral. The cows also have free choice multi-mineral; also use hi-mag and fly multi-mineral at certain times of the year. Can I add the zinc to her feed and how much? I have had the vet out a few times for her feet, we have never seen any infections on her any where. We had corns cut off between her back hooves two years ago. Thanks for the advice, we're going to start calling some farriers today.

Stop throwing good money after bad money

 

[TobyBenoit]

I just bought a little Cracker cow with rear hind feet that are similar to what you have pictured. The farrier cut away a lot, but the infection is pretty bad. We set up a sulfur bath for her to walk through and three days of LA200. It's been a week and she's not limping nearly as badly and the farrier's due out again on Monday to see if she needs any more trimming. Both he and the vet are confident she'll heal up.

I wish you success with her!