Cow won’t quit pushing

[Silver]

Cow calved last night around 10:30. Calf was very small and weak and mother not very motherly so I put the cow in around midnight, put calf in hotbox to warm up. Put cow in chute to check for a twin and to milk out a feed of colostrum. Uterus felt a little twisted, I had to find my way to the cranial end. After I finished the exam she got a kink in her tail and started pushing. I gave her a shot of oxytocin and put her in a pen. She wouldn't quit pushing so I put her back in the chute and gave her an epidural. That was good for a couple of hours and she started again, now getting several inches of protrusion so I put her in again, gave another epidural, and a modified Buhner Stitch. Couple more hours later she started pushing and either my knot failed or the lace broke. So put her back in, another epidural (starting to wonder how many times you can do that), fixed the stitch, and pumped about 3 1/2 gallons of warm water into the uterus. And gave her 12 cc Metacam. She's still pushing and I'm out of ideas.

 

[Dsth]

I had a cow that did about the same thing this year. on day two, I checked for a twin but did it through the rectum (similar to preg checking since it is less likely to cause infections). no second calf but manure was really dry and hard. cleaned out what I could and she felt better for several hours. repeated the next day when I saw her pushing again. Day 4 she started passing manure on her own and no more pushing. manure was still somewhat dry but she was able to move it on her own. back to normal in about a week.

 

[gcreekrch]

Cow calved last night around 10:30. Calf was very small and weak and mother not very motherly so I put the cow in around midnight, put calf in hotbox to warm up. Put cow in chute to check for a twin and to milk out a feed of colostrum. Uterus felt a little twisted, I had to find my way to the cranial end. After I finished the exam she got a kink in her tail and started pushing. I gave her a shot of oxytocin and put her in a pen. She wouldn't quit pushing so I put her back in the chute and gave her an epidural. That was good for a couple of hours and she started again, now getting several inches of protrusion so I put her in again, gave another epidural, and a modified Buhner Stitch. Couple more hours later she started pushing and either my knot failed or the lace broke. So put her back in, another epidural (starting to wonder how many times you can do that), fixed the stitch, and pumped about 3 1/2 gallons of warm water into the uterus. And gave her 12 cc Metacam. She's still pushing and I'm out of ideas.

Try two cups of sugar in about two quarts of water into her uterus. Sugar will shrink things up. Works good to sprinkle sugar on a uterine prolapse to

Oxy will help them shrink but also will keep cervix open longer.

 

[Silver]

Try two cups of sugar in about two quarts of water into her uterus. Sugar will shrink things up. Works good to sprinkle sugar on a uterine prolapse to

Oxy will help them shrink but also will keep cervix open longer.

I can't believe I forgot the sugar. It is in my supply cupboard in the barn 4 feet from the chute . I'm gonna blame that on my lack of sleep combined with early onset Alzheimer's

 

[TCRanch]

Thanks for the tip, @gcreekrch. I have sugar on hand for the random calf with a swollen tongue or (heaven forbid) another uterine prolapse, but that would most likely prevent a prolapse in the first place.

How's she doing now, @Silver?

 

[gcreekrch]

I can't believe I forgot the sugar. It is in my supply cupboard in the barn 4 feet from the chute . I'm gonna blame that on my lack of sleep combined with early onset Alzheimer's

Glad your elders could give you a gentle reminder…… Hope your cow is better.

 

[Silver]

How's she doing now, @Silver?

She seems to have quit straining, or straining a lot less for sure. Last I looked all the important parts were inside where the belong. Now if I can save the calf I will take a moment to bask in the small victories and try to put the defeats out of my mind for a short time!

 

[sunnyblueskies]

Now if I can save the calf I will take a moment to bask in the small victories and try to put the defeats out of my mind for a short time!

Good for you, I have the defeats beating me this morning. Heifer had her first calf yesterday evening. Didn't take too long, calf was not big or problem size, calf's head was not swollen, it was lively shaking it's head, scrambling with the legs. Heifer got up after a minute or two of wondering what just happened to her and put some good love on the calf. Licking it. All good, right? This morning the calf is dead and the cow laying beside it bawling.
How do you not let the defeats gets the best of you? Because they surely weigh heavy on me.

 

[Silver]

Good for you, I have the defeats beating me this morning. Heifer had her first calf yesterday evening. Didn't take too long, calf was not big or problem size, calf's head was not swollen, it was lively shaking it's head, scrambling with the legs. Heifer got up after a minute or two of wondering what just happened to her and put some good love on the calf. Licking it. All good, right? This morning the calf is dead and the cow laying beside it bawling.
How do you not let the defeats gets the best of you? Because they surely weigh heavy on me.

Sorry about your loss. That sucks. It's not easy but if we dwell on the defeats we'd surely give up.

 

[gcreekrch]

Good for you, I have the defeats beating me this morning. Heifer had her first calf yesterday evening. Didn't take too long, calf was not big or problem size, calf's head was not swollen, it was lively shaking it's head, scrambling with the legs. Heifer got up after a minute or two of wondering what just happened to her and put some good love on the calf. Licking it. All good, right? This morning the calf is dead and the cow laying beside it bawling.
How do you not let the defeats gets the best of you? Because they surely weigh heavy on me.

No matter how hard we try, we can't kill them all!

 

[wbvs58]

Good for you, I have the defeats beating me this morning. Heifer had her first calf yesterday evening. Didn't take too long, calf was not big or problem size, calf's head was not swollen, it was lively shaking it's head, scrambling with the legs. Heifer got up after a minute or two of wondering what just happened to her and put some good love on the calf. Licking it. All good, right? This morning the calf is dead and the cow laying beside it bawling.
How do you not let the defeats gets the best of you? Because they surely weigh heavy on me.

Disappointing.

Ken

 

[sunnyblueskies]

Cow calved last night around 10:30. Calf was very small and weak and mother not very motherly so I put the cow in around midnight, put calf in hotbox to warm up. Put cow in chute to check for a twin and to milk out a feed of colostrum. Uterus felt a little twisted, I had to find my way to the cranial end. After I finished the exam she got a kink in her tail and started pushing. I gave her a shot of oxytocin and put her in a pen. She wouldn't quit pushing so I put her back in the chute and gave her an epidural. That was good for a couple of hours and she started again, now getting several inches of protrusion so I put her in again, gave another epidural, and a modified Buhner Stitch. Couple more hours later she started pushing and either my knot failed or the lace broke. So put her back in, another epidural (starting to wonder how many times you can do that), fixed the stitch, and pumped about 3 1/2 gallons of warm water into the uterus. And gave her 12 cc Metacam. She's still pushing and I'm out of ideas.

Funny enough we had a heifer yesterday ending up the same way. Calf was hiplocked and we had to aid a little bit. Right after......prolapse. Fixed her up, sugar and all, some Metacam. Not even an hour later...surprise....... Back to work, put everything back in, stitched it up. Couple hours later....... nope stitches not good enough.
Back in, by now she is charging us in the maternity pen. We put in so many stitches......I should enter the work into a stitching contest. Hahahahahaha
Ever find a solution to make them quit pushing?

 

[Silver]

Ever find a solution to make them quit pushing?

Nothing fool proof. Epidural works for awhile. On my last one the vet recommended 3 or 4 gallons of warm water pumped in to weigh it down and get it unfolded to its proper previous shape. She quit pushing a while afterwards (within the hour I think). I don't know if that was because of my efforts or despite them.

Also, a Buhner needle and learning the modified Buhner stitch is an asset.

 

[gcreekrch]

Funny enough we had a heifer yesterday ending up the same way. Calf was hiplocked and we had to aid a little bit. Right after......prolapse. Fixed her up, sugar and all, some Metacam. Not even an hour later...surprise....... Back to work, put everything back in, stitched it up. Couple hours later....... nope stitches not good enough.
Back in, by now she is charging us in the maternity pen. We put in so many stitches......I should enter the work into a stitching contest. Hahahahahaha
Ever find a solution to make them quit pushing?

A wine bottle on a broom stick tied to their tail will keep it in. Your stitches need to be out in the hair to find thick enough hide to hold.
Tail block with Lido Caine lasts several hours.

 

[wbvs58]

A long neck wine bottle is handy to give you the extra reach to get the end of the uterus straightened out. Getting it all straightened out is the key to preventing them straining.
Please tell us how the wine bottle on a broom stick tied to their tail is done Dave.

Ken

 

[gcreekrch]

A long neck wine bottle is handy to give you the extra reach to get the end of the uterus straightened out. Getting it all straightened out is the key to preventing them straining.
Please tell us how the wine bottle on a broom stick tied to their tail is done Dave.

Ken

Broom stick may need trimming to fit. A little tape to hold together. Baler twine tied to tail close to tail head. Definately not long term fix and antibiotics should be given as well.
When we were first married my wife and I calved 1000 cows on pasture one spring. A cow had prolapsed and the ranch supplied little to no vet supplies. She was down when we found her, spent some time cleaning cactus and grass off her uterus and pushed her back together. My wife used her sweatshirt on a poplar stick as a plug. We winched her into the truck, hauled her to the ranch and removed plug then sewed up properly. The owner told us next morning we should have shot her because he had never seen one live. She was alive when we left there a month later to lease our own operation. The owner refused to give me a bill of sale when I suggested I would take chances on her dying that morning.

 

[greybeard]

Broom stick may need trimming to fit. A little tape to hold together. Baler twine tied to tail close to tail head. Definately not long term fix and antibiotics should be given as well.
When we were first married my wife and I calved 1000 cows on pasture one spring. A cow had prolapsed and the ranch supplied little to no vet supplies. She was down when we found her, spent some time cleaning cactus and grass off her uterus and pushed her back together. My wife used her sweatshirt on a poplar stick as a plug. We winched her into the truck, hauled her to the ranch and removed plug then sewed up properly. The owner told us next morning we should have shot her because he had never seen one live. She was alive when we left there a month later to lease our own operation. The owner refused to give me a bill of sale when I suggested I would take chances on her dying that morning.

I'll never have cows again this time around but in my next life, I'll sure know cow things I never knew in this one..

 

[Nesikep]

Broom stick may need trimming to fit. A little tape to hold together. Baler twine tied to tail close to tail head. Definately not long term fix and antibiotics should be given as well.
When we were first married my wife and I calved 1000 cows on pasture one spring. A cow had prolapsed and the ranch supplied little to no vet supplies. She was down when we found her, spent some time cleaning cactus and grass off her uterus and pushed her back together. My wife used her sweatshirt on a poplar stick as a plug. We winched her into the truck, hauled her to the ranch and removed plug then sewed up properly. The owner told us next morning we should have shot her because he had never seen one live. She was alive when we left there a month later to lease our own operation. The owner refused to give me a bill of sale when I suggested I would take chances on her dying that morning.

sounds like my adventure a few years back.. I had no supplies to take care of it properly.. sharpened up a tire plug insert tool best I could, found some linen sail string and quadrupled it up and used that.. no lidocaine or anything.. Shot of LA200 and she was fine after... we were both pretty darned tired though

 

[Silver]

This is what I think is a good example of a properly stitched up cow. I try to leave enough space in the opening for 3 fingers or so.

 

[sunnyblueskies]

Nice stitching! Did you use a Buhner stitch or what did you do?