dairy cow problem

[GMN]

I have a 3 year old dairy cow, she was doing real good, a great milker, until 2 weeks ago, when she started going off by herself, then the stiff gait started with her hind legs, she couldn't step up on cement, we took her to the vet, he said it was arthritis, I just don't believe it, because she went from being normal to abnormal in a few short days, now her left front leg is grotesquely swollen the whole leg, and the rest of her joints which were swollen have gone down slightly. She get up, but her milk production has gone down, and she is losing weight, I'd like to hear from anyone who knows what this could be? Gail

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

I'm sure you'll get some good information from the great folks here, but you also might like to check out the following site focusing on the family milk cow

http://familycow.proboards32.com/

Ann B

 

[Ryder]

GMN that is a strange set of symptoms.
If you find the cause, please tell us.

 

[GMN]

Thanks for the link, unfortunately, it says page not found, I'll keep trying. Also, if I might add, the time when she went off by herself, before the swollen joints, she acted crazy, walked straight thru electric fence. I thought chemical imbalance, until the stiff gait started, then the Vet thought foot abcess, but her feet are good, so it is a real mystery, I can't hardly stand to look at her leg anymore it is unnatural, and she obviously is in pain, feel for her. Hope someone has some ideas. Thanks Gail

 

[dun]

Thanks for the link, unfortunately, it says page not found,

Try this one. Bizarre things happen when you post a lnk the way the diorections tell you to.

http://familycow.proboards32.com/

dun

 

[Wilson_Cattle_Company]

Wow.... this is odd...........

I was just wondering......

Could it be snake bite???? :?: :?: :?:

I don't know, I just figured I would look over her legs for bite marks or something like that.

Hope she is OK

Avery

 

[bigbull338]

i have never seen a cow swell up like your talking bout.ive milked cows for 28yrs.sounds to me like she has a major infection in that leg.is her leg swelled from the foot to the hip.is she running on pasture or freestall barn combo.im wondering if she wasnt snake bit.the walking though the hotwire isnt uncommon.our milk cows would break emm for fun.all the while the wire would be popping the snott outta them.scott

 

[GMN]

I thought maybe snake bite, the only dangerous snakes we have around are copperheads. I also looked up a site for tick diseases, did you know cows can get a form of Lyme disease, but her symptoms don't match. Her front leg is swelled from the hoof up to the very top. This morning I had a hard time finding her, she was on the pasture, orchardgrass, clover fescue field, she gets up, but real slow, she can walk and all, but gives hardly any milk, last night I stripped her out, and her milk is real yellow, I'm sure her cell count is out of this world, she doesn't go in the tank. She is alert otherwise, but I think her pain reflex is almost non existent, because she seems to lie in the most horrible spots with thistles, sticks, etc.. doesn't faze her, its a mystery, but thanks for your replies. Gail

 

[farmer rich]

This could be either systemic mastitis or a condition called Big Legs which is a condition caused by a bacterial infection which affects the lymph glands of the legs and the udder tissue.

Treatment is a course of a broad spectrum anti biotic. But its also important to remove the animal from any environmental factors which can cause bruising as this exacerbates the condition.

 

[GMN]

To the fellow from England, what kind of antibiotic should a person use, and how did she get this? Also is it curable, with the antibiotics? Thanks GMN

 

[farmer rich]

To the fellow from England, what kind of antibiotic should a person use, and how did she get this? Also is it curable, with the antibiotics? Thanks GMN

I have never personally had a case so you should get the vets advice on that. The bacteria that causes the infection is Corynebacterium pyogenes.
I just looked it up in Cattle Ailments by Eddie Straiton if you want to read the symptoms for yourself. It was the only place I could find it.
Same bacteria causes summer mastitis, which I have experienced. Spread by flies. They usually lose the affected quarters. I treat this with a dry cow tube and IM injection of Tylan.

 

[GMN]

To fellow from England: I'm not sure this is it, because her udder, although her milk is more yellow, could be from alot of things, mostly stress, has really no hardness or abnormalities. It is her leg which still puzzles me. Last night it was still swelled, but she seemed a little better off with the joints in her other legs. Thanks for your replies. Gail

 

[GMN]

We decided to send this cow to her final destination. I appreciate all your replies, but she has worsened, time to let her go.

The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.

 

[GMN]

Like I said I was going to give up on this cow, then I talked to the vet again, got to thinking, why not try something else. Gave her Dexamethazone (with cortisone), and a broad spectrum antibiotic. If the swelling can go down, I know she would feel a whole lot better, maybe I'm wasting my time, but just wasn't ready to give up quite yet, I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for your replies. Gail

 

[Medic24]

Yes, please keep us posted, need to know how these kind of odd cases play out.
may I ask, when did you first start her on antibiotics, meaning how long after you noticed an issue?

good luck!

 

[GMN]

We had taken her to the vet last weekend, at that time she had swollen hocks, originally was thinking it was a foot problem, he gave her some banamine IV and another antibiotic. It wasn't till 2 days later that her leg swelled, so we weren't sure if we should try more drugs or cut our losses, and render her. Today I decided to hit her heavy with more antibiotics, Excenel, the vet suggested, Banamine, and Dexamethazone, hoping this will help, if not I have to wonder if the leg isn't something else? She has energy, eats alot and is alert, just hard to figure out? Gail

 

[farmer rich]

Just curious GMN, as youre already withholding milk why use Exenel rather than a cheaper alternative like Tylan?

 

[GMN]

The cow died yesterday. In hindsight, should have never taken her to the vet, should have taken her to the butcher place, at least then I would have gotten something for her, spent no money, and she would have not suffered for as long as she did.

I got to wonder if when we took her to the vet, she fell in the chute, if she didn't have a broken something in the leg, where she could still walk, for a few days, but it got worse. Lessons learned, kind of irritates me that the vet, didn't know what it was, should have just said so, instead of guessing, and wasting my time and money.

 

[Medic24]

Well GNM... hindsight... we all suffer from it...and i am sorry ot hear of your loss......... who knows what the outcome could have been no matter what you did.......ya chose the path you want to take, roll the dice, and do you very best.


Curious though.........you get her posted? (as in autopsied?) To see what was really wrong with her?

 

[GMN]

No I did not get a necropsy done. I have to wonder now, if she didn't have a ruptured bladder, someone said this could be it, either on this site or the other (Family Cow site), because her initial symptoms were going off by herself, like she had an infection, had her checked no infection, the leg thing didn't start until 2 days after the Vet, and within a week she was dead. Plus my husband said that when he buried her, and before he noticed a strange smell (not from death), plus her blood seemed to pool in her lower extremities, and underside was beet red, kind of strange we thought.

The last hours of her life she seemed to be breathing very heavy, maybe she had a heart attack, I'm glad she is in a better place now, does take a toll on a person. Thanks for all the replies.