Dead Cow

[rochelle]

My dad was checking on his cows this afternoon and they were fine. When he went back this evening he found a dead cow that was bleeding from his mouth, nose and rectum. What does this mean?

 

[Cow_Town]

The first thing I would do is check for bullet holes. There are sick people out there who get a kick out of shooting livestock. My Grandpa lost a very nice Beefmaster bull that way one time.

 

[Sir Loin]

Rochelle,

Where do you live? I’m not familiar with nanaimo.
What predators do you have in your area? Coyotes, wild dogs etc.?

Other then what CT said, death may have been from natural causes or anything else and the blood around the mouth, nose and rectum may just be the result of predators or buzzards.

Check for wounds (bit marks) and see if you can determine the cause of the bleeding, particularly around the rectum.

It is not uncommon for a cow that has been run to death to bleed from the nose and mouth, but I have never heard of one bleeding from the rectum at the same time Unless prditors or buzzards have started to eat.

Please keep us posted.
SL

 

[Sir Loin]

Cowboy,

If there are no bite marks and the bleeding seems to be from internal vs external, blackleg would be my next best guess.
Where is nanaimo?
This has me a little confused too.

a dead cow that was bleeding from his mouth

I hope Rochelle isn’t too upset over the loss.
SL

 

[rattler]

May be way worng here but won't certin kind's of posin's cause the same symptons as decribed?

rattler

 

[Beefy]

yes, blackleg, some poisonous plants, and i believe heart failure all can cause bleeding like that.

 

[Vicky the vet]

Anthrax has to be on the list....

 

[Beefy]

Anthrax has to be on the list....

and anthrax, i hate it when i forget and leave out the most classic one.

 

[andybob]

Anthrax has to be on the list....

since the outbreak near my farm in 1977, I am quite paranoid about Anthrax, always the first one that comes to mind, especially if the blood is dark and 'tarry'.

 

[*Cowgirl*]

A "cow" should not get blackleg.

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

anthrax

At this point I would rule out anthrax simply because of the climatic conditions in that location.

Re:

A "cow" should not get blackleg.

I was thinking along those lines also, but Rochelle also used the word “his” in the same sentence.
SL

 

[randiliana]

A "cow" should not get blackleg.

Cows CAN get Blackleg. It is usually a young animal disease, but it can happen in older animals. My uncle lost several older cows to it several years ago.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Cows CAN get Blackleg. It is usually a young animal disease, but it can happen in older animals.

Yup. A friend lost a cow to Blackleg. Yes she had been vaccinated, but she died from a strain of clostridium that was not covered by the vaccine.

Katherine

 

[*Cowgirl*]

Re:

anthrax

At this point I would rule out anthrax simply because of the climatic conditions in that location.

Re:

A "cow" should not get blackleg.

I was thinking along those lines also, but Rochelle also used the word “his” in the same sentence.
SL

Didn't notice this. Oldest I've heard of Blackleg is 24 months.