Dislocated Hip

[El_Putzo]

We've got a 23 day old calf in the barn the we are bottling right now. The cow tried to claim it at first, but the calf couldn't get up due to what we thought was nerve damage. So we brought it and the cow home, but the cow broke through several fences to get back to the herd and try to claim another calf. We were in the process of rebuilding our coral at the time and had no way to hold her at the house so we just decided we'd bottle the calf since it had nerve damage and couldn't get around too well.

Now to the point..... I was observing the calf after I fed him last night and noticed that his problem may not necessarily be from nerve damage. It appears as though his left hip is not in it's socket. The thing is, when I feel around where the ball of the hip should be, I can't find it. I guess my question after all that rambling is, if the hip is just dislocated, can it still be popped back in place after 23 days?

 

[GMN]

Are you sure it is dislocated, and not broken? I had a calf, that accidentally got stepped on by the mother, got her leg broke, had to have it put down, truly discouraging.

GMN

 

[TSR]

We've got a 23 day old calf in the barn the we are bottling right now. The cow tried to claim it at first, but the calf couldn't get up due to what we thought was nerve damage. So we brought it and the cow home, but the cow broke through several fences to get back to the herd and try to claim another calf. We were in the process of rebuilding our coral at the time and had no way to hold her at the house so we just decided we'd bottle the calf since it had nerve damage and couldn't get around too well.

Now to the point..... I was observing the calf after I fed him last night and noticed that his problem may not necessarily be from nerve damage. It appears as though his left hip is not in it's socket. The thing is, when I feel around where the ball of the hip should be, I can't find it. I guess my question after all that rambling is, if the hip is just dislocated, can it still be popped back in place after 23 days?

Can he walk?? I had a calf that got stepped on and his mid joint (For lack of a scientific name) on his hip jutted out with each step. I figured I would slaughter him at the proper time if he kept limping but after about 8-9months he looks normal and is walking just fine. Sometimes it just takes time.

 

[El_Putzo]

My vet finally got back to me after we played phone tag for a day. He seems to think it could either be broken/dislocated or it could be a naval infection because of the swelling in the leg joints. He said without looking at it he couldn't make a dianosis. I'll be taking the calf up to the vets office in the morning. It seems weird though if it is a naval infection because he shouldn't have been born with an infection. Maybe he has some nerve damage, and now also a naval infection.

The thing that baffles me is that after 23 days this calf is still healthy as a horse. No scours, eats like a pig, has a nice shiney coat and tries like heck to get up and walk. He has definitely not given up.

Edit: Sorry, I almost forgot to answer the question. yes, he can walk a little. He wobbles a lot since he doesn't put any weight on the one back leg, but he can normally hobble around a little, until he gets excited and tries to move to fast, then he goes down.