Dislocated Hip

[I luv herfrds]

Got a calf that has a dislocated hip. He was born on the 8th.
He is holding his hoof off the ground and tucked under him. Between his hip and knee it is swollen. He is able to get up and nurse but sure if we should just give him a chance or just put him down.
If we keep him plan to put him and his dam with the heifers so we can keep a close eye on him and get his dam bred.

Thoughts to this plan?

 

[branguscowgirl]

Did this happen during birth, or later?
Can the vet pop it back in?

 

[I luv herfrds]

Just within the last couple days. Already talked to the vet and he does not have much hope of popping it back into place.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Just within the last couple days. Already talked to the vet and he does not have much hope of popping it back into place.

Do you have a teaching Veterinary hospital nearby? We have UC Davis and they will tackle stuff that the local vets won't do.

 

[I luv herfrds]

No we do not. Going to brand on the 4th and the vet is coming out to help. Will have him take a look at the calf then.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Talked some more with the vet. He said even if we got the hip back in place it would not stay in place.

Calf is nursing the cow and this is the first day he was willing to move towards the herds feed ground.

I wonder if he got kicked by another cow and that is what happened.

 

[branguscowgirl]

That is a bum deal.
Are you going to put him down then?

 

[wbvs58]

My understanding is that you are just assuming it is dislocated. Your description of the swelling would have me thinking of a Fx femur in which case in that age group they can heal if left alone.
I think you have a bluddy lazy vet.
Ken

 

[redcowsrule33]

I am thinking more along the lines of a femoral fracture as well.

 

[branguscowgirl]

My understanding is that you are just assuming it is dislocated. Your description of the swelling would have me thinking of a Fx femur in which case in that age group they can heal if left alone.
I think you have a bluddy lazy vet.
Ken

That is hopeful news! (I would think that it would be pretty hard to "dislocate a hip" without it being a breach pull.)

 

[I luv herfrds]

Ken our vet starts calving season in December and it ends for him in June. It is hard to get him out unless it is life or death, but he will be out next weekend.
I have to chuckle about you calling him lazy. When the other vet's were gone for a conference he only ever it made it to his home to change clothes and restock his rig. His wife kept food ready around the clock. If you look at a map of Montana put in pin on Fort Benton then draw a line straight to the Canadian border, then go over to Chinook, down to Lewistown, over to Great Falls and back up to Conrad and back to the first line you made to the border. That is the area this man covered for over a week.

At least with a fracture it should heal better then a dislocation.

 

[presmudjo]

My last calf I had had a long leg/hip problem. Thoughts were he got stepped on. The vet worked his leg around and he heard a pop. He gave him a shot and did the rest of his new to me calf check up. Next day Charlie the calf was stiff legged running. He always walked stiff legged and when standing would not put weight on that leg. He grew fine here and went to the freezer. Then again I only have 2 at a time so no pressure on them.

 

[Nesikep]

Perhaps a youtube search on dislocated hips could give you some help on finding out if you can pop it back in, or check to see if it actually is out, or if it's a broken femur. If it's nursing and getting around, I'd say it's a little early to put it down, unless you have a hankering for some veal.

 

[wbvs58]

If the problem is high up in the hip region and feels like a dislocation, in very young animals the growth plate just in from the head of the femur will often separate so it can feel like you got it back in but it doesn't stay there because it is really a fx. A true dislocation should have a good chance of staying in.
Ken

 

[dieselbeef]

ive got a hiefer that has a broken femur or a blown knee. back leg. vet said give her a few mos and turn her back out. put the 2 in a small lot..5 ac or so and let em rest. less walking the better to food water obviously. mines on the end of her first month and shes better already. one vet said it was broke femour the other said good chance but could be blown out knee..either way treat em the same...she will do everything a cow will do.
if it had been a dislocation he wouldve said to eat her.//very hard to tll the diff cuz i thought it was dislocated by the way the bone seemed to be more prominent on that side from the top of the hip area..just looked funny

 

[I luv herfrds]

Calf died today. Told hubby I wanted a post done to see what was wrong, he just shrugged it off but the vet is coming tomorrow so I am going to have it done.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Sorry to hear it, ILH. Will be interested in what the post results are.

 

[branguscowgirl]

So sorry about that! Please let us know what you find out.

 

[Putangitangi]

Calf died today. Told hubby I wanted a post done to see what was wrong, he just shrugged it off but the vet is coming tomorrow so I am going to have it done.

Sorry to read that. I'd be really interested in what you find. I had a twin born (other one died, I wasn't there for the birth), don't know what happened but calf wouldn't stand up. I persisted with her for six weeks, hoping she'd come right, got her standing to feed, even moving around a bit. Eventually shot her and did a pm (messily, myself). The femoral head was broken off and she'd never have healed. Interesting for a non-medical person to see how the hip all gets held together! Pictures here (of the bloody bits), if you're interested.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Calf died today. Told hubby I wanted a post done to see what was wrong, he just shrugged it off but the vet is coming tomorrow so I am going to have it done.

Sorry to read that. I'd be really interested in what you find. I had a twin born (other one died, I wasn't there for the birth), don't know what happened but calf wouldn't stand up. I persisted with her for six weeks, hoping she'd come right, got her standing to feed, even moving around a bit. Eventually shot her and did a pm (messily, myself). The femoral head was broken off and she'd never have healed. Interesting for a non-medical person to see how the hip all gets held together! Pictures here (of the bloody bits), if you're interested.

Putangitangi those were amazing pictures! It looks like you did a very good job with your PM exam!
To me, it looks like the ball is malformed on the affected hip.......??