heifer with retained placenta

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kaykay

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We have a first time heifer that had a low birth weight calf saturday, she still has the placenta hanging. Will nature take its course, or do we need to have have vet look at it?? She had a really HUGE bag before she gave birth, stuck out her back legs, and her navel seemed to really hang low, it looks ok now. Other than that she seemed normal.
 
give her a week, then mix a tinchure of iodine in a quart jar with water till it looks like strong tea. Then infuse her with it. Works every time for me.
 
ok....sounds real simple.....now to sound real stupid.......how do you INFUSE her with it????? Remember......I am a beginner :lol: :lol:
 
kaykay":3fxhn0bu said:
ok....sounds real simple.....now to sound real stupid.......how do you INFUSE her with it????? Remember......I am a beginner :lol: :lol:

Sorry, I use an AI sheath attached to a 40cc syringe. Then thread the sheath through the cervix to the uterous. And let the iodine go. Repeat till most of the mixture is gone. Not a very pleasent job. But, works and is cheap.
 
Doesnt sound like a very pleasant job, BUT I will print this all off and let my dear hubby have the "honors". I really appreciate your respones, and so quick too!!!
 
If she's gentle enough or you can get her up you can take a small stick, thumb thickness, wrap the placenta that hanging out around it and pull ( gently and slowly ), don't jerk on it . The stick just gives you something to hold to as the placenta is a "little" slippery, it should just slide right out. The longer you wait the more "intense" the smell is. :roll:

;-)
 
This is one of those subjects that even more controversial then castration and EPDs.
Years ago we used to go in and physically disconnect the placenta, then the deal became just giving them oxytocin, now the norm is to leave it alone and let it disconnect and come out/off by itself. We tie it up so that it doesn't drag the ground and the cow can't step on it and pull. Yes it gets nasty and stinks, but it will eventually disconnect and come out. It can cause a delay in breeding back, but I feel that just the problem that caused the retnetion in the first place is as likely to cause problems as the length of time it is retained.
Some vets still like to go in and manually disconnect it, some stll give the shot, some just leave it alone. The worst thing you can do is pull too hard and damage the uterus. The more rotten it is the less thechance of causing damage. If after 2 weeks it hasn't come out and the heifer cleaned, then is the time to do something. Keep an eye on her for signs of fever and let old ma nature do her thing.

dun
 
I agree with dun but we also give ours a shot of antibiotics if it stays for more that 3 days.
 
kaykay":3m9ssg5t said:
Doesnt sound like a very pleasant job, BUT I will print this all off and let my dear hubby have the "honors". I really appreciate your respones, and so quick too!!!

KayKay...Call the Vet! You have a potentially serious problem here! Vet cost is small compared to possibility damaging or losing a cow.
 
This evenig we could see several inches that had passed since yesterday. I will check her again in the morning and if WILL call the vet!!!
 
Running Arrow Bill":3fjuqh5w said:
Call the VET! Can't believe posts this morning! We have a cow medical problem here... Don't think it is a job for a novice Do-It-Yourselfer!

Infusion? duh....

Call the Vet!

Bill, I didn't mean to tick you off. This remedy was given to me directly from a VET!!! Has worked for me several times and the cow bred right back. Sorry to make you mad.
 
certherfbeef":3acpr9vj said:
Running Arrow Bill":3acpr9vj said:
Call the VET! Can't believe posts this morning! We have a cow medical problem here... Don't think it is a job for a novice Do-It-Yourselfer!

Infusion? duh....

Call the Vet!

Bill, I didn't mean to tick you off. This remedy was given to me directly from a VET!!! Has worked for me several times and the cow bred right back. Sorry to make you mad.

LOL. Didn't get ticked off! Just never know who the posters are sometimes and I like to err on side of caution with any comments I make. Can be a touch risky if someone goes with one or two pieces of "advice" and ends up doing the wrong thing. Again, whatever the problem, I try to "Diagnose -- Vet Prescribe -- Treat"

Have a good one! :D
 
Leave it alone! I'm with dun on this subject.. for years producers where told to have it removed, and then a vet at A & M said the only reason they do it is to make a few $$$ easily and keep the producer from worrying about it. We haven't removed one for years, and never had any problems with the cow breeding back.
 
When I went to school at Graham 10-15 years ago they taught using a pint of hydrogen peroxide and 1 oz. boric acid powder daily until she cleaned. Don't pull on it. Since then I have been told to leave it alone. Both seem to work OK. If it helps you sleep better ,have someone show you how to do the infusion. Otherwise,let it alone.
 
There are numerous management stategys concerning this. I am somewhat more concerned in warm summer months in Texas than in winter. I agree one should wait for natural detachment, but at some point a judgement call has to be made just as when do you provide assistance during calving. The concern shared by many is delayed breed back due to tearing or infection. I think good nutrition plays a big part. During summer calving I wait 4-5 days and if no progress, my vet who use to give oxytocin, now gives ECP and it works much better.
I was also informed yesterday that phenylbutazol is prohibited from sale.
It was a great and economical anti inflamatory drug that saved me alot of time and handling as it could be crushed and mixed with a textured feed and administered in the pasture to most of our animals.
 
certherfbeef":33uayp85 said:
kaykay":33uayp85 said:
ok....sounds real simple.....now to sound real stupid.......how do you INFUSE her with it????? Remember......I am a beginner :lol: :lol:

Sorry, I use an AI sheath attached to a 40cc syringe. Then thread the sheath through the cervix to the uterous. And let the iodine go. Repeat till most of the mixture is gone. Not a very pleasent job. But, works and is cheap.

CB

Is this a one time deal, or do you do it daily until most of the mixture is gone?
A piece of tubing should work well for the infusion process-right?
 
"I was also informed yesterday that phenylbutazol is prohibited from sale"


"Bute" is restricted, but not prohibited! Horse people use it all the time. Did your vet tell you that?
 
Ryder":97l4qhwd said:
CB

Is this a one time deal, or do you do it daily until most of the mixture is gone?
A piece of tubing should work well for the infusion process-right?

I infuse her once and use most of the mixture. I don't know what kind of tubeing you are referring to, but I wouldn't use anything other than an AI sheath or the like.
 

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