I have a sick cow.

[highgrit]

On Friday some of my cows tore up one of my deer feeders. The feeder had around 500 lbs of corn in it, but there was 20 head of cows eating the corn. Now I have one cow that's sick. She is very weak and has scours, really runny but no blood in her manure. We got her up and in the pen and she ate some feed but didn't drink any water. Just wondering what I should do, give her some LA 200 or combi-pen, or something else. I will call the vet in the morning and see what he says.

 

[Nesikep]

I'd hold off on the LA 200 until I at least took her temp to see if there was a fever. She SHOULD drink water, that's probably #1 for her at this point... I'd say it's better that she has scours than it's opposite.

If you can tube her some water/electrolytes I think that's about the best start

 

[Kingfisher]

Wouldn't a bunch of water make her really blow up?

 

[milkmaid]

Grain overload = ruminal acidosis

Severe ruminal acidosis leads to systemic acidosis which can and will kill a cow.

Baking soda administered orally (eg dissolve a cup in a pop bottle of water) will help bring the rumen pH back up.

Probiotics will be helpful AFTER you've given baking soda or milk of magnesia (google acidosis for more information) as the good bacteria need a normal pH environment in order to live.

Offer free choice stemmy hay, no grain. She probably won't eat it until her rumen pH is back up and she's feeling better.

Some cows do survive regardless of whether they're treated (milder cases), but if she's sick enough to be weak, stumbling, down and having difficult rising, etc, then she will probably die without treatment.

There's a lot of questions asked on the boards that aren't a veterinary emergency - this isn't one of them. Treat her ASAP.

 

[highgrit]

Thanks Milkmaid we just got back from town with the milk of magnesia. And our Vet will be here within the hour. It's hard to believe that only one cow has problems. Thanks again y'all.

 

[Koffi Babone]

Milkmaid is correct, it is very likely ruminal acidosis caused by grain overload. It is the first time I hear of her solution, but it makes lots of sense. You should call your vet asap, your cow may require an IV bicarbonate solution to restore blood pH as well.

When ruminal acidosis occurs, the bacterial population in the rumen changes. Fusobacteria necrophorum tend to dominate at low pH and cause liver abcesses. If your cow survives, she may have subsequent digestive trouble due to rumen microflora changes. You may need to repopulate her rumen with the appropriate flora, either by taking another cow's cud (not easy) or your vet might be equipped to perform transfaunations (taking the ruminal liquid from a healthy cow and giving it to the sick one).

Good luck.

 

[highgrit]

Well she almost caught me when we were trying to get her in the squeeze chute. When a cow is feeling bad I guess you better be real careful around them. The vet gave her 50cc's of banamine, a IV of CMPK and 1 box of baking soda mixed with warm water and vegetable oil with some kao-pac through a stomach tube. All we have to do is wait and see if she makes it. She looked better already and wasn't trying to catch me when I turned her loose.