Infected Cut?

[watso059]

Does the standard Cold Shot at the sale include anitbiotics? I am a little concerned about a young cow I just got on Saturday. They were all a little shook up upon arrival and 1 had a pretty good cut on her hip. Now, it is swollen to about baseball sized. Does that mean that it may be infected and will the cold shot she got at the sale do anything? She will not come up yet since she does not trust us. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[msscamp]

It sounds like it's become infected and may be trying to abcess. If you have a horse, I would suggest saddling up, rounding up your herd and giving her a good dose of antibiotics. To the best of my knowledge, no vaccination contains antibiotics. If you don't have a horse, maybe you could hire someone for a little cowboy work to round them up. Next time you buy cattle, I would suggest you keep them in the corral for a few weeks to make sure they are all healthy and no problems develop until they settle in and become used to you. Just my thoughts. Another option would be to talk to your vet about a dart gun that you could use to dose her. Sometimes abcesses (if it is indeed abcessing) will clear up with antibiotics and sometimes they won't.

 

[Texas Ranch Man]

If you got a working pen, lock her up in the Head Gate or Squeeze and administer some LA-200 intermuscular in the neck region. Dosage is per lb of body weight on the Box. Then I might treat the cut area topically with an antibiotic ointment that is recommended for cattle. Can she lick the cut area? If so check with the vet befor appling a topical ointment.

 

[msscamp]

FWIW - As this animal is already skittish, running her through the chute is not going to help that skittishness, and you appear to be unfamiliar with cattle - I would suggest talking to your vet about something a little stronger than LA200 so as to hopefully not have to repeat dosing her right now. I personally have no experience with LA200, but there have been many posts on here to the effect that about all it's good for is foot rot. I mean no offense, Texas Ranch Man, nor am I discounting your advice in any way.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

When you buy cattle at the Sale Barn: "What You See Is What You Get". Probably there is no Vet treatment, etc., given there except what's absolutely critical to sell one and move it out.

Any animal bought at Sale Barn, Private breeder, or other source should always be quarantined at one's place until they can be observed for health, behavior, etc. While in quarantine, they should probably be re-vaccinated and/or de-wormed UNLESS you have PROOF that was done at the proper time and/or recently.

 

[watso059]

I had her wormed and given a cold shot...she was probably injured either in transition or in the trailor. You are right msscamp, if there is trouble, which I think there is, this will be only about the third problem I have had in a year of cattle, so I have not learned much about treating them yet. I have 2 horses and could use them to get her up probably, but have never done it. I may be able to coax her up with feed, I can get the whole herd up in the catch pin. We have a vet who can come out, but he charges a lot...like $250-300. :shock: But, I will probably have to have his help on this one I think. Also, I wanted to keep them seperate, but the area that we could've done it in was too muddy to get to that day, so we just had to kind of make do... Thanks for the help and any other thoughts or advice would be great. Also, what are some recommended shots to give incoming cows. I always have them wormed and given the cold shot. Anything else?

 

[milkmaid]

Thanks for the help and any other thoughts or advice would be great. Also, what are some recommended shots to give incoming cows. I always have them wormed and given the cold shot. Anything else?

"Cold shot" - ???

What's in it?

 

[watso059]

"Cold shot" - ???

What's in it?[/quote]

I have no idea. It is part of the routine treatment given during the winter at the salebarn I go to if you ask for your newly-acquired stock to go to the vet pen. They worm and cold shot, unless you ask for something else, more, etc.

 

[msscamp]

I had her wormed and given a cold shot...she was probably injured either in transition or in the trailor. You are right msscamp, if there is trouble, which I think there is, this will be only about the third problem I have had in a year of cattle, so I have not learned much about treating them yet. I have 2 horses and could use them to get her up probably, but have never done it. I may be able to coax her up with feed, I can get the whole herd up in the catch pin. We have a vet who can come out, but he charges a lot...like $250-300. :shock: But, I will probably have to have his help on this one I think. Also, I wanted to keep them seperate, but the area that we could've done it in was too muddy to get to that day, so we just had to kind of make do... Thanks for the help and any other thoughts or advice would be great. Also, what are some recommended shots to give incoming cows. I always have them wormed and given the cold shot. Anything else?

If you can get her in the corral with the rest of the herd, sort her off and get her in the chute. Gently feel the area in question - if it's kind of soft and squishy it's probably an abcess. The biggest problem with abcesses is that they tend to wall themselves off from the rest of the body and keep developing even after they drain unless the membrane is removed. As far as herding them in, if you have some cows that are used to you and used to the horse it's usually not that big of a deal to herd a bunch as long as you don't get impatient and really push them. Just kind of work your horse back and forth behind them, keep them all together and heading for the corral at a nice sedate pace. DON'T RUN THEM! Cattle are herd animals and will usually stay together. If one breaks, get around to the off side, up towards her shoulder, and push her back into the bunch. You may want to think about saddling your horse and just mess with them and see where you need to be to get them to go where you want them to go and how to move them by horseback once in a while. I'm not advocating on a daily basis, but bringing them in by horseback once or twice a week isn't going to hurt them and will give you some practice and get them used to you and the horse. Just remember, slow and easy, you don't want them running or even trotting - the faster you come at them, the harder it's going to be to do anything with them. Just ease on around and haze them towards the corral. You will soon figure out that you can tell what a cow is going to do just by watching where she is looking, what her body position is, and what her ears are doing.

 

[milkmaid]

No offense intended, but- Shouldn't let anyone give your animals "shots" without knowing what's in 'em. For that matter, you shouldn't give your animals anything without knowing what it is.

 

[msscamp]

No offense intended, but- Shouldn't let anyone give your animals "shots" without knowing what's in 'em. For that matter, you shouldn't give your animals anything without knowing what it is.

I'm thinking a 'cold' shot is probably IBR, but could be wrong. He is a new to cattle and this was a salebarn with a veterinarian administering the vaccinations - how about if we cut him a little slack and give him a chance to get his sea legs under him? No offense intended.

 

[milkmaid]

'K. You're right, msscamp. My apologies, watso.

 

[watso059]

I understand!I also would not want to put anything in my cattle if I did not know what it contained or its side-effects, etc, but the one who does it is a vet and I know him pretty well. If he thinks it will keep them from getting a cold or Pneumonia, etc. why should I be skeptical of his judgement? Especially since I am not a vet?But, since you raise the point, the next time I am there, I will be sure to ask him what is in the shot! Thanks again for the imput!


LOL! (I was typing the above and hadn't read the 2 newest posts...) Thanks for backing the newbie msscamp! Also, no offence taken Milkmaid I just appreciate the help!!!

 

[msscamp]

We all have to start someplace when it comes to cattle. Sounds to me like your trying and I'm willing to help in any way I can.

Thank you for your understanding, Milkmaid.

 

[watso059]

Yeah...I am 20 years old and have only been in the biz for 10 months! :shock: Thus, I have not had very much experience with any of these type problems yet!! (Oh do I dread the day I have my first prolapse!!!! :lol: ) I really enjoy the cattle and the people I meet through it! Again, thanks all for the posts!! I can use all the help I can get!

 

[msscamp]

(Oh do I dread the day I have my first prolapse!!!! :lol: )

Mind your genetics and do a little research and reading up and you may not have to deal with it. ;-)

 

[dun]

(Oh do I dread the day I have my first prolapse!!!!

Prolapse aren;t all that common. With any sort of good fortune you'll never be faced with one.

dun

 

[cypressfarms]

watso059,

For future use, if you have a corral, you may want to put new animals in for a week or so, until you know they are o.k. If new animals are in a corral, and you see a problem, it's much easier to treat them. Also, it's good to "quarantine" new animals for several days to try and prevent bringing something in and infecting your whole herd. We all don't have the luxury of a nice corral/chute, but it's a part of your equipment that you will consider essential once you have.

$250 for a house call! Man, I hope our vet doesn't hear about that. He might raise his $20 fee.

Don't mention the "P" word, you'll jinx me.

 

[msscamp]

watso059,

Don't mention the "P" word, you'll jinx me.

Only if you let youself talk you into it! ;-) Can you tell I talk to self a lot? :???:

 

[watso059]

watso059,

Don't mention the "P" word, you'll jinx me.

Only if you let youself talk you into it! ;-) Can you tell I talk to self a lot? :???:

lol msscamp...

Yeah, we nearly lost 2 calves b/c we mixed 2 new cows from the salebarn in the herd too early...I knew better...but get excited...lol From now on i will quarantine for at least a week if at all possible...thanks for the help.... :cboy: