Limping Cow

[BK9954]

Have a black angus heifer that is walking slow with a limp. I seperated her from the others and put her in a pen. I dont see any hoof rot. What else should I do. I have kept her there so she doesnt walk too much.

 

[A.J.]

I would try to give her a shot of banamine to help in case she has some swelling that isn't noticeable and it might help with the pain too. Does it appear to be her hoof that is causing the limp and not her leg or hip?

 

[BK9954]

I couldnt tell. It was in the dark with a flashlight. I work 15 hour shifts so I can only check them at night on the days I work.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Before giving her a shot of anything, I'd give her 2 or 3 days penned up to herself to see if it improves or works itself out.

It could just be that she took a bad step and twisted something, wrenched an ankle or knee, pulled a muscle, jammed her shoulder or hip. If she has done any of what I listed, within a couple to 3 days you should see an improvement.

If no improvement, then I would think about aspirin as my 1st step, and give her a much closer look in a chute, from top to bottm and see what I could find, if anything. Then take it from there.

 

[BK9954]

Thats what I am going to do. My neighbor said the same thing. Left work early today. I dont see any swelling. There was not a lot of shade in the pen so she was upset and foaming at the mouth I think from overheating. I put a tarp over the pen and sprayed her down with water to cool her off. Going to check on her in a little bit. Losing on of these cows is the same as loosing a months pay at work. Worth taking a day of vacation.

 

[A.J.]

You did right keeping her up to limit her mobility. Hopefully she just bruised or slightly sprained something and with a little time will be back up to speed with the rest of the herd.

 

[TCRanch]

There's no withdrawal time for aspirin boluses; 1 - 3 daily depending on her size. We have had quite a few go lame without any obvious signs of foot rot & discovered a small rock wedged deep in the hoof - either separate the hoof with your hands or dig (gently) with a screwdriver. Good luck!

 

[Nesikep]

I have a limping cow, I think she fractured the bone very slightly, *hardly* any swelling, a tiny scrape on the skin, she's still limping a little after 3 weeks, but it's better than when she first got hurt, she couldn't touch the foot to the ground.. I'd bet yours sprained/twisted something if you can't see anything wrong with the hoof itself.
Aspirin is short acting, I think my bottle says you can give 3 boluses 3 times a day.

 

[wbvs58]

Look I don't normally advocate indiscriminant use of antibiotics but in a young and healthy animal like this more often than not the problem is in the foot. Something like your LA 300 or whatever you call it over there would be effective.
Did you get her in a crush or race and lift her foot up? Use a rope to lift her foot and a bucket of water and scrubbing brush to clean it out especially between the toes and around the heel area. Squeeze it with a pair of pincers to see if any pain reaction. A penetrating wound like a nail is also possible but don't discount the foot as the odds are greatest that the problem will be down there.
Ken

 

[bird dog]

If you got cracks in your soil like I do, they are probably your culprit. It is usually a sprain and will work itself out in a week or two. I get two or three a year when it gets hot and real dry like it is now.
I have a crack right at the exit door of my chute that is three inches across. They are leg breakers for a calf in a hurry to get out of the squeeze.

 

[boondocks]

As a newbie, may I ask a side question: how does one best administer aspirin? (assume animal is in chute/headgate)
Thanks!

 

[TCRanch]

As a newbie, may I ask a side question: how does one best administer aspirin? (assume animal is in chute/headgate)
Thanks!

With a balling gun, preferably metal because they can easily bite through the plastic ones. But a lot of my girls will simply eat them out in the pasture if I break them in half, put them in a bowl with cubes & drizzle a little molasses over it.