Need some advice on a cow - pics

[Alan]

I posted these threads a while ago, you can look at the dates, same cow,

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=82249&hilit=+cough

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=84082&hilit=+cough

Now she is still active and eats well, holding weight well, fights other cows and holding her pecking order for her hay. She has good weight, but she obviously has my eye on her. She is due to calf in late march I'm hoping she'll make it. Not in the pics is her brisket area, it is quite swollen also, there is a problem. I have looked on CT for the swollen brisket area, I've seen it here before, I'm sure there is the problem, like I said I know how big of a big problem it is. I'm just looking for the next move, which includes a bullet to the head and coyote food.

a: I would like to know your thoughts on the problem
b: any treatment, had a vet out again and a youngster that was worthless
c: timeline for death, still calf etc., time for calf to be born healthy, in your opinion, keep or cut line?

Thanks Alan

 

[Aaron]

Well, you never liked the idea of TB, so I will throw two other suggestions out, Johnes or liver flukes.

Regardless, you said you were shipping this cow last fall. What the heck happened? Are you married to her? Cash in while she still has a heartbeat, yeesh.

 

[Alan]

Well, you never liked the idea of TB, so I will throw two other suggestions out, Johnes or liver flukes.

Regardless, you said you were shipping this cow last fall. What the heck happened? Are you married to her? Cash in while she still has a heartbeat, yeesh.

Yes you are right, I should have shipped her earlier. When I finally got to the point of shipping her I realized she was two or three months from calving ..... I got greedy. Now I'll probably put a bullet in her head and drag her in the wood for coyotes. She has had vaccines every year.

 

[Aaron]

Why would you shoot her? Take her to the barn, if no kill buyer wants her - THEN SHOOT HER.

You have the same issue as my neighbor with a cancer eye cow. Said he was going to ship her last fall, now she is a month from calving and the cancer seems to be growing faster. Thinks he might have to shoot her a month or two after she calves and then look after a calf - which he doesn't like to think about doing.

Why, oh why, do people like to make work for themselves?

Get on the phone, ship her out Monday morning and be done with it.

Ok, I am done with this thread.

 

[Alan]

Why would you shoot her? Take her to the barn, if no kill buyer wants her - THEN SHOOT HER.

You have the same issue as my neighbor with a cancer eye cow. Said he was going to ship her last fall, now she is a month from calving and the cancer seems to be growing faster. Thinks he might have to shoot her a month or two after she calves and then look after a calf - which he doesn't like to think about doing.

Why, oh why, do people like to make work for themselves?

Get on the phone, ship her out Monday morning and be done with it.

Ok, I am done with this thread.

Okay Aaron, I do have respect for you but you're getting my question off track! Why oh why do I post a serious question here! Just to deal with the BS! can anyone answer my questions! She's strong, eats well, fights for food .... But,

Thanks Aaron, :!:

 

[Putangitangi]

Have you drenched her for fluke? Is it in your area? What did your vet test her blood for?

 

[Alan]

Have you drenched her for fluke? Is it in your area? What did your vet test her blood for?

Thank you, yes she was wormed with ivermectin injectable about 20 or 30 days ago, parasites was my first thought ( but she has had the cough, no other cattle has the cough) I said I have seen the swollen brisket area on CT before, I just can't find it in a search. The swelling to her jaw, head has happened since she was injected with ivermectin, but I believe it's related to the cough.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

The swelling can be connected to heart problems, which is probably linked to the respiratory problems, not a lot you can do for that but send her off. That's my assessment of the problem.

 

[Putangitangi]

Have you drenched her for fluke? Is it in your area? What did your vet test her blood for?

Thank you, yes she was wormed with ivermectin injectable about 20 or 30 days ago, parasites was my first thought ( but she has had the cough, no other cattle has the cough) I said I have seen the swollen brisket area on CT before, I just can't find it in a search. The swelling to her jaw, head has happened since she was injected with ivermectin, but I believe it's related to the cough.

I've found a UK reference for an Ivermectin injectable which treats Fluke, but is that what you used, if Fluke is a possibility? Most of the Ivermectin products don't appear to do that.

What did any blood tests show? You can test for fluke antibodies, for instance, if they're a possibility. I had cows with heavy fluke infestations and that's what they looked like. A cough could be a secondary issue in a stressed animal.

 

[Alan]

Have you drenched her for fluke? Is it in your area? What did your vet test her blood for?

Thank you, yes she was wormed with ivermectin injectable about 20 or 30 days ago, parasites was my first thought ( but she has had the cough, no other cattle has the cough) I said I have seen the swollen brisket area on CT before, I just can't find it in a search. The swelling to her jaw, head has happened since she was injected with ivermectin, but I believe it's related to the cough.

I've found a UK reference for an Ivermectin injectable which treats Fluke, but is that what you used, if Fluke is a possibility? Most of the Ivermectin products don't appear to do that.

What did any blood tests show? You can test for fluke antibodies, for instance, if they're a possibility. I had cows with heavy fluke infestations and that's what they looked like. A cough could be a secondary issue in a stressed animal.

I used Merial's Ivomec plus, which get liver flukes. Also we do not have much of a liver fluke problem in my area. She has been on a rotational wormer program her whole life. Six months injectable, another six months pour on.

Thank you very much for your thoughts on this problem... It helps!

Alan

 

[gizmom]

Alan,

Ivermectin does not treat liver flukes if it is liver flukes you would need to use a product like.

http://jeffers.naccvp.com/view.php?u=jeffers&p=cvp&prodnum=3690030

Keep in mind no one can diagnose the problem by looking at a picture on the internet but if your leaning toward it being liver flukes then you are not treating her with a product that is going to address that.

Gizmom

 

[Alan]

Gizmom, Merial's Ivomec plus gets flukes, that's the plus.

 

[gizmom]

I stand corrected so now my answer is I don't have a clue. I do hope your able to get something out of her a bullet is sure hard on the profit margin.

Gizmom

 

[branguscowgirl]

Why would you shoot her? Take her to the barn, if no kill buyer wants her - THEN SHOOT HER.

You have the same issue as my neighbor with a cancer eye cow. Said he was going to ship her last fall, now she is a month from calving and the cancer seems to be growing faster. Thinks he might have to shoot her a month or two after she calves and then look after a calf - which he doesn't like to think about doing.

Why, oh why, do people like to make work for themselves?

Get on the phone, ship her out Monday morning and be done with it.

Ok, I am done with this thread.

Okay Aaron, I do have respect for you but you're getting my question off track! Why oh why do I post a serious question here! Just to deal with the BS! can anyone answer my questions! She's strong, eats well, fights for food .... But,

Thanks Aaron, :!:

Alan, I have the same feelings about this site......Too many "ship" answers!
Swelling in the brisket and coughing can be a sign of heart failure. But the heart failure may be due to something else, like migrating parasites. If you can, I would include drenching in your worming program. My vet strongly believes in it. He also uses about twice the amount if a problem is suspected, such as migrating parasites. I personally would have some blood work done, and have a good listen to her heart sounds. Put her up by herself, so she does not exert herself any more than necessary.
Just a thought, Could she have wooden tongue, with the swelling dropping and collecting in the brisket?
I do believe that she needs a GOOD exam though.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Alan, look up "Brisket disease in cattle". The swelling can extend to the jaw. It sounds very much like what is going on with your cow.

 

[presmudjo]

I googled swollen brisket in cattle and first link was from beefmagazine.com under health 2011. I don't know how to copy links with this phone. Brisket disease is discussed. It is found at 3000 elevations now. It certainly sounds like this is what your girl has. I hope you can find the article to read. Anybody help find this article and link it? Second link was cattletoday from 2004 discussing lumps in briskets.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I googled swollen brisket in cattle and first link was from beefmagazine.com under health 2011. I don't know how to copy links with this phone. Brisket disease is discussed. It is found at 3000 elevations now. It certainly sounds like this is what your girl has. I hope you can find the article to read. Anybody help find this article and link it? Second link was cattletoday from 2004 discussing lumps in briskets.

I agree. I just wrote about Brisket Disease myself. Even if he is not at higher elevations, when cattle get heavier from the feed lot or prego, they can go into right sided heart failure if they are genetically prone to it. Sure sounds like it fits. The vet can possibly give diuretics until calf is born.

 

[cross_7]

Bottle jaw was my first thought
Brisket disease was second but Alan pissed me off so I didn't answer

 

[Alan]

Bottle jaw was my first thought
Brisket disease was second but Alan be nice me off so I didn't answer

Sim has me on a good track, it sounds complete. Just treat your wife like she deserves you're azz, or she may be gone.

 

[wbvs58]

Congestive heart failure is my thought after fluke but you have not said anything about a large belly other than being pregnant, nor have you mentioned any respiratory distress and she fights her way to the feed OK, any mouth breathing? A cough goes in well with CHF. Has she got a prominent jugular pulse well up her neck? Hardware disease could be a cause of CHF.
I don't know anything about the altitude of where you live.
You have come this far now with her and you seem to want to give her a go knowing you might end with a calf to feed but then you might get some improvement in her after calving. If you are lucky I would unload her at the earliest opportunity.
Ken