need to make up a bottle for tonight

[Hippie Rancher]

thought I had a bag of replacer in the freezer but apparently not. I have a couple gallons of 2% in the fridge and a pint of heavy whipping cream.

little heifer, maybe a week or 2 weeks old, 50 -60 lbs? no navel but I unloaded her out of my car OK (not too heavy), cops loaded her. hit on interstate, back end not working. but front is and she is still alive. will feed her whatever ya'll think tonight and hit the feed store in the morning if she makes it. suspect there is internal injuries but alive enough to bring home.

SIGH

related thread: https://www.cattletoday.com/threads...electrolyte-instructions.128915/#post-1752448

 

[BFE]

I've warmed up whole milk out of the fridge to get by no worries there. Anything to keep them going a little something is better than a lot of nothing.

 

[rosiegoat]

Mix a cup of cream with a bottle of the 2%.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I've warmed up whole milk out of the fridge to get by no worries there. Anything to keep them going a little something is better than a lot of nothing.

I have done whole milk for sure, but we are only using 2% these days. I seem to be math impaired today, can't figure out how much whipping cream to add to how much 2% to "equal" whole milk.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Mix a cup of cream with a bottle of the 2%.

my bottle is 2 quarts, so only one cup of whipping cream and 7 cups of 2%?

 

[MurraysMutts]

I imagine it'll be good enough.

Hope the lil fart is ok!

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I imagine it'll be good enough.

Hope the lil fart is ok!

thanks!

well, she took a pint out of my old "opened up" nipple, which is pretty much just pouring it down, barely any sucking needed, but she made a few efforts with the newer un"opened" nipple, just wasn't getting anywhere. she must have kind of face planted, her chin is buggered up a little, but teeth feel ok and I don't feel any bone grinding there. tongue looks ok. back end is not functioning at all so far. if she makes it through the night I will rig up a little sling of some sort and see if we can do some phys therapy. not sure who momma is, they were a good mile away from the house and on the off side of the interstate. didn't see anything near the fence or hear any bawling but it is noisy up there. we are bone dry still so she will have to come down for water tonight or tomorrow. got baby near the water in a small pen, if she shows up I can at least pen them together and maybe see if there is some way to let momma do the feeding.

 

[Nesikep]

Just pick up a gallon or two of whole milk for it, they like it much better than even good milk replacer, and until you know if she'll be alright not much use spending a pile on a bag of replacer.

 

[J Hoy]

Did you run your fingers along the spine to the tail to check to see if any vertebrae are out of alignment, which would indicate a broken back? Also, can she move her hind feet at all? If she has fractured vertebrae and damage to the spinal cord, it is too soon for physical therapy. However, you might need to put her in a sling part of the time in order for her to pass urine and feces, if she hasn't done that yet.

 

[rosiegoat]

Give her a little squeeze between her back toe. Any response?

I wouldn't move her for a couple days. She may get worse before she starts improving.

Is she eliminating?

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Just pick up a gallon or two of whole milk for it, they like it much better than even good milk replacer, and until you know if she'll be alright not much use spending a pile on a bag of replacer.

it has been a while, all they had at the feed store was a small plastic bag of replacer - 9lbs! and $30, ouch. I don't remember what the last big paper bag weighed or how much it was but not that!

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Did you run your fingers along the spine to the tail to check to see if any vertebrae are out of alignment, which would indicate a broken back? Also, can she move her hind feet at all? If she has fractured vertebrae and damage to the spinal cord, it is too soon for physical therapy. However, you might need to put her in a sling part of the time in order for her to pass urine and feces, if she hasn't done that yet.

well i ran my fingers down but I didn't feel anything out of ordinary - not that I would really know. she has passed urine and feces ok as far as I can tell. I have only moved her side to side a couple of times. she gets up on her front feet and wants to move. knows I am momma already. bawled twice when she spotted me with the bottle. ordered a couple of large dog type slings but they won't be her until Thursday. might try with a towel or something tomorrow.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Give her a little squeeze between her back toe. Any response?

I wouldn't move her for a couple days. She may get worse before she starts improving.

Is she eliminating?

I will try the squeeze, I rubbed them and flexed them but didn't see any movement. she will get up on her front feet to try to get the bottle already (and bawled to me twice now) she has passed urine and dung.

I did move her a bit, to keep her in shade and to switch sides. I worried a little about it but she got picked up and moved into my car and back out yesterday already so...

 

[wbvs58]

The squeeze between the toe you can get a pull back even with a spinal lesion as it is a reflex that just goes up to spine and then back to muscles but if it is associated with pain recognition that means it is travelling forward to the brain so get something like a pair of pliers to give a good painfull squeeze. This is all if my memory serves me correct, getting to be a while now since I have been involved in the veterinary side of things.

Ken

 

[Hippie Rancher]

day 3, turning into a project. got her a shade/rain canopy (reusable for other things I hope) put some wheat hay and burmuda under her. have some old sudan that would be better, but it wasn't handy in the moment. found some fly spray. things look and feel more comfortable for both of us now LOL. and even took a picture (so she will surely die now)

 

[MurraysMutts]

Red heifer!

"Speak unto the children of Israel," the Lord commanded, "that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came a yoke."

 

[Hippie Rancher]

speaking of sanctity of life, what is the consensus on a paraplegic heifer? how much time should I give her and does anybody have any ideas for any other stuff I could try (not doing a wheel chair! but if there was some chance to get her walking I might try) I'm getting no reflexes that I can tell.

she is bright eyed and tries to crawl to the bottle, being female she is pretty easy to keep clean so theoretically she could lay around in the straw for months. I don't want to do that. I am pretty sure I need to put her down, but will give her time if anybody thinks there is a chance or something else to try. she isn't suffering as far as I can tell right now so that makes it harder.

 

[Travlr]

speaking of sanctity of life, what is the consensus on a paraplegic heifer? how much time should I give her and does anybody have any ideas for any other stuff I could try (not doing a wheel chair! but if there was some chance to get her walking I might try) I'm getting no reflexes that I can tell.

she is bright eyed and tries to crawl to the bottle, being female she is pretty easy to keep clean so theoretically she could lay around in the straw for months. I don't want to do that. I am pretty sure I need to put her down, but will give her time if anybody thinks there is a chance or something else to try. she isn't suffering as far as I can tell right now so that makes it harder.

Sorry... no ideas.

 

[wbvs58]

Corticosteroids as in Dexadresson can be beneficial with the likes of bruising of the spinal cord but will not repair any major damage. Dexadresson is short acting and would need to be given daily. See your Vet if you want to go down that path they might dispense a longer acting form. My recommendation would be to part with her now. You've given her a good chance.

Ken

 

[Hpacres440p]

speaking of sanctity of life, what is the consensus on a paraplegic heifer? how much time should I give her and does anybody have any ideas for any other stuff I could try (not doing a wheel chair! but if there was some chance to get her walking I might try) I'm getting no reflexes that I can tell.

she is bright eyed and tries to crawl to the bottle, being female she is pretty easy to keep clean so theoretically she could lay around in the straw for months. I don't want to do that. I am pretty sure I need to put her down, but will give her time if anybody thinks there is a chance or something else to try. she isn't suffering as far as I can tell right now so that makes it harder.

I would bet she isn't struggling much yet because her body weight is still low enough that she can drag herself around. Eventually she will get heavy enough to cause pressure sores. That's too late.