Neighbors steer is down

[Anonymous]

Went down on Thursday. Vet out Friday and gave him dex, b vitamins. Today she calls me and its the first i heard of it. He's still down, and she's been trying to roll him as much as possible. He's eating, drinking a little, alert, chewing his cud. We lifted him with a set of straps and he just let his back side hang loose.No effort to move. He's been scooting around she said. We gave him more dex,Told her to give him 7cc dex again in the morning.
Anything else you can think of? Seems he messed up his back. No other animals in his field but he was buckin and kickin right before it happened she said.

 

[chippie]

Did anyone check to see if he has feeling in his rear legs? Will he try to move his foot if you poke him above the hoof ?

 

[Anonymous]

Vet did that Friday and he did respond. I didn't think to try that today.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I will ask the same question I asked Iso - was he recently dewormed with a pour-on?

 

[Anonymous]

No ma'am
Also, when i laid his tail out straight it was quivering like a nerve issue

 

[greybeard]

Also, when i laid his tail out straight it was quivering like a nerve issue

Had an older cow act that way once Hook--the vet said he thought he'd been hit by lightning.
She got over it in about a week, and acted normal, but I sold her anyway.

 

[Anonymous]

No storms in the area but that would have been a good bet if there was. I'm thinking he messed up his back somehow. He's 800 lbs, and the vet and I have been careful not to give him anything with withdrawal periods. If nothing else he can be burgered.

 

[Anonymous]

He has feeling in his rear legs. Gave him another shot of dex this morning on the way out. Got back 2 hrs later and he was laid out on his side again. Rolled him back up to a normal cow position and he kicked at us with his rear legs as we rolled him. Once in the normal position he tried to get up. Didn't get his feet under himself but he tried.
Is 7cc dex once a day rough for a 800lb steer? Or should it be a twice a day dose?

 

[chippie]

Don't know about the dosage, but it is encouraging that he is doing better.

 

[jillaroo]

We had a steer go down in the feedlot. He was bright and alert with loads of try.
The vet had a look at him and it was decided to salvage slaughter him. When the spine was split into the two halves of beef, we had our answer as to what caused this steer to go down suddenly; he had a small abscess in his spine. The abscess was likely a result of being grain fed and having a slight bout of acidosis. The bacteria were able to escape the rumen into the bloodstream and settle into other areas of the body.

Good luck, downers suck. :?

 

[Anonymous]

Sometime during the night he must have gotten up and walked about 100 ft. I don't think he could have crawled that far. Hopefully she can catch him with his feet under him and verify he's getting up

 

[Anonymous]

He's up and walkin around pretty good now. Maybe a little stuff in the back legs, and about 75 lbs lighter, but he looks like he will be alright.

 

[chippie]

Happy to hear this

 

[colleen]

That's great!!

 

[slick4591]

Been rooting for the kid. Yay!