Rough looking cow

[dun]

Since you've addressed the obvious and it happened so suffenly, a vet call would be my next step. Hope it works out better then it did for us with one that did the same thing.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I agree with Dun. Glad that you are taking her to the vet. I am thinking maybe a low grade infection. Regardless, the change in her has been pretty rapid. Good luck, I hope that you get some answers!

 

[regolith]

The vet should palp her, to check her uterus as well as digestive processes.

I'm thinking along the lines of uterine infection, retained twin, hardware, johne's, respiratory infection... something either related to the calving or triggered by stress. There's a lot of possible causes for these symptoms.
Taking her to the vet is a good move.

 

[jallen]

We went to the vet today. He is unsure what is going on but the temp was 104.2. Uterus was fine per the vet. He Checked for various things but said the symptoms were too vague to really diagnose without a lot of testing, etc.

I'll be adding the rest of the story tomorrow. It's a hum dinger. Be sitting g down with a cold one, lol.

 

[jallen]

To finish with what happened yesterday. I left a gate unlatched when I entered the loading dock where the cow was dropped. Cow is treated and is getting loaded back up then all hell broke loose. Out she went and 7 hrs later we had her darted in some old couples front yard. She couldn't have picked a nicer neighborhood to lay down in. There were multiple people that trailed this cow through the woods for hours trying to keep an eye ball on her. I can't thank those guys enough, I don't even know if they got their stock seen about or not as it didn't end til almost dark. It was a disaster to say the least and I lucky I got her back. This is a high traffic area with a 4 lane about 150 yds away. I didn't even get the vet payed, me and him rode for hours trying to get her darted. Took 3 tranquilizers to hit her, all the neighborhood thought we were serial killers I'm sure. A rifle hanging out the window of a moving truck scares the hell out Mexicans by the way. They hit the ditch quick, lol. What a day, the cow is probably worse off from the energy she exerted but she is still kicking. Got some grain in her today and caught her grazing a couple times. She better not die one after that debacle. I really have a new appreciation for fellow cattlemen after that. Those guys spent hours chasing that cow through the thickest briars I've ever seen. I owe them big time, tried my hardest to buy them all a case of beer but they would have none of it. One way or the other I've got to get them guys some payment for that. Laugh away at my expense

 

[branguscowgirl]

Holy cow pies!! What an adventure!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
I am only laughing because you had given me permission to! Glad everything turned out alright in the end!
Let us know how the cow is!

 

[dun]

So what did the vet conclude was her problem?

 

[jallen]

Dun he really doesn't know. Her only symptom was the fever. She was given numerous medications but I don't have a breakdown of what it was. When I can get a bill I can see what was done. We really didn't get a chance to discuss much due to what happened. I know she was given la 200, different injectable vitamins and minerals. A steroid injection as well I believe, he shoved some kind of white chalk stick looking deals down her throat. I will post more when I can speak with the vet Monday. For know in keeping a close watch on her, multiple times a day.

 

[LauraleesFarm]

What an adventure! I am so glad you got her back and I hope that you find a way to repay those nice cowboys by doing something nice for them. Were they employed by the vet? Sounds like the vet spent his day helping you get your cow back? If that is the case I would certainly cater a lunch for them one day. If they were customers at the vet's then I would get their names and addresses and send them gift cards to a nice steakhouse. There are still some good folks left in the world!
I was waiting at the vet's one time years ago and the old fella in front of me just had a trailer load of yearlings worked. They loaded up and the vet tech apparently forgot to latch the trailer gate. Old fella drove off and next thing you know they are calling for all the vets to get out on the state highway. Cattle jumped/fell out and were hit, dead, injured, paralyzed you name it. It was a big mess. I felt so terrible for the owner. He was just about in tears.
As to the cow, it could be anything from liver failure, dental pain, intestinal blockage, hardware, ulcers or God knows what. If she does not get better in a month I would haul her off after the calf is weaned. Otherwise she is well on her way to becoming a money pit.

 

[dun]

I hate to mentions it since I usually am one that checks for the most likely first, but did he do a Johnnes test, and palpate her uterus? The one we had that did like yours but with just barely a fever was rupture fatty tumors Unruptured she had them throughout her digestive tract the ruptured ones were basily causing paratinitis(sp)

 

[jallen]

He did check her uterus and said it checked out ok. As far as johnnes I am i
unsure but will ask.

 

[jallen]

She is still hanging around today, she must be coming in cause the bull is stuck to her. She is making milk, half her bag was pretty full. I'm hoping to catch her in the act for a stool sample.

Would it be worth the time to pin the bull? I would rather her not get bred right now if I could help it, that's assuming of course she would take.

 

[branguscowgirl]

She is still hanging around today, she must be coming in cause the bull is stuck to her. She is making milk, half her bag was pretty full. I'm hoping to catch her in the act for a stool sample.

Would it be worth the time to pin the bull? I would rather her not get bred right now if I could help it, that's assuming of course she would take.

Probably shouldn't be mounting her when she is sick, might be hard on her. Can you pen her and the calf up?

 

[jallen]

I can try but she is showing no interest in grain. All she has done the last two times I brought it to her she just sniffed at it and walked off. The bull will be much easier to work at this point.

 

[tsmaxx47]

Just so it's on the thread, this is the first photo posted


She is certainly in better condition in the first one, but if I hadn't seen it, I don't think I'd say she looks that sick in the second set of pictures.

I'm rarely the first person around here to ask this question, has she been wormed?

I agree with you, nesikep, the cow doesn't look that bad for a post partum specimen. I have seen worse, but if you are really concerned, have a vet take a look at her........

 

[RoppFamilyFarm]

So i am not a vet, and can't tell you what is wrong with you cow, but is sounds alot like a cow i had that had the same problem. She calved, and proceeded to get thinner and thinner. I couldn't get her to eat grain either. We wormed, and tried to pour the feed to her and nothing. My cousin (a vet) finally came out and check her out. We ran some tests and she had a bad case of coccidia. So that coupled with a calf on her, she got really sucked down. We treated for coccidia, wormed her really good, and started feeding her a really sweet grain (so she would eat it) mixed with "Super Gain" from Equine Nutrition (http://www.horseguard.com/shop/index.ph ... Super+Gain) within 3 weeks, it was like night and day! She put the weight back on and I bred her back within 60 days of calving and she did fine.

Hope that helps.

 

[Shanghai]

Any other big calves with her that could be nursing her ?

I think she's just an old cow
I bet some cotton seed cake and keep her away from the bull for awhile but she won't no younger

 

[jallen]

I can't verify her age but she is around a 6 yr old per the vets guess. No issues with her teeth, only the fever. Im still monitoring her for now.

 

[branguscowgirl]

tsmaxx, This was the current picture, you guys were looking at how she was with the prior calf I believe.

 

[Shanghai]

I can't verify her age but she is around a 6 yr old per the vets guess. No issues with her teeth, only the fever. Im still monitoring her for now.

All I've seen is this picture but based on her looks, width of nose and etc she sure looks older than 6