SICK HEIFER

[Anonymous]

I have a heifer that went down last Tuesday. I got her up to the house and weaned her 4 month old calf off. I thought she might have eaten something that disagreed with her. Her temp was a little low at that time but was normal a few hours later. I gave her some Probios and got about a half gal of electrolytes down her. The next day she was a little better. Nibbled at her food and drank a little also she passed a little bit of tar looking stuff, looked like old blood maybe. I put a magnet down her, more Probios, and Electrolytes and she seemed to do better the next day, although I noticed she hadn't pooped since I got her to the house, so I gave her 16 oz of mineral oil. The next day I called the Vet. He couldn't get out but left a message to give her more mineral oil. I put all I had down her 1/2 gal. Still no poop. This morning I felt inside her as far as I could reach and couldn't feel any obstructions. I got an enema hose in her with warm soapy water. She had peristaltic action to push the water back out. I think she must have twisted her gut. Today she didn't eat, but I got Electrolytes down her. Their is only one Vet and he seems to be to busy to come out. I have only talked with his receptionist and she said the only thing they could do for a twisted gut was to hall the animal to the University to be opened up. That isn't an option. Seems like I remember someone saying you could roll them over and maybe untwist the gut. Has anyone heard of this and what direction do you roll them? I am willing to try anything at this point. I have her covered with hay for the night. Eny help will be much appreciated! Thank you!

Rachel

 

[Anonymous]

This sounds serious , get her to a vet ASAP,I would call your vet again and insist that they come out, my vet will do " what ever his client will pay for" and sometimes they need to be remined of that! LOL

kat

> I have a heifer that went down
> last Tuesday. I got her up to the
> house and weaned her 4 month old
> calf off. I thought she might have
> eaten something that disagreed
> with her. Her temp was a little
> low at that time but was normal a
> few hours later. I gave her some
> Probios and got about a half gal
> of electrolytes down her. The next
> day she was a little better.
> Nibbled at her food and drank a
> little also she passed a little
> bit of tar looking stuff, looked
> like old blood maybe. I put a
> magnet down her, more Probios, and
> Electrolytes and she seemed to do
> better the next day, although I
> noticed she hadn't pooped since I
> got her to the house, so I gave
> her 16 oz of mineral oil. The next
> day I called the Vet. He couldn't
> get out but left a message to give
> her more mineral oil. I put all I
> had down her 1/2 gal. Still no
> poop. This morning I felt inside
> her as far as I could reach and
> couldn't feel any obstructions. I
> got an enema hose in her with warm
> soapy water. She had peristaltic
> action to push the water back out.
> I think she must have twisted her
> gut. Today she didn't eat, but I
> got Electrolytes down her. Their
> is only one Vet and he seems to be
> to busy to come out. I have only
> talked with his receptionist and
> she said the only thing they could
> do for a twisted gut was to hall
> the animal to the University to be
> opened up. That isn't an option.
> Seems like I remember someone
> saying you could roll them over
> and maybe untwist the gut. Has
> anyone heard of this and what
> direction do you roll them? I am
> willing to try anything at this
> point. I have her covered with hay
> for the night. Eny help will be
> much appreciated! Thank you!

> Rachel



[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Kat, Thank you for your concern I am on the Vets schedule for tomorrow at 2:00 and have been on his list for two days now. I was a maybe yesterday, a not likely today and a possible for tomorrow morning. It is very frustrating when I am told the Vet will call and I wait by the phone for the call that never comes. I am still waiting for instructions rather to give her more mineral oil. I have tried to find another Vet. No luck. I am going to town now for a gallon of mineral oil and if I don't hear from the Vet by feeding time I'm going to give her maybe the hole gallon. I don't feel at this point I have much time to waste. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Rachel

> This sounds serious , get her to a
> vet ASAP,I would call your vet
> again and insist that they come
> out, my vet will do " what
> ever his client will pay for"
> and sometimes they need to be
> remined of that! LOL

> kat

 

[Anonymous]

The black you saw was melena, or digested blood. She has to have blood oozing into her gut in the anterior portion--abomasum or duodenum, possibly jejunum to get it. A twisted gut is EASILY repaired by a competant veterinarian when it is an abomasal displacement. If it is a RTA, she'd already be dead, so she may have a right displaced abomasum. If her intestines were twisted, she'd already be dead. If the veterinarian is so busy that they can't see a down animal there is a definite problem--they either don't want to go to your farm because of being hassled (in their opinion, not necessarily fact) OR they need to hire another associate. Perhaps you can figure out what the problem is online, but the best is to have an examination and proper diagnosis. If she dies, please get her posted (post mortem exam) to find out what happened! Good Luck! V

 

[Anonymous]

Vicki, thank you for answering my post I was hoping you would. I have never dealt with anything like this before and appreciate you explaining some things to me. All I know to do now is keep her warm and comfortable until help arrives. What you said about getting on the Veterinarian black list is good advise. I always have my Questions written down and try to be courteous and to the point. Plus, when the Vet arrives our cattle are always lined up and reedy to go. I will let you know what I learn. Thank you!

Rachel

> The black you saw was melena, or
> digested blood. She has to have
> blood oozing into her gut in the
> anterior portion--abomasum or
> duodenum, possibly jejunum to get
> it. A twisted gut is EASILY
> repaired by a competant
> veterinarian when it is an
> abomasal displacement. If it is a
> RTA, she'd already be dead, so she
> may have a right displaced
> abomasum. If her intestines were
> twisted, she'd already be dead. If
> the veterinarian is so busy that
> they can't see a down animal there
> is a definite problem--they either
> don't want to go to your farm
> because of being hassled (in their
> opinion, not necessarily fact) OR
> they need to hire another
> associate. Perhaps you can figure
> out what the problem is online,
> but the best is to have an
> examination and proper diagnosis.
> If she dies, please get her posted
> (post mortem exam) to find out
> what happened! Good Luck! V

 

[Anonymous]

and got jumped on, but I'll say it again. Your vet almost becomes a partner in your herd. That working relationship is worths it weight in gold. Through the years we've been fortunate and several of the vets have become life time freinds.

dun

> Vicki, thank you for answering my
> post I was hoping you would. I
> have never dealt with anything
> like this before and appreciate
> you explaining some things to me.
> All I know to do now is keep her
> warm and comfortable until help
> arrives. What you said about
> getting on the Veterinarian black
> list is good advise. I always have
> my Questions written down and try
> to be courteous and to the point.
> Plus, when the Vet arrives our
> cattle are always lined up and
> reedy to go. I will let you know
> what I learn. Thank you!

> Rachel

 

[Anonymous]

I agree, our vet is wonderful, he is truly a friend of ours. We have built a relationship with him that we cherish. When he comes out early morning, I always have fresh baked bread and coffee for him. Last year , we even sent him and his wife on a romantic weekend trip , it was the best money that we ever spent. I wanted to let his wife know how much we appreciated her answering our middle of the night calls when we had an emergency. Our Vet is always there when we need him...

kathryn

> and got jumped on, but I'll say it
> again. Your vet almost becomes a
> partner in your herd. That working
> relationship is worths it weight
> in gold. Through the years we've
> been fortunate and several of the
> vets have become life time
> freinds.

> dun



[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

The Veterinarian thought it might be as you said an abomasal displacement, but after examination of her said it wasn't. We put a gallon of mineral oil, 3 gal water, antacid, electrolytes down her. He thinks something has plugged her up and she is so sick that it doesn't look good for her. If anything is going to happen it should be within 24 hours no longer than 48. It has been over 24 and she is bloated and in discomfort. I am afraid I am delaying the inevitable. Sorry the news wasn't better.

Rachel

> The black you saw was melena, or
> digested blood. She has to have
> blood oozing into her gut in the
> anterior portion--abomasum or
> duodenum, possibly jejunum to get
> it. A twisted gut is EASILY
> repaired by a competant
> veterinarian when it is an
> abomasal displacement. If it is a
> RTA, she'd already be dead, so she
> may have a right displaced
> abomasum. If her intestines were
> twisted, she'd already be dead. If
> the veterinarian is so busy that
> they can't see a down animal there
> is a definite problem--they either
> don't want to go to your farm
> because of being hassled (in their
> opinion, not necessarily fact) OR
> they need to hire another
> associate. Perhaps you can figure
> out what the problem is online,
> but the best is to have an
> examination and proper diagnosis.
> If she dies, please get her posted
> (post mortem exam) to find out
> what happened! Good Luck! V

 

[Anonymous]

> The Veterinarian thought it might
> be as you said an abomasal
> displacement, but after
> examination of her said it wasn't.
> We put a gallon of mineral oil, 3
> gal water, antacid, electrolytes
> down her. He thinks something has
> plugged her up and she is so sick
> that it doesn't look good for her.
> If anything is going to happen it
> should be within 24 hours no
> longer than 48. It has been over
> 24 and she is bloated and in
> discomfort. I am afraid I am
> delaying the inevitable. Sorry the
> news wasn't better.

GOOD NEWS! "SHE POOPED" What a relief, especially for her! I know she may not make it yet, but at least she isn't suffering and things are looking better. She passed some melena, mucus, not allot. She pooped allot. Her temp is normal and she is nibbling a little grass hay. I can hear her gut working fifty feet away.

Rachel

 

[Anonymous]

That is such wonderful news! I am glad that she is feeling better.

Let us know how she does!

kat

> GOOD NEWS! "SHE POOPED"
> What a relief, especially for her!
> I know she may not make it yet,
> but at least she isn't suffering
> and things are looking better. She
> passed some melena, mucus, not
> allot. She pooped allot. Her temp
> is normal and she is nibbling a
> little grass hay. I can hear her
> gut working fifty feet away.

> Rachel



[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Regarding your question about rolling a cow over as a solution to surgery or slow death, I have worked on a dairy farm and that was a common occurance. When we had a cow go off of feed and act funny, we used one of those things vets use to listen to your heart and hold that to its chest and flick on the side of the cow. If she had a displaced abomen (D.A.), we would hear an abnormal sound. Sometimes you would have to flick her a dozen times, but more often than not we would hear the sound if she had a d.a. We would then call the vet and he would roll her over to untwist the gut and then stich her gut to her skin where it should be. I son't remember which way he rolled her when the d.a. was on a certain side, but I know one thing, it worked. The stitches would come out a couple weeks later. In no time the cows would be back eating. Cheaper than surgery!

> anyone heard of this and what
> direction do you roll them? I am
> willing to try anything at this
> point. I have her covered with hay
> for the night. Eny help will be
> much appreciated! Thank you!

> Rachel



[email protected]