Sluggish pregnant heifer

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Clodkicker

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Have a pregnant heifer that seems to be very sluggish. Did eat a little oats and one protein cake. Not interested in eating hay. Was eating fine this morning. She is supposed to be due in April Any ideas?
 
A cow off her feed is usually a cause for concern. What is the cow normally like a feeding time? One of the piggy ones or one of the picky ones? Does she look sick (ears droopy, head lowered, just not well looking)? Temperature? Drippy nose? Laboured breathing? Drooling? Discomfort (swishing tail, licking sides, up and down more often, grunting)? Is she drinking water? Possiblility of anything in the feed in the AM that could be stuck and causing her to not want to eat or have cut her mouth, tongue, insides? Anything else you could tell us would help. The more detailed the information the better chance someone can help you. It is possible that she is just not hungry depending on how much you feed and if there's still some left over from the morning. Again, just not enough information in your post to give you an opinion. Hope she is back to her normal self and it isn't necessary to provide details.:)
 
She is normally a good eater but she did get out and get into the protein cakes on Thanksgiving. Since then she has been eating good. She isn't really a picky eater but doesn't seem like too much of a "Piggy" eater unless it is with the oats or cakes (which we hand feed to control intake), We purchased her about a month ago and she has been doing well except for a cough and a snotty nose. Previous owner said all the shots were given including worming. She still has the cough and snotty nose (white mucus).

She has been put out on the pasture a couple of times but the grass is under snow and dry. Tonight she came in during feeding time but was slower than usual in getting to the bunk. Generally, she is waiting at the bunk for food--this time she didn't come to the bunk until she heard the oats. Just doesn't act like she feels good. Her head is hanging down, her ears are droppy, her belly is growling, and she has a little diaherrea, but she does not a fever (that we can tell), or laboured breathing.

What else should we be checking?
 
Have you checked her temp? Have you given her anything for the cough and snotty nose? Have you called the vet?

The previous owner gave her all her shots...what were the shots? Vaccinations? Meds for cough and snotty nose?

I'd be concerned, if it were me...

Alice
 
Could be a cold or it could be the beginning of pneumonia or acidosis from over eating something, or any number of things. Temp her first, then antibiotics if a fever, nit sure what to use for acidosis. For antibiotics don;t dither around with combiotic, pen or LA200. Go for the gusto with Excenel, Nuflor or one of the other kick but types of antibiotics

dun
 
dun":luidrcgf said:
Could be a cold or it could be the beginning of pneumonia or acidosis from over eating something, or any number of things. Temp her first, then antibiotics if a fever, nit sure what to use for acidosis. For antibiotics don;t dither around with combiotic, pen or LA200. Go for the gusto with Excenel, Nuflor or one of the other kick but types of antibiotics

dun

I'm glad you said that, dun...I'm to a point I'm kinda scared to anymore...not scared to do it...just scared to suggest it.

Yo, clodkicker...what Dun said!

Alice

Alice
 
Could she be trying to obsorb her cale so to some of the things DUN suggested. Maybe she still has a dead or mummified calve and secondary infection? I would follow the advice given and maybe have her palpated.
 
Alice":xv4hzww9 said:
dun":xv4hzww9 said:
Could be a cold or it could be the beginning of pneumonia or acidosis from over eating something, or any number of things. Temp her first, then antibiotics if a fever, nit sure what to use for acidosis. For antibiotics don;t dither around with combiotic, pen or LA200. Go for the gusto with Excenel, Nuflor or one of the other kick but types of antibiotics

dun

I'm glad you said that, dun...I'm to a point I'm kinda scared to anymore...not scared to do it...just scared to suggest it.

Yo, clodkicker...what Dun said!

Alice

Alice

I'm into the semi-paranoid stage the past week. Ol Granny (17 in the spring) acted normal except she didn;t lay down for more then a few minutes at a time. No cough, no snot, ears up, eyes bright, but somehting just didn;t seem right. Put out a little grain to get her up and she'ld eat a bite or two then raise her head, then another bite or two and raise her head, etc, etc. Usually when she gets her head in the grain it doesn;t come up until she's licked the feeder to a high polish. Walked up close and could hear she had a gurgling sound in heer breathing. Caught her and blasted her with Excenel, it's what I had on hand, the next afternoon she was laying down chewing her cud for hours at a time. Get up eat a little grass get a drink, wander around, lay down and chew somemore. Now even with the freezing rain and single digit temmps she's apparantly ok. It's just one of those observational things. Sometimes you gotta jump on a problem, sometimes you can go the benign neglect route.

dun
 
Her temp is almost 103. She still belches but isn't chewing her cud yet tonight. I don't hear any wheezing or heavy breathing.
 
Does she look bloated at all? Have you tried giving any Probiotics? It might help her gut return back to normal after her over indulgence. Any idea how much of the protein cakes she ate?
 
Temp under 103 is normal....when it is above 103 then you need to worry. Normal respiration is 10-30/min. Normal pulse rate is 40-70 put your fingures on the cheek in front of the muscle that you can feel and you should be able to feel the pulse.
When does she cough, all the time or after exercise, at the feed bunk? Some times cows will IMO inhale the fines from the feed which triggers a cough. Some times they just clear their throats, for a better way of saying it.
Feed changes and overeating will cause a loose stool, IMO if it is still green(ish) and forms a patty I wouldn't worry.
How heavy is the mucus?
Alot of variables but it sounds like you have a cow that could be sick...is this the only cow or does she have company?
If you are worried...haul her to the vet and get her looked at.
Just my two bits worth....DMc
 
Susie David":98y71noh said:
Temp under 103 is normal....when it is above 103 then you need to worry.
Normal temperature is 101.5, in warm weather under 103 is ok, in cold weather, over about 102.3 starts worrying me. There is variation, but too high is a concern, as is the snotty nose.

Has a vet seen this critter yet?

V
 
She probably needs antibiotics but as Vicky said - have you had a vet see her? At this point I would recommend you do. It's pricey to pay for the call but it costs more to have a cow die on you. Good luck and keep us updated.
 
I went out and looked at one last week my brother-n-law has, bout the same symtoms, had lost a bit of weight. I took him some nuflor out there and told him to give her 2 shots to make it about 22cc's one on each side of neck, She is doing much better now, which has been 4 days. He said he could tell some difference the very next evening. It don't fix everything, but maybe it is just what you need. Hope you well. He is gonna give her a follow up today with only 12cc's. Good luck.

tryinhard
 
Saw that I never got back with this. We ended up taking her into the vet hospital--she kept getting worse. Had acidosis. Was amazing she didn't abort. Thanks for the advice.
 

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