Swollen Hooks

[RedRockRanch]

I've got a 6 year old cow that has been walking very slowly, lifting her feet up off the ground while standing and seems to have extremely swollen hooks. Has a bit of a hunch in her back too. Vet gave me Miloxicam to give her daily for a week because he thinks she had some kind of trauma. The only thing I can think of is maybe she got mounted by another cow when she was in heat during the super-freeze we got in February here in Texas. I'll post pics tomorrow, but I just wondered what the forum experts think. Thanks!

 

[bird dog]

The vet is right, she is hurt. Maybe from breeding, maybe from just stepping in something or losing her balance in the mud. For most cows that aren't worth much its best just to let them go and see if it gets better. Some take some time.. When you get tired of looking at her and are determined she is not going to get better, send her to the packers

 

[CVAR]

Sometimes people and even vets will assign this type of behavior to an injury but, over the years we've fed a lot of bulls and some years have pushed them pretty hard for development. Too much grain, especially too much corn will make their feet very tender (and they'll act like they have an injury) so just something to think about in addition to an injury. If your feeding heavy grain or corn, take her off and put her on grass or alfalfa for a bit.

 

[TCRanch]

I'm interested in seeing the pics, or a video. Especially since she's hunching her back, which is generally a sign of pain. I've had cows hunch when they had hardware or lymphoma (and I took them in, thinking maybe a UTI). Is it just her hocks or can you see swelling in her lymph nodes? Or anywhere else? Is she losing condition? How's her appetite?

 

[RedRockRanch]

Thanks for the replies so far, was so busy today forgot to take pics, I'll post em tomorrow after I give her another dose of Meloxicam...btw, only grain she gets is occasional range cubes

 

[RedRockRanch]

I'm interested in seeing the pics, or a video. Especially since she's hunching her back, which is generally a sign of pain. I've had cows hunch when they had hardware or lymphoma (and I took them in, thinking maybe a UTI). Is it just her hocks or can you see swelling in her lymph nodes? Or anywhere else? Is she losing condition? How's her appetite?

Hi TCRanch, vet checked her lymph nodes(normal) and her appetite is fine....hooks may look normal in this picture but I don't recall them being quite this large and rounded, seems to be doing a bit better after 3 days on the Miloxicam....really hope she doesn't have to go to the green pastures in the sky. She's been with us from a calf and birthed one of my prettiest full blood Shetland heifers from a frozen embryo.

 

[TCRanch]

Hi TCRanch, vet checked her lymph nodes(normal) and her appetite is fine....hooks may look normal in this picture but I don't recall them being quite this large and rounded, seems to be doing a bit better after 3 days on the Miloxicam....really hope she doesn't have to go to the green pastures in the sky. She's been with us from a calf and birthed one of my prettiest full blood Shetland heifers from a frozen embryo.

Thanks for the pics and the update (and I meant hooks instead of hocks - I knew what you were talking about). I can see the swelling in the 2nd pic. Hopefully the Meloxicam continues to work.

Have you tried rubbing on a liniment? Wear gloves.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I've never seen that before. Let us know how you make out. Thanks for the pics.