tetracycline for tight ligaments?

[cowkeeper]

I got a little calf that cant straiten out on the front legs. Anyone here had any luck with tetracycline for that and did you splint them with it too? simon

 

[Anonymous]

I've heard it works on some. Not all. First i heard of it was here do maybe a search will turn up more info.

 

[rockridgecattle]

did you give the calf a dose of selenium? At the treatment and not preventative dose? Curled under legs is a good sign of selenium deficiency

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

There was a big long thread recently, about contracted tendons. I think this was it:
http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=71580&p=912411&hilit=contracted+tendons#p912411

Good luck! Hope you get it figured out.

 

[Anonymous]

That's the one. Thanks kathie

 

[milkmaid]

I've heard it works well in foals. Not so well in calves. Not sure what the difference is. They go IV in horses with large doses.

 

[colleen]

We had a new calf with tight ligaments. We stretched his front legs several times a day for about 3 days until the momma got fed up with us and then we did nothing. After about 3 weeks, the legs were just fine! Everyone we talked to all said within a month or so they will stretch on their own and be just fine. And they were!
Colleen

 

[colleen]

If there had been no improvement by the end of the 2nd week our vet was going to give it the tetracycline shot. And with the calf being so young the dosage was very important. But in this case it wasn't needed. It improved on its own!

 

[rybec1976]

I have a 10 day old calf with serverly crooked front legs. the one isnt so bad but his front left is really bad. he is walking on his knuckle and has caused a big circular wound from walking on it. i dont know what to do .i dont want it to get really infected. i have a pic just dont know how to post it in here.
if anyone has an info to help that would be great.
April

 

[JSCATTLE]

I just leave them alone . They will correct them selves in a few weeks .

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

We had a set of twins born last year, one was slightly contracted in her tendons but the other was severe. He could not stand at first, but with help could only put weight on the fetlock (the knuckle above the hoof). Took him to the vet, where he got an IV shot of tetracycline. It loosened him up enough to be able to stand on his own, and 24 hours later got another shot. Within a week he was walking normally. There is NO WAY he would have worked out of it on his own, since he could not even unroll his lower front legs. We were told it happened because there was not enough space in the uterus for both calves (went full term, one was 62 pounds and the other 80 pounds).
We have been told it works most of the time, but you have to do it early on. I am just glad we acted quick!