twist diagnosis

[slave2cows]

I am having a hard time hearing the ping when listening for a twist with a stethoscope. Everyone i have worked with tells me to listen for a ping but all i can hear is my finger smacking her hide no ping but everyone else seems to be able to hear it fine. Is it just me or can some one offer some tips or tricks for pinging a dairy cow for a twist. Thanks

 

[chippie]

I have been fortunate not to have to do that. I found this:

http://www.extension.org/pages/64752/video:-healthy-cow-check-up-how-to-perform-a-physical-exam

Hope it helps. I did find it interesting.

 

[milkmaid]

So the cows that you can't hear a ping on.... is the problem that the cow is confirmed to have a DA and although the stethoscope is switched from vet etc to you, you still can't hear the ping in the place everyone else is hearing it - or is the problem that the cow is suspected of having a DA and you're not hearing a ping?

If the former - more experience will help.

If the latter - there a zillion other reasons a cow might go off feed that have nothing to do with a displaced abomasum.

 

[slave2cows]

The first was a confirmed LDA listened right after the vet did. I couldnt hear anything different just the sound of my finger tapping on her hide. Now we have a nother cow same symptons i pinged her for practice and i can hear a huge differnce almost like a majorly over inflated basketball. But im hearing it very low in the right side( roughly six eight inches in front of her udder). Im amsuming a RDA wont now for sure until the vet comes. Ive been scouring google and what not trying to find a sound clip of some sort just so i have a basis to try and differentiate the sounds thanks for the input.

 

[slave2cows]

Thanks for the video link chippie very good video not exactly what im looking for but still very good video like to learn everything i can to keep the girls healthy and milking heavy

 

[cow pollinater]

I always thought they sounded exactly like one of those big red bouncy balls that can only be found in a schoolyard. I'f you've ever had one of the cool kids hit you in the ear with one, you'll never forget that sound. I think that's why I hate DA's so much, I feel like a social outcast every time I find one. :cry2:

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

I always thought it sounded like a drip hitting the bottom of a pail. I had the unfortunate luck of hearing several of these when I worked on a study on a 1000 head dairy in CA years ago. Assisted in a bunch of the surgeries, which was kind of cool.

 

[slave2cows]

Cow pollinator that is exactly what im hearing it is low on the right side roughly ten inches in front of her udder just on the inside of the milk vein im not hearing any thing that i am able to detect higher on her side behind her last rib like normal and her rumen movement do not sound like rolling thunder per say like normal they are about 3-5 mins apart and sounds like a gas bubble with a little bit of churning im 90% settled on a rda for this girl just dont get why i cant hear anything on her side behind the ribs where we usaully ping

 

[cow pollinater]

Cow pollinator that is exactly what im hearing

So you were a dork in school like me? :lol:
For what it's worth, I used to deal with a herdsman that had REALLY good luck fixing DA's by himself with the help of a few mexicans. They would tackle a suspected DA cow and roll her over and shake her side to side upside-down for about ten turns. It really worked. That herd had a bunch of DA's and we did a few before and after tests and he really cut back on the number of surgeries and he was able to do it before production dropped dramatically as he knew what he was looking at before the problems started.
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on which side of the fence you're on, that particular dairy fixed the nutrition issues so we could never get the benefit of long term results from the shake her yourself program.

 

[milkmaid]

Did your vet come out? If an RDA and untreated, she's as good as dead. They'll generally rupture within hours. LDA can go a few weeks in most cases before the cow dies.

 

[cow pollinater]

LDA can go a few weeks in most cases before the cow dies.

I can (unfortunately) show you a few herds where they last alot longer than that... We'd have to wait until the market comes back a little as right now even the worst guys can spot a cow with no milk. :lol: