Aaron
Well-known member
So I've got this 7 year old cow. Been lethargic and not chewing cud since mid-December with a continual low-grade fever. Initially, based on the speed in which she went down, I assumed redwater disease as it's relatively common and an animal goes downhill fast. So I went hard with penicillin and got no response. Additional symptoms didn't fit redwater, so I tried to cover bases and put a magnet in her, and went to a oxy la treatment regime for couple rounds in combination with Banamine to cut the fever. As soon as it wore off, fever came right back. Left it for a while and decided to go last resort, one round of Resflor. No real response from that. Basically about $250 worth of drugs up to this point. Cow eats a bit, drinks well, and it still comes out the backend in proper form. I am completely out of ideas. Cow is energetic and alive enough to survive, but far from thriving. Weather has warmed up here, so I decide to call vet for a 2nd opinion and visit.
Find out that my preferred vet will be visiting from Saskatchewan and will be around next couple days. He phones me up yesterday,
Vet: "Think we can diagnose her over the phone?"
Me: "Oh, I think this one is going to be a challenge, even for you"
*Describe everything I've done.*
Vet: "So you gave all those drugs and the fever keeps returning?"
Me: "Yep"
Vet: "I'm about as stumped as you are."
So he arrives this afternoon. Cow ate part of a square bale and drank well, so she looks quite full, which threw him for another loop - "Her rumen looks full, but her eyes are sunk into her head - almost looks like bloat, but not as severe." Does a lot of tapping and listening with stethoscope, probably 10 minutes worth. "Her rumen is active, but not completely turning over. Rumen is soft to push, so it's not impaction. Lungs are clear." Takes temperature and, like clockwork, right at 103.5F
Now, for fun, post your best guess diagnosis and see if you can figure out what is ailing this cow. If you get it right, you may very well have a job here as my new on-farm vet, because I would never have figured it out. Vet has his diagnosis, and is very sure of it with 20+ years experience and having seen it before, although not common. I bet Lucky can figure it out...
Find out that my preferred vet will be visiting from Saskatchewan and will be around next couple days. He phones me up yesterday,
Vet: "Think we can diagnose her over the phone?"
Me: "Oh, I think this one is going to be a challenge, even for you"
*Describe everything I've done.*
Vet: "So you gave all those drugs and the fever keeps returning?"
Me: "Yep"
Vet: "I'm about as stumped as you are."
So he arrives this afternoon. Cow ate part of a square bale and drank well, so she looks quite full, which threw him for another loop - "Her rumen looks full, but her eyes are sunk into her head - almost looks like bloat, but not as severe." Does a lot of tapping and listening with stethoscope, probably 10 minutes worth. "Her rumen is active, but not completely turning over. Rumen is soft to push, so it's not impaction. Lungs are clear." Takes temperature and, like clockwork, right at 103.5F
Now, for fun, post your best guess diagnosis and see if you can figure out what is ailing this cow. If you get it right, you may very well have a job here as my new on-farm vet, because I would never have figured it out. Vet has his diagnosis, and is very sure of it with 20+ years experience and having seen it before, although not common. I bet Lucky can figure it out...