Need Help W/ Sick Cow

Horse Fork Farm · #1 12/25/08, 03:35 PM

I have a cow down and need help. Shes 5 yrs old, half dairy half hereford. Shes dry lotted with free choice hay and minerals. Gets grained 2 times a day. Not currently milking. Due to calf in March. No vet available. Have given 40 cc of Penicillin intra muscular. Still has stomach noises. No bowel movements where she is laying. Please help me figure out whats wrong? Even the local cow guy is stumped.

beccachow · #2 12/25/08, 04:53 PM

http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodica.../aps-0204.html

I researched and found this article on downed cows. Might give you a starting point.

So sorry, how long has she been down?

ETA: http://www.tokvets.co.nz/2007/07/31/...d-downer-cows/

http://www.downcow.com/pubs/dairyjou...0go%20down.pdf

Couldn't get a link to work for this one, this is very long:
A) ANY FRESH COW THAT IS DOWN AND UNABLE TO RISE, SHOULD BE TREATED IMMEDIATELY WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:

1) The preferred treatment is to give one bottle of calcium SLOWLY into the vein and then give one tube of calcium by mouth.
2) or Give 1 1/2 bottles of calcium iv and 1/2 sub q (NOTE only give 23% Calcium Borogluconate, (Calnate) under the skin.
3) If unable to give an iv can give one tube of calcium by mouth as long as cow can sit up and swallow. Or give one bottle of calcium under the skin, divide into 4 different spots.

If the cow is still unable to stand 2 hours after a bottle or 4 hours after a tube then CALL THE VET.

B) FRESH COW THAT IS SHOWING SIGNS OF MILK FEVER BUT NOT DOWN:

1) Give one tube of calcium by mouth or,

2) Give one bottle of calcium iv or subq

if cow has not cleaned give 5 cc of oxytocin after the calcium is given.

Milk Fever (Post Partuitent Hypocalcemia) is a when a cow who is recently fresh or about to calve develops low blood calcium. Signs of milk fever include:
cold ears and or skin dilated pupils
retained placenta constipation
weakness not eating
sticking out tongue when withers is pinched
uncoordinated gait unable to rise

any fresh cow that has calved 3 or more times that shows ANY of these signs needs to be treated immediately. Notify appropriate person. If no trained personnel is available it is usually safest and easiest to give a tube of calcium by mouth as long as the cow can swallow.

Methods:

1) To give an iv (intravenous); a: always tie up the cow, if the cow is down it is best to secure her head with a halter or nose leads, and stretch the neck tight by tying the rope to her back leg above the hock. If the cow is standing and stable restrain her in a stantion or headlock, then stretch her neck by tying her head tightly to one side. Put pressure on the jugular vein by the cows chest. This will cause the vessel to swell up and make it easier to find. Drive the needle into the vein and "seat it" by threading it up or down the inside of the vessel in order to keep it in the vein.

2) To give Calcium tubes by mouth: Cow must still be able the swallow. As long as cow can sit up they usually will have no problem swallowing the calcium paste. Place the tube gently in the back of the cows mouth, and slowly push the contents of the tube out. Hold her nose up to minimize the amount spit out.

3) To give a bottle by subq (subcutaneous) injection: Pick up the loose skin in front or behind the shoulder. Push the needle into the free space under the skin. Divide the bottle into 4 spots infant of and behind the shoulder on both sides of the cow. Never give a bottle of 50% dextrose, glucose, or CalMP 1000 under the skin. These will cause abscesses.
Other considerations: Before encouraging a down cow to stand be sure that the immediate area around the cow is dry and provides a non skid surface. Remove all wet, slippery manure, fluids and cleanings. Spread sand or calcite around the cow. If cow can not stand by herself roll over onto other side and try again in about 1/2 hr.
If the cow still is not able to stand gently remove cow from the cement floor if necessary. This is best done with a loader or sheet of plywood with a 2 x 4 attached to the front end to be used as a 'stone boat'. Move the cow to a dry grassy spot, or a large 16' x16' box stall with 1' of sand, or a BEDDED pack.

No more than 3% of cows should have milk fever (down, unable to rise) and no more than5% should have signs of subclinical milk fever (see list above). Milk fever is totally preventable through proper dry cow nutrition. If rates of disease exceed the above standards immediately reformulate the close up dry cow ration.

DaleK · #3 12/25/08, 07:39 PM

How much grain is she getting and why? If she's dry and not due until March, she shouldn't need any extra grain now. I'd be worried about fatty liver and other metabolic problems from the grain.

Any injuries? Is there ice out there?

agmantoo · #4 12/25/08, 08:00 PM

Sounds like a blockage in the intestines or that she had fallen and has a nerve injury. Your feeding practice and her state of pregnancy rules a lot of things out. Obvious as you know the outcome does not look good. Can you determine if she has any feeling in her lower legs? Is her head up and will she eat?

Horse Fork Farm · #5 12/25/08, 08:58 PM

Sorry took so long to get back inside.

I was told to give grain during the whole pregnancy-is that wrong?????
No ice but its muddy in part of the lot.

She has a big big scraped place on her spine that looks like something took the hide off she didn't have that last night. Not down in the meat but thru her hide to the meat. Sealed over and not bleeding.

She can kick her legs.

She has pooped since I posted last time and peed. She will drink and wanted a little bit of baking soda.

She won't eat. She still has a cud and is chewing it.

I know it doesn't look good.... but I'm still trying...

agmantoo · #6 12/25/08, 09:09 PM

In my experience a paralyzed cow with still eat and pass waste. Hardware disease or a twisted gut would be my guess as to the animals problem. The skinned area is a result of going down IMO. Here is a copy and paste regarding hardware disease
Hardware disease is a common term used for traumatic gastritis and traumatic reticulitis.

From 55 to 75 percent of the cattle slaughtered in the eastern United States have been found to have hardware in the reticulum. However, no damage or perforations of the reticulum was evident.

Hardware may be present and yet produce no damage to the digestive system. Baling twine has replaced baling wire to a great extent, decreasing the noted frequency of hardware disease.

During pregnancy, the rumen and reticulum are displaced forward. At the time of calving, forceful abdominal movement may cause the initial perforation or movement of the hardware into the heart. Older cattle are more often affected with the condition than young ones.
Clinical symptoms and diagnosis

You may notice that the cow has a poor appetite, is somewhat depressed, and is reluctant to move. Cattle seem to have indigestion and show signs of pain when defecating.

If perforation of the heart has occurred, fluid, due to infection, may accumulate around the heart and produce abnormal heart sounds. The brisket may be quite flabby due to a large amount of fluid in it.

The cow may also be bloated. These symptoms may subside or disappear within one to seven days, but may reoccur shortly afterwards.

If the cow is slaughtered and the reticulum and heart carefully examined, it may be possible to find a nail or wire protruding through the wall of the reticulum into the heart. However, the hardware may have been completely digested over a period of months and thus not be present.

Sometimes abscesses or adhesions may be present between the reticulum and diaphragm, indicating a perforation had been present. Normally, the reticulum and diaphragm are not bound to one another.
Treatment

If hardware disease is diagnosed by a veterinarian, and the animal has little or no value other than for market prices, slaughter may be recommended. If the animal is for breeding purposes or is a dairy cow, several treatments may be beneficial.

Elevating the forelimbs 6 to 8 inches with a platform may stop forward movement of the nail or wire from the reticulum. This is a slow process; the limbs should be constantly elevated for 10 to 20 days. Antibiotics will help limit the spread of infection.

If the animal is quite valuable, rumenotomy may be recommended. This procedure involves a surgical approach to the interior of the reticulum. A surgical incision is made alongside the last rib, then the hand is extended behind the ribs to the junction of the reticulum and diaphragm.

Foreign objects, adhesions, etc., may be palpated. If a foreign object is palpated, an incision is made into the ruminal wall. The object is then removed manually from the reticulum.
Prognosis

Prognosis is the prediction of the final outcome of the disease. The prognosis in hardware disease varies with the amount of infection present, how long the condition has been present, and the individual animal. The attending veterinarian considers several factors before making a final prognosis. As a general rule, 60 to 75 percent of affected animals can be returned to useful function if the disease is detected and treated early in its course.

G. Seddon · #7 12/25/08, 09:15 PM

Do you have a vet that you can call and speak to over the phone? It almost sounds like a possible spinal injury from whatever took the hide off of her. Could she have been injured from a fence or something? Predators in the area? Did this happen while drylotted or out on pasture?

Horse Fork Farm · #8 12/25/08, 09:20 PM

I just want to say thank you to you folks who took the time to answer on Christmas Day. The way I feel right now I just never want to do this ever again. She is as much a pet as one of my dogs to the point where I love her and I just have a gut feeling that its not gonna end well at all. Even though I haven't done anything wrong that I can think of I still feel like I did SOMETHING wrong. It sucks..... I should have just stuck to little animals like chickens and rabbits that are easy to raise....... thank you so much for trying to help, I'll post again if anything changes.

Horse Fork Farm · #9 12/25/08, 09:22 PM

G Seddon- in the dry lot. One guy that looked at her for me said he thought something had been in the barn after her. We have bear, coyotes, bobcats and other nasties in our area.

Horse Fork Farm · #10 12/25/08, 09:23 PM

No vet will answer the phone tonight

agmantoo · #11 12/25/08, 09:36 PM

This was added to my last post, you may have missed it.

Hardware disease is a common term used for traumatic gastritis and traumatic reticulitis.

From 55 to 75 percent of the cattle slaughtered in the eastern United States have been found to have hardware in the reticulum. However, no damage or perforations of the reticulum was evident.

Hardware may be present and yet produce no damage to the digestive system. Baling twine has replaced baling wire to a great extent, decreasing the noted frequency of hardware disease.

During pregnancy, the rumen and reticulum are displaced forward. At the time of calving, forceful abdominal movement may cause the initial perforation or movement of the hardware into the heart. Older cattle are more often affected with the condition than young ones.
Clinical symptoms and diagnosis

You may notice that the cow has a poor appetite, is somewhat depressed, and is reluctant to move. Cattle seem to have indigestion and show signs of pain when defecating.

If perforation of the heart has occurred, fluid, due to infection, may accumulate around the heart and produce abnormal heart sounds. The brisket may be quite flabby due to a large amount of fluid in it.

The cow may also be bloated. These symptoms may subside or disappear within one to seven days, but may reoccur shortly afterwards.

If the cow is slaughtered and the reticulum and heart carefully examined, it may be possible to find a nail or wire protruding through the wall of the reticulum into the heart. However, the hardware may have been completely digested over a period of months and thus not be present.

Sometimes abscesses or adhesions may be present between the reticulum and diaphragm, indicating a perforation had been present. Normally, the reticulum and diaphragm are not bound to one another.
Treatment

If hardware disease is diagnosed by a veterinarian, and the animal has little or no value other than for market prices, slaughter may be recommended. If the animal is for breeding purposes or is a dairy cow, several treatments may be beneficial.

Elevating the forelimbs 6 to 8 inches with a platform may stop forward movement of the nail or wire from the reticulum. This is a slow process; the limbs should be constantly elevated for 10 to 20 days. Antibiotics will help limit the spread of infection.

If the animal is quite valuable, rumenotomy may be recommended. This procedure involves a surgical approach to the interior of the reticulum. A surgical incision is made alongside the last rib, then the hand is extended behind the ribs to the junction of the reticulum and diaphragm.

Foreign objects, adhesions, etc., may be palpated. If a foreign object is palpated, an incision is made into the ruminal wall. The object is then removed manually from the reticulum.
Prognosis

Prognosis is the prediction of the final outcome of the disease. The prognosis in hardware disease varies with the amount of infection present, how long the condition has been present, and the individual animal. The attending veterinarian considers several factors before making a final prognosis. As a general rule, 60 to 75 percent of affected animals can be returned to useful function if the disease is detected and treated early in its course.

Madsaw · #12 12/25/08, 11:00 PM

Here's a few idea and questions for you. How is your cow laying? Is she in the normal lay down posture or streched out like she fell and drug herself. Second the poop. Is it dry and hard like horse apples or normal? What is her body condition. Thin, average ,Heavy? Up to this time has she been fine/ Any walking problems or such?
Now a idea or two. If she had a sever hit to the spin area where the scarp is, this may cause swelling and cause the her problems of not get up. If this is the case a shot of anti inflamatory will help. Such as Banamine. You have already got the penni on board. If she is not laying in the correct posture try to get her comfortable in teh right way.
Bob

beccachow · #13 12/25/08, 11:11 PM

Have you tried to get her up? What happens, does she make an effort to get up or none? Is she eating and drinking? Also, I am assuming she is down in the field, she is prime bait for a predator so you might need to really keep an eye on her tonight. And maybe lay a blanket or something over her since she cannot warm herself by moving around and browsing.

Worrying for your cow. Update us when you can.

7.62mmFMJ · #14 12/25/08, 11:53 PM

If she is kicking the rear legs then paralysis is not an issue.

She is chewing her cud and able to evacuate waste, which is good.

Roll her and help to get her feet under her. Then coax her into getting up. See what she can do. If she can not get up, roll her to the other side so that she has good circulation.

Horse Fork Farm · #15 12/26/08, 01:14 AM

Please tell me how to roll her? Can we roll her onto her back and over to the other side or does she need to stay in an upright position and sorta be scooted? If she can go side to back to other side it would help, but I was afraid it might twist her stomach.

She is on her side. We have tried to get her up and its a no go. We've been budging her back and forth but shes just too big to roll her onto her other side. We had her semi on her belly/chest for a while today and now back on her side.

Shes average body condition
Normal/ to a little firmer than normal poop but not horse apples- a good amount
No Banamine on hand--anything else??

she makes effort to get up but can't do it
Will drink but her position is making it hard so husband is helping her
Took a few mouthfuls of hay/still chewing cud

Becca-- Don't worry, she went down in the barn and its closed up for the night

Her temp is just barely 100

Ronney · #16 12/26/08, 04:13 AM

When you say she is on her side, do you mean she is lieing flat out on her side? If so, she must be sat up on to her chest and kept that way by supporting her with hay bales, old tractor tyres or anything else you have that is solid enough to support her. It is imperative that she is rolled from one side to the other 3-4 times a day to stop bed sores forming and to keep circulation flowing. Cows are not hard to roll and I can do it on my own. Do not roll her over on her back; two of you should be able to do it with one at the shoulder and the other at the hips.

If she's not eating try tempting her with molasses and give a pint of glycerine or propylene glycol a day. I don't suppose you have too much grass around at this time of the year but if you got some, even rough stuff, cut it with the hedge clippers and try her with that.

Do you have a tractor with a FEL and a cow sling? because you must get her up within the next couple of days, irrespective of what is wrong with her, or you will have no show at all of saving her. I have never lost a downer cow and much of that has been because I've been able to stand them in a cow sling for 10 minutes at a time for 6 or 7 times a day.

I'm not even going to try and make a guess as to what is wrong with her - it could be hardware, metabolic, trauma, who knows. You need a vet and I find it surprising that there are none on 24hour call. I sometimes grizzle about things in New Zealand but it is mandatory for vet clinics to have a vet on 24hour call at all times - including Christmas Day.

I wish you well with her as I know the feeling only too well. Downer cows are hard work, very time consuming and very stressful but it's worth it when they walk out of that cow sling on their own four pins.

Cheers,
Ronnie

Horse Fork Farm · #17 12/26/08, 08:23 AM

I'm thankful for all the help given here. And I'm ashamed to have to say we failed but thats what happened. We had help from 3 different cattle raisers yesterday and they each told me that she was older than we thought. It helps (a little) that they found no fault with the care we gave her. One man said she was too old to have been bred and that was part of her problem. The other thing was they thought something may have come in the barn (open window) and she got frantic and hurt herself. I hope I never succumb again to the desire to have a cow.

agmantoo · #18 12/26/08, 09:08 AM

Heartstrings, I take it that she passed on her on? any blood exit?

crisco41 · #19 12/26/08, 09:34 AM

I am very sorry for your loss. It can be so heartbreaking. The one consolation is knowing you did everything you could.again I am sorry

beccachow · #20 12/26/08, 11:04 AM

Oh (

) I am so sorry. But it is not your fault, you didn't "fail," a cow is a huge critter to try to take care of when they go down. And there are so very many reasons it can happen, and no matter what you do, things WILL happen.

Also, please don't let this discourage you.

I am so sorry for your loss.