Stiff Cow

[wstevenl]

I don't know how else to describe my 3 year old Dexter right now other than stiff. She had a calf a week and a half ago and after about 5 days I put her in with the herd again. I noticed her laying down alot and one evening I made her stand and she walked really STIFF, reminded me of a horse that has foundered. She would take little choppy steps like she was in too much pain to walk. I immediate called the vet and had him come out. He suspected founder and wanted to know how much grain she gets. We feed no grain at all, and we haven't fertilized. He said that she could "founder" because of the fluid in her uterus after giving birth.... its toxic or something. He did a rectal exam and said that she did have alot of fluid.

He gave her a pain shot to get her moving, penicillin, and a hormone shot to get her to expel what was in her uterus. He said it would make her look like she was in heat. Two days later we gave her another pain shot and put her back in with the other cows on pasture. She is walking more but still doesn't seem right. This morning she seemed real stiff again and had some long stringy, bloody discharge when she stood up. After walking for a while she tends to loosen up a bit and walk more normal.

Any ideas????????

[gone-a-milkin]

If she has a discharge today, hopefully she is cleaning out. It sounds like your vet has it under control to me.

It can take a little bit of time for them to come right. We had one like that this Spring. She had a difficult birth (big calf) and she looked miserable for over 2 weeks before she really cleaned out and the swelling inside her pelvic region went away completely.

As long as she is still getting up and eating, etc. you are doing good.


Good luck.

[wstevenl]

It's scary to see one of my best two cows in pain like that. She actually appeared to have a really easy birth. But like you said, hopefully the discharge is a good sign.

Anyone ever see a cow act like this.... taking tiny, stiff steps, like they're in too much pain to walk?

[copperhead46]

This isn't the one you wrote about in the "head shaking" post is it?? I haven't had this problem but I'd sure like to hear about how it turns out.

[agmantoo]

wstevenl
Did the cow have an elevated temperature? Do you know if you are in a selenium deficient area and does your cow have access to a loose mineral supplement?

[wstevenl]

The vet took her temp but didn't tell me what it was. We use Fertrell's loose minerals, it does have selenium.

[Farm 36]

If the cow has no temp then uterus infection is not bothering her at this time and some discharge is ok and the uterus has a lot of changes to do .You can take her temp when not in the sun or early in the morning .No matter what the size of the calf she could have had a slow caving and pintched a nerve and cause her to walk slow or a light case of ketoeses (sp) or low on calcium. The vet is the one to talk to I'm here and can't see the cow for myself and a vet bill is cheaper than losing a $1200 cow But you need to stay on top of taking temps. Even if a cow looks healthy if their is a temp there is an infection that will resort to antibotics

[65284]

Stiff cows are never good. Especially if they are lying on their side and are really, really stiff.

[gone-a-milkin]

LOL, 65284.

Agreed though with Farm 36 that she could have pinched a nerve calving. I have seen it a few times. They get that mincing gait and look pathetic until they clean out and the swelling goes down.

[wstevenl]

she's doing great now..... just took time.

[copperhead46]

Thats good new, did you ever figure it out,pinced or do you think it was probably a pinched nerve?? Sure glad she's OK.
P.J.