Had the Vet. out today.

springvalley · #1 08/28/10, 09:58 PM

I have a older Jersey cow in my herd, that has not been feeling well, has a lump up high on the rear udder area. She has been having hard time getting up in the barn, but has been eating good. Told my wife I was thinking it was a tumor. Well I did what I said I wouldn`t and called the Vet this moring. He was here just before noon, checked her out, no high temp., no keytoses, no mastitis, so he did a rectal check. Sure enough he found more tumors. The vet said your cow has cancer of the lymph glands. He said she may make it 6 months but I give her a week. So we will keep her comfortable as long as we can then put her down when things look grim. I think this is the first cow I have ever had cancer, kinda wierd. I was out round baling hay today near the pasture, the last round I stopped where she was laying in the pasture before I headed in to do chores and sat by her for awhile. She seemed happy, not worried about what went on today, a bit weak. So I helped her up and she headed home for a drink, I hope her last days won`t be to bad. >Thanks Marc

**gone-a-milkin** · #2 08/28/10, 10:14 PM

I am sorry to hear that, Marc.
I'm sure you wont let her suffer.

Cancer just sucks, no matter who has it.

Glad you had the vet to tell you for sure.
Farming is like that. It still sucks though.

Ronney · #3 08/29/10, 06:37 AM

I've only ever had one animal with cancer and that was cancer eye. It was a bull and the time had come for him to go to the works anyway - which meant I would have probably put him out the back of the farm somewhere out of the way while I mentally dealt with the problem - I helped him birth, he was handreared with a ewe lamb and was the biggest sook unhung. Anyway, I was scratching his horn boss one day and having a bit of yarn with him when I noticed a white growth on his 3red eyelid. Got the vet out and it was Cancer Eye. Early stages, no damage to lymph nodes at that point so he didn't go out the back of the farm, he went on a truck before he deteriorated. The hard choice became easy although loading him on to the truck wasn't.

I know you will know when to make the call no matter how hard it is. While you don't give her history, she has obviously been a long stayer and done you well and I have no doubt you have done her well.

Cheers,
Ronnie

linn · #4 08/29/10, 07:25 AM

Sorry to hear about your cow. We had a cow with a cancerous eye several years ago. Glad to hear you are making her last days good ones.

Madsaw · #5 08/29/10, 10:23 AM

Marc sorry to hear about your cow. Seen alot of cows here go down with lymph node cancer. Things have slowed down alot since I talke dmy grandfather into not spraying pastures any more. Years ago we used to cull or have go down ont eh farm upwards of 6 a year due to cancer. Been about 15 yrs since we last sprayed the pastures and we might have1 cancer suspect every 2-3 years now.
Give here some sweet feed to boost here energy and keep her comfortable.
Bob

tailwagging · #6 08/29/10, 10:44 AM

I am soo sorry. We had to put our cow down due to cancer just weeks ago.

tallpines · #7 08/29/10, 11:40 AM

Makes me get a few tears in my eyes remembering the one special cow we had.

In our milking days we had 100's of cows go through our barn but there was only one Annabelle.

She was a member of the family----and I still miss her.

DianeWV · #8 08/29/10, 08:32 PM

SpringValley-sorry to hear about your cow. Take care.

PKBoo · #9 08/29/10, 09:23 PM

Marc - so sorry to hear about your cow. It's always hard - they become such an integral part of your life.

springvalley · #10 08/29/10, 09:46 PM

Thank you all for your warm thoughts, I need to give a little more background. This cows name is May, we bought her a bit over two years ago from a larger dairy. She has been a good cow, but not a great cow. She has not had a easy life, one thing right after another seems like, but she bounced back each time. But this time will be differant, she will not bounce back from this. She is already getting weaker, I help her up most of the time now. All our cows are special to us, they provide us a living and we enjoy them very much. I must enjoy this as I have been working the last week non stop getting hay made, this is the longest stretch we have had all summer without rain. Have put up over a hundred round bales and several hudred square bales, with more to do tomorrow. I must really like my cows, why would I work so hard for them. But I have also noticed, I can`t work like I use to, stacking bales on the hayrack almost kills me. I will keep you updated on May, >Thanks Again, Marc

ufo_chris · #11 08/30/10, 11:32 AM

I'm so sorry about May. Bless you for making her comfortable and not letting her suffer.
Chris

scholtefamily · #12 08/30/10, 05:28 PM

Marc, We are sorry to hear about May.

Sam and Stacey

JR05 · #13 08/30/10, 07:52 PM

Recently I have been where you are, decisions are hard but we must remember they depend on us to make the right ones.When the time comes, May will be up there watching over you from the "BIG PASTURE" in the sky and hopefully she will meet our Dora and they can graze together.

Bret4207 · #14 09/01/10, 05:15 PM

That stinks. I know how you feel though, we just picked up a bred cow about 3 months back. She calved and what I thought was the calves head didn't disappear. Tumor. She's got lots of them now and is loosing condition fast. She'll die well fed and watered at least.

$800.00 loss for us. And it was a bull calf.

springvalley · #15 09/14/10, 09:41 PM

Just thought I would write to end this thread with one final post. I put MAY down last Friday and buried her on Saturday (My birthday) she had been down for a week and my daughter and I feed and watered her each day. That poor ole cow had a good attitude till the end, but was loosing weight badly. So her time had come, she had a good life, and her name tag will hang in the barn for years. >Thanks Marc

KnowOneSpecial · #16 09/14/10, 09:57 PM

I'm sorry you had to put May down.

**gone-a-milkin** · #17 09/14/10, 10:16 PM

Ah, birthday burial. BTDT with a horse that collicked one time.

She is off to the great green Pasture now w/o any pain or troubles.

Hope you have a good personal new year Marc, with plenty of heifer calves and rain at just the right time.

Ronney · #18 09/15/10, 08:11 AM

It was always going to be the outcome but that doesn't make it any easier. And birthdays take no account of what has to be done. Keep that eartag and remember a fighter.

Take care,
Ronnie

Callieslamb · #19 09/15/10, 09:02 AM

Sorry, Marc. I know how I would feel if it were my Belle. Glad she's getting her rest now.