question about a down cow

lonelyfarmgirl · #1 12/07/10, 11:55 PM

here's the story. a few days ago, one of our smaller cows either tripped or got knocked down at the feeder. the tip of her horn and her chin got hooked, and when I found her she was hanging by her neck, with the most of her body on the ground. she was tight and choking. so (running) we got a strap around her front and lifted her with the skid steer to get her head out. we strapped her belly and carried her into a pen and put her down. later, she was eating and drank out of a bucket. the next day, she was still down, but eating and drinking well.

so we strapped her again and picked her up to try and get her to stand. no luck. so we got this wood box and it was the perfect size. we put it upside down under her guts and ribs and lowered her enough to where her weight was on the box, but she was still supported by the straps on the skid steer. we left her to hang for several hours, while she ate.

at some point she was standing on her own. so we worked the box out and by the end of the day, she was walking around, and still eating and drinking. the next morning, she was down and could not get up. so straps and skid steer again, and when lifted, she stood right up. Another day, and the next morning, she was down and wouldn't get up. so we left her for part of the day, hoping she would get up. No dice.

So tonight, we got her up again, but this time she wouldn't stand. Back to the box. She is still eating well, but not some much for the drinking. she is a little dehydrated tonight, but would only drink maybe a gallon and a half.
We let her down on the box and she got her feet under her, so we took of the straps, put the equipment away, and she tripped over the corner of the box and went down. She wont get up or even attempt to stand, no matter what we do to her. This was a previously wild, untouchable animal.

I realize the accident was probably very physically traumatic, but after standing for most of 2 days, you would think she would be able to get up or at least try to stand. Whats going on here?

Chixarecute · #2 12/08/10, 12:10 AM

Cows who fall/slip can take a long time to regain strength, confidence. She was under a great deal of duress/physical trauma. Plus once they are down, I think the balance of microbes in their gut changes to something less favorable, due to the stress, and their feed utilization is not what it was. I would keep up what you are doing, getting her up, supporting her, access to fresh feed, warm water. A little companionship in the form of a smaller bovine who is competition for her feed may help.

You may also want to consider an IV to bump up her fluids. If you can keep her going, she may be able to self support in a week to ten days. If not, then hopefully you'll have a cull cow who has worked most of the stress hormones out of her system & will be tasty.

Ronney · #3 12/08/10, 05:58 AM

Bit of an odd one admittedly but for as long as she is attempting to stand on her own, I would persist with what your doing although I wish you had a sling rather than the box - the sling is easier on their guts and makes it easier to lift and lower. If you have a cow vet, I would also suggest having a talk to them to find out if there would have been any damage/problems caused by her hanging and the difficulty she probably would have had in breathing, belching etc.

Downer cows suffer muscle damage in their legs brought about by lack of circulation and need turning from one side to the other at least every two hours and more frequently if possible. When raising, again best to do it every 2 hours or so and leave her up for 15 minutes with her feet just touching the ground. When putting her back down make sure she goes on to the opposite side to what she was when lifted. Massage the legs and don't be afraid to grab the hoof area and work the leg - but be careful that she doesn't give you a belt.

Downer cows are a lot of work, time and energy and sometimes it's a waste of time - and sometimes it isn't. I had a cow down for 10 days and I breathed and lived that cow - feeding and watering her, turning her, lifting and lowering her, spent 2 nights sleeping with her when she was at her worst. Then one morning I raised her and she walked out of the sling. I cried like a baby and it was worth every minute I had spent with her.

Good luck.
Ronnie

Madsaw · #4 12/08/10, 07:37 AM

You probally can not imagine the amount of strain that cow put on herself trying to get up at first. Give her some time and keep up what your doing. It would be the same as if you tryed to belly crawl over a moutain. You would not be bouncing around the next day. As long as once she is lifted and can hold her own weight. Keep working with her. By chance is she a jersey?
Bob

lonelyfarmgirl · #5 12/08/10, 11:39 AM

no, shes a highland cross breed. doesn't look so good this morning. I wish we had a sling. the box was a spur of the moment idea, because we needed something immediately to support her guts. We have it where she is in the straps, with the box under her. if she chooses to stand, then there is a couple inches of open space between her belly and the box, but if she goes limp, the box is keeping the straps from cutting into her guts and armpits. once supported like this, she is choosing to stand and stood most of 2 days, but when she lays down, or if she steps wrong and goes down, she don't get back up. this morning she is very tottery, and although she has been eating well, seems to be going downhill. let me see if I can figure out how to get a photo on here. I usually dont mess with it as its a pain.

lonelyfarmgirl · #6 12/08/10, 09:16 PM

didn't get a photo, but we left her to stand over the box for the whole day. just before dark, we lifted her a bit and removed the box and eased her carefully back down as to not disturb the set of her feet. she remained standing, and has been up for several hours. she looks a bit shaky, but was actually moving about. I am sure she will be down in the morning, and we will have to start over, sigh..

onthespot · #7 12/08/10, 11:31 PM

Well, sounds like progress... Wish I had something helpful to say. Just know someone in California cares if your cow makes it or not. When we were kids we had a horse dropped off on us that had her hock really badly ropeburned and infected. We had her in a sling for a couple of months. She recovered. I slept with her a couple of nights that she was the worst also... Kept her from thrashing herself down into the water by lying by her back and holding onto a hunk of grass on the other side of her neck. Stayed all night with her till morning when we could get help to get her into the sling. No way I'd try that now, but when you are a horsecrazy kid, you'll do anything to help a horse in need.

willow_girl · #8 12/08/10, 11:48 PM

Do her ears feel warm or cold? That's a good clue as to how much distress a cow is in. When I suspect problems, the first thing I do is check the ears! Cold = not good.

I'd try to get some probiotics in her, or even some yogurt with live active cultures. (Thin it with a little water and drench with a long-necked wine bottle.) Make sure she's kept very warm and dry.

Otherwise, keep picking her up! A down cow is a dead cow.

cathleenc · #9 12/09/10, 11:20 AM

no advice, Amanda, but I keep reading your thread and hoping for a good outcome for you all!

lonelyfarmgirl · #10 12/09/10, 07:16 PM

she was down this morning, and we didnt get to her until after lunch. we rolled her over and put her in the straps, and when he lifted her up, she put her feet down and stood. right now she is still up and eating and drinking. A good sign!
But it is snowing heavily, so we will see how she is in the morning.

I forgot to check her ears, and yes, I know a down cow is a dead cow. We've been down that road before.

TamBerk · #11 12/09/10, 08:14 PM

Sounds like she might have a pinched nerve. Give her time, she can come out of it but unfortunately sometimes they don't. Make sure she has good footing around her and has plenty of water, hay and some grain. She needs energy. Good luck.

MO_cows · #12 12/09/10, 09:08 PM

Do you have the kind of vet that you can call and consult? Wondering if something anti inflammatory might help.

Tad · #13 12/09/10, 09:39 PM

If she has a nerve problem from her injury it would take a day for the swelling to pinch the nerve. I had a cow this summer walk a 1/4 mile back to the barn with her calf, went out and in that night, went out the next morning and died where she layed that afternoon. We messed with her for days, the vet would put his prod right on the top of her foot and zap for 5 seconds and she would lay there chewing her cud, had no feeling what so ever. Maybe a shot of steroids would help her but can't do it if she is bred.

lonelyfarmgirl · #14 12/09/10, 11:13 PM

she should be bred, and she probably wouldnt touch grain, shes never seen it before. it is after 10 and she is still up and eating and drinking normally. never thought of pain meds. I could give her some aspirin. duh! cant believe I didn't think of that! some cow mom I am..

Ronney · #15 12/10/10, 05:38 AM

She's still with you and that's all good - but by no means a done deal.

Have you any molassas? Warm that up in some water and pour it over her hay and put some grain in a dish within reach and pour some over that too. Cows are very partial to molassas and I doubt that she will turn her nose up at it. Even my bought-in bull which had never seen anything other than grass in his life, clicked on to what molassas was within 12 hours of being here.

I never thought of pain relief either and I should have having been down that path often enough. Yes, if you can get some anti-inflammatory from a vet that could go a long way to aiding her recovery.

Will continue to watch for the updates.

Cheers,
Ronnie

Madsaw · #16 12/10/10, 07:14 AM

Yeah I ahd a brain dead moment there too. A shot of banamine will help reduce any swell and help the pain. We use that any time the vet thinks there is any possible nerve damage to help get them on the road to recovery.

I don't know about highlanders. But, most other cattle love apples.
Bob

Trisha in WA · #17 12/10/10, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronney

I had a cow down for 10 days and I breathed and lived that cow - feeding and watering her, turning her, lifting and lowering her, spent 2 nights sleeping with her when she was at her worst. Then one morning I raised her and she walked out of the sling. I cried like a baby and it was worth every minute I had spent with her.

Good luck.
Ronnie

Me too. Mine was down 7 days and we had no way to lift her. On the morning of the 7th day we woke to her standing up! Cried like a baby here too.
lonelyfarmgirl, know that we are keeping you and your girl in our thoughts.
Trisha

lonelyfarmgirl · #18 12/10/10, 07:38 PM

they do love apples. we feed alot in the fall.
this morning, of course she was down, so we went out early to get her up right away. I had a sudden idea. we sicked the farm dog on her. she actually lifted her butt up in the air to try and get away from him. she tried real hard to get up the rest of the way, then fell down. so we called him off, and picked her up with the straps. she hung there for a minute, then suddenly put her feet down and stood up. she is still up now, and its evening. we will get her up again tomorrow, and hopefully soon she will be able to do it all the way on her own. this is huge progress. Before, she wouldn't even try.

tinknal · #19 12/10/10, 07:58 PM

I think that you are doing the cow and yourself a disservice by hoisting her up, and then letting her down again. Just keep her suspended for a few days. She will stand when she wants, and rest on the straps when she wants. By letting her down again she may be re-injuring what ever it is that is causing the problem. Keep her up for awhile and let her heal.

Cheribelle · #20 12/11/10, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinknal

I think that you are doing the cow and yourself a disservice by hoisting her up, and then letting her down again. Just keep her suspended for a few days. She will stand when she wants, and rest on the straps when she wants. By letting her down again she may be re-injuring what ever it is that is causing the problem. Keep her up for awhile and let her heal.

HHHMMMM that re-injuring is a definite possibility.

Keep up the good work, they really can go either way.