Mountain Lion or ? Attack

RedRider · #1 12/04/12, 12:16 AM

Hi

My neighbor leases property next door to me & also leases another ranch about 10 miles from here. This morning he called me and asked if I could help him at the ranch 10 miles away because last night or early this AM a big cat/cats of some kind killed 1 cow, she was 7 months pregnant.
Another cow was mauled really bad,she was still alive but will probaby need to be put down. She is also 7 months pregnant. One of his LGD is missing. There were many huge cat tracks in the mud.( big storms last few days)
They also got a 4-6 month old heifer. My neighbor stated he could not care for the heifer and did not want to leave her there,so he gave her to me. I could not say no.
The heifer is up and walking/drinking and eating a little.
We brought her to the ranch and she is in the barn with our Angus bottle babies.
We gave her a big dose of LA 300 before transport(only med on hand).
I made her a huge straw bed and cleaned her wounds.
Her wounds are on one ear, top of head and under 1 eye. The eyeball itself is fine,there is a deep laceration under one eye. The wounds on her ear look like scrape marks(similar to what road rash looks like). I sprayed all areas after cleaning w/Vetericyn. The wounds are seeping blood. I sprayed her ear/head with a blood clotting spray. It has really slowed down the ooze.
I made her warm beet pulp w/ grain and put some bute in it.
We hand feed her and at least got the bute into her.
I cannot get a Vet to call me back so I've done what I can for tonight.
She was laying down resting at last check. There is swelling now under her chin that looks like a possible abcess forming. There also is a small puncture above her nostril as well.
I will clean her wounds again in the morning w/saline and spray again with Vetericyn and apply Swat to keep flies out.
What kind of strong antibiotic can I buy OTC to prevent infection.
I really need advice, help to care for her.
Should I purchase Manuka honey to put on her wounds?

My daughter named her God's Grace (Gracie) as she is going to need His grace to get better.
She has been really sweet and good through this and I pray she will heal.

Help/Advise please.

RedRider

nchobbyfarm · #2 12/04/12, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedRider

Hi

My neighbor leases property next door to me & also leases another ranch about 10 miles from here. This morning he called me and asked if I could help him at the ranch 10 miles away because last night or early this AM a big cat/cats of some kind killed 1 cow, she was 7 months pregnant.
Another cow was mauled really bad,she was still alive but will probaby need to be put down. She is also 7 months pregnant. One of his LGD is missing. There were many huge cat tracks in the mud.( big storms last few days)
They also got a 4-6 month old heifer. My neighbor stated he could not care for the heifer and did not want to leave her there,so he gave her to me. I could not say no.
The heifer is up and walking/drinking and eating a little.
We brought her to the ranch and she is in the barn with our Angus bottle babies.
We gave her a big dose of LA 300 before transport(only med on hand).
I made her a huge straw bed and cleaned her wounds.
Her wounds are on one ear, top of head and under 1 eye. The eyeball itself is fine,there is a deep laceration under one eye. The wounds on her ear look like scrape marks(similar to what road rash looks like). I sprayed all areas after cleaning w/Vetericyn. The wounds are seeping blood. I sprayed her ear/head with a blood clotting spray. It has really slowed down the ooze.
I made her warm beet pulp w/ grain and put some bute in it.
We hand feed her and at least got the bute into her.
I cannot get a Vet to call me back so I've done what I can for tonight.
She was laying down resting at last check. There is swelling now under her chin that looks like a possible abcess forming. There also is a small puncture above her nostril as well.
I will clean her wounds again in the morning w/saline and spray again with Vetericyn and apply Swat to keep flies out.
What kind of strong antibiotic can I buy OTC to prevent infection.
I really need advice, help to care for her.
Should I purchase Manuka honey to put on her wounds?

My daughter named her God's Grace (Gracie) as she is going to need His grace to get better.
She has been really sweet and good through this and I pray she will heal.

Help/Advise please.

RedRider

I am not smart enough to offer advice. But I am sending wishes for good luck.

Others more knowledgable will help I hope.

arnie · #3 12/05/12, 06:33 PM

Peicillin also blue wound spray .will discourage flies . As long as she's on foot she has a good chance .another drug the local cattle men are swearing by is called driackson or somthing like that .

unregistered41671 · #4 12/05/12, 06:57 PM

https://animalhealth.pfizer.com/site...200%C2%AE.aspx

LA 200
I would give 4.5 ML per 100 lbs. It is best to divide it up and give it in 4 different sites. Good for 72 hrs.

Seth · #5 12/05/12, 08:43 PM

LA 200. However, it will curb her appetite a bit. Some vitamin B compound will help. Auremycin is a feed additive pelletized antibiotic that would also help, but step her down slowly off of it after she heals.

myheaven · #6 12/05/12, 09:20 PM

Draxxin is the antibiotic and banamine for pain. Let wonds seep. Don't close them. Do your best to keep flies off. Salts with sulfa will control flies by the eyes. Aloe pellets will boost the immune system. Blue kote works great for wounds.

myheaven · #7 12/05/12, 09:22 PM

B complex also to help with the stress. A probiotic paste also as the stress is going to throw off her rumen

RedRider · #8 12/05/12, 10:42 PM

Thanks everyone for all information!

I have been giving her LA300. The Vetericyn is really working on the wounds, healing good and draining. So far the flies have not been an issue, but I have swat on hand.
I lanced the abscess under her jaw hoping to reduce the swelling. I have been applying a hot compress and it seems to be helping.
I can not get banamine but have been mixing powered bute in a syringe with water and giving it orally.
We gave her warm powered milk through a syringe tonight and she has perked up. She would not touch warm beet pulp.
She got up tonight after the milk and was eating huge mouthfuls of hay. It was a great to see as I was getting worried about her not eating.
It looks like she took a turn for the better tonight!

The B complex I found on Valley Vet is an injectable.. is that the one I should use?
Auremycin is put into feed...but I cannot get her to eat grain at all.
I will look for the probiotic paste tomorrow.

She is in the barn as we have been getting hit hard with rain...should I put her out in pasture w/ open wounds or keep her in?
She has had company with the bottle babies,since it was raining.

Again

Thanks for the advice

RedRider

Judy in IN · #9 12/06/12, 09:39 AM

RR, I'd be inclined to keep her inside with the bottle babies, where she might feel more secure, and will be easier to tend.

It sounds like a family of lions teaching the young ones to hunt.
What are YOU using to protect your livestock? Ten miles is NOTHING to a mountain lion.

RedRider · #10 12/06/12, 01:10 PM

Judy

We have a unique setting here...we are on an island...one bridge on/off. We are surrounded by water on both sides of our property. That is not to say it could not happen.
I have been looking into getting an LGD and or Llama. We have coyotes here...but they are located on the other island across from us.
The horses come in at night as well as the bottle babies when out during the day.
Gracie..is going to stay in the barn as well..until completely healed.
The chickens go into their house at night.

Now for the decision of Llama or LGD

RedRider

Seth · #11 12/06/12, 02:24 PM

Yes, injectable B complex is what you're after. Probias is a good probiotic. I would turn her out to a pasture in the morn and bring her in in the evening. It'll give her some exercise, and get her "trained" to being handled and coming in when called. Plenty of good hay and water is a must. Keeps her rumen working. Sounds like you're doing well with the situation, keep us posted.

Fat Man · #12 12/06/12, 06:07 PM

Your neighbor need to get hold of Fish and Game to get a predation permit and take care of the kitty.

RedRider · #13 12/06/12, 10:02 PM

Fat Man

His daughter called F & G for him. Yeah , the kitty needs to go

RedRider

myheaven · #14 12/11/12, 09:40 PM

How is she doing now?

RedRider · #15 12/12/12, 12:13 PM

MyHeaven

Gracie is doing really good. She is eating great and will now eat grain! That helps me hide the bute.
The top layer of the wound came off and there are some really deep puncture holes on her head. They are healing good though. I can see the connective tissue weaving back together.
The Vetericyn is really doing the work.
But, I have to say the drainage smell is sooo disgusting. I use Vicks in my nose to mask it. (Old EMT trick)
I clean it everyday and she now goes out in pasture w/the bottle babies and I have no issue getting her back in the barn at night..she just follows the babies.
The swat keeps the flies off her.
The wound under her eye has scabbed and part of it is starting to come off, looking good.
I think with God's grace she is going to make it! She one tough girl

Oh, the probiotic/B complex is on it's way...should be here today or tomorrow.

Thanks for checking

RedRider

myheaven · #16 12/13/12, 06:21 PM

Can you get a picture? I wonder if you should irrigate the wounds that smell so bad. I wonder if a good smearing of Bacitracin would do her good? You can get Bacitracin at Walmart ,Walgreens, cvs, rite aid , or a durimicin powder at the farm store.

RedRider · #17 12/13/12, 10:45 PM

Myheaven

I can take a pic...but would people really want to view it here? It would be very graphic.

When I clean the wound, I actually clean it with running water first, then irrigate it again with the Vetericyn. The smell is from the wound draining continuously.

Applying the Bacitracin as well would probably be good. Will pick some up.

I got the shipment of Auremycin today....she smelled it in the feed and would not touch it.
It really has a unique smell. Is there so way to mask it in the feed.
Oh, I also received the Probiotic/B Complex today as well.

Thanks for the help!
RedRider

myheaven · #18 12/14/12, 06:44 AM

Molasses will make the feed sweet and hide the medication. Good to known you are irrigating.
In my opinion if people don't want to see gross wounds they shoul not have animals. It's a part of animal husbandry sometimes. You can put a disclaimer. If you want pm me a picture.

redgate · #19 12/15/12, 05:03 PM

You may have asked the question elsewhere, but I wanted to offer my $.02...go for the LGD! We live in an area frequented by mountain lion, bear, coyote, and I know of many others who live in wolf country. LGD's are tops!! We lose llamas around this area every year, in addition to the livestock they are supposed to be guarding. If your problem was fox or coyote, a llama would be good, but for larger predators, I wouldn't count on a llama. Our single LGD has protected our small herd of goats from PEOPLE trying to take them, and we haven't lost so much as a chicken to a predator since we got her last year as a pup! If you are in really wild country, you'd want to consider more than 1 dog, though, to give them a fighting chance. Hope that helps, and best wishes with the cow!

plowhand · #20 12/15/12, 05:45 PM

I've got a jack, a great pyrenees, and my mules. I like em all. The dog scared me to death the other night, when she killed a big racoon on the right under my bedroom window. I never heard a coon scream before. I've seen a small mule pich up a 200 lb. goat by the scruff of his neck and sling him like you would a rag doll. You need to be carefull with a donkey or mule and introduce new animals slowly.

It's hard though for a mule, dog ,or donkey to fight a grown bear or mountain lion.

In this part of the country, we always used a lot of turpentine for wounds like that.