question about a gimpy/down calf

[bluefish]

I've got a calf that has a bum back leg/broken hip. He's a bit over a year old. A couple days ago he got tangled in some wire and went down on his bad side and couldn't get up. Don't know how long he was down, but he didn't act too dehydrated or anything. He's in a pen up by the house now. His bad side was a bit swollen all over, back leg where the wire was, face and the front upper leg. He was doing better yesterday and much better today, then this evening we found him down again in his pen. He'd fallen on his bad side and when that happens, he can't get up. He wasn't down for more than 2 hours as that's the last time I checked on him.

My question is, his front leg on the 'bad' side is now quite swollen and he's limping on it and has a hard time not falling on that side. Is this swelling caused by laying on it for so long or is something else probably wrong and that's what caused him to fall this evening in the first place? It's getting a bit dark for a good pic, but I can try tomorrow if that would help.

[DaleK]

Does it really matter? He needs to be put down, save the meat if you can but with all his problems don't prolong things.

[bluefish]

Yes, it does matter. He's been doing very well up until this, moving well and in no apparent pain. Has had no problem running all over my very hilly, covered with old, burned down treed acreage. As I said, he's a bit over a year old and he was give to me at 2 months and the leg was due to something to do with being pulled at birth. He only has to make it, if possible, til this fall.

Besides that, I like to know.

[gone-a-milkin]

It would be pure speculation to guess the extent and severity of this calf's injury over the internet.
It does *sound* like he has suffered a new injury. Perhaps in one of these recent falls?
Since he was already lame in the back, he is sort of running out of legs to stand on.

Dont hesitate to put him down if he appears to be suffering.
They can lose condition very quickly when in pain.