Is she sick or just slow?

[techgirl23]

I have a 6-8 year old Dexter in Northern Arizona.

She looks to be moving very slow these days - and I don't know if it's just the heat or something I should worry about.

She's eating - no slow down on food consumption. She's free to graze - which is limited with how dry it's been. And she's fed Alfalfa 2 2x per day every day. She drinks water regularly. She has access to clean water all day every day. It's been hot and very dry - Like 90-100 with wind, and little to no humidity. We have had no dietary changes. She has access to salt/mineral blocks all day every day. She delievered a still born/pug calf last summer. We milked her for a few months but then let her dry up in the winter as we had a lot going on and couldn't continue. Her milk production was great and she had no issues.

The bull is in a seperate pen - she milk tested positive for pregnancy and is expected in mid-late August. But, he got out a month or so ago, and went right to her, making me wonder if she was pregnant when we thought. I don't know how to palpate to determine and the vet charges a nominal fee of $300-$500 just to come out.

Looking at her, she looks fine, doesn't look like any issue. However, when she moves - she moves like she's 100 years old. Her feet look good from the top, I don't see any signs of swelling, and she doesn't stand favoring any foot. We have a head locking chute for milking, but she's not been one to let me pick up her feet. Her joints look normal and her hips don't look out of alignment. She's tame"ish" - I can put a lead on her and she'll walk with me, and she'll let you pet her, but she has some big horns, and she does not hesitate to show them to you!

When she moves, she looks like she is in pain. She moves very slowly and her feet (especially her rear feet) seem to drag in her gait. She continues to go down to the bottom pastures every day - which is a few acres away... and back up to the stalls at night. So her distance of movment hasn't changed.

Ideas?

[G. Seddon]

Does she have a temperature? Can you call the vet with details and get verbal suggestions? $300-$500 for a farm call sounds outrageous; must be several hundred miles from you for that fee. Can you transport the cow to the vet instead? You could send in a blood sample to Biopryn to confirm pregnancy.

[~Tomboy~]

Do you know if your girl is a chondro carrier? Sometimes they are prone to arthritis depending on how effected they are.
Just a thought.

[Skip]

If she delivered a still born/pug calf last summer would that not mean she is a carrier? Arthritis sucks.

[G. Seddon]

techgirl, do you know if your cow is a chondro carrier, and was she bred to a chondro carrier bull? By "pug calf," do you mean "bulldog" calf, severely affected (chondro), deformed?

It could be arthritis, but 6-8 seems a bit young; the chondro carriers I've had that developed arthritis were closer to 12-13 years old.

It would be nice to get some feedback from you now that several people have replied.

[billinwv]

Could alfalfa be too much protein for her? I think dexters are bred to survive on very poor nutrition. Maybe grass hay would be better?