Founder.......?

[AndersenClubCalves]

Has anyone one ever had a steer founder? Is there anything i can do or am i just SOL?

 

[Jenny]

yes....
have had more than one animal founder and if you treat in time, there are no lingering effects.

antihistamine
bicarb....we use some big pink pills...looks like pepto bismal
dexamethasone

banamine for pain.....

think the antihistamine is the most important item
and then you know, offer nothing but long stem hay until the animal is recovered

 

[Bryan]

what is founder?

 

[shortyjock89]

what is founder?

It's when the animal's belly is pretty much overworked and it goes caput.  We treat them just like Jenny there says, and we also like to give an infusion of fresh rumen juice from a fistulated cow at the University near us.  Their feet also grow like crazy and can be painful to the animal when they've foundered. 

 

[RidinHeifer]

My heifer had mild founder so her feet grow like  crazy now-only issue no is that her feet need trimmed couple times a year now.  Just watch how much they're eating & they'll be fine.

 

[herfluvr]

what is founder?

Founder is the layman's term for Laminitis which is the inflammation of the laminae of the hoof.  Laminae is the tissue in the hoof that secures the soft tissue to the hard tissue.  When "founder" occurs the laminae inflame and since there is not much area for inflammation in the hoof, it can be a cause of severe pain and lameness. 
It can be brought on by many causes.  High protien diets and a change of feed, mastitis,stress,  general body infection such as pneumonia can all be some factors in it's cause.  So is it a gut problem? Not always but giving antihistamine is great treatment as the inflammation of the laminae triggers a release of histamine.  Giving any anti-inflammatory will help,  Bicarb or rumen juice will help the stomach get back on track. 
If you have "founder" treat agressively at first signs.  It can change the protiens in the hoof making the hoof weaker and if the laminae separate from the hoof wall the hoof capsule can sluff off making this terminal.
It is quite common in horses when the new grass starts in the spring and even fall as horses will gorge themselves and will eat until them are sick.  Cattle are less likely as they do stop and digest differently than horses.  We are seeing it more often in the cattle due to the high protien rations and not balancing them with enough forage.  Especially for the show pen.  Keeping the cattle confined on these high feeds can certainly be a cause.
Our family isa second generation farriers so they have seen a lot of foundered animals over the years and seeing more cattle in recent ones.  Hope that helps. 

 

[firesweepranch]

what is founder?

Founder is the layman's term for Laminitis which is the inflammation of the laminae of the hoof.  Laminae is the tissue in the hoof that secures the soft tissue to the hard tissue.  When "founder" occurs the laminae inflame and since there is not much area for inflammation in the hoof, it can be a cause of severe pain and lameness. 
It can be brought on by many causes.  High protien diets and a change of feed, mastitis,stress,  general body infection such as pneumonia can all be some factors in it's cause.  So is it a gut problem? Not always but giving antihistamine is great treatment as the inflammation of the laminae triggers a release of histamine.  Giving any anti-inflammatory will help,  Bicarb or rumen juice will help the stomach get back on track. 
If you have "founder" treat agressively at first signs.  It can change the protiens in the hoof making the hoof weaker and if the laminae separate from the hoof wall the hoof capsule can sluff off making this terminal.
It is quite common in horses when the new grass starts in the spring and even fall as horses will gorge themselves and will eat until them are sick.  Cattle are less likely as they do stop and digest differently than horses.  We are seeing it more often in the cattle due to the high protien rations and not balancing them with enough forage.  Especially for the show pen.  Keeping the cattle confined on these high feeds can certainly be a cause.
Our family isa second generation farriers so they have seen a lot of foundered animals over the years and seeing more cattle in recent ones.  Hope that helps. 

Great explanation! Thank you. The important part is that it can be TERMINAL! Act immediately. I have not seen it in cattle, but have had personal loss in horses due to laminitis. My best show horse got out one night and got into the feed room, where she consumed over 50 pounds of grain. ALMOST killed her, banamine, anti-inflammatory, pumped full of oil (to pass through the grain quicker), and all four feet soaking in ice water for 48 hours until the danger passed. She was lame off and on for the rest of her life, and had to wear expensive special shoes to keep her off her sore spots (rocker shoes if I remember correctly), but she did live to the ripe old age of 29 when she broke her forearm (slipped on ice) and had to be buried. My loss was not being able to reach the highest goal showing her (her Legion Of Merit - at that time not many horses had and she was slated to earn it the next year). But, we still got several more years out of her as a lesson mare for little kids.

 

[mrhutch2u]

I'm assuming you are past the dangers of the having the remnit shut down?if not call your vet. Treated mine with a animal grade 'petp bismo", Antibiotics with a steroid banime and some boulus. Here is what happened to feet, bull was fine for quite sometime you could see the new growth of hoof (ring or line in hoof) he was fine until there was very little old hoof. As the old hoof detached from new him became lame until it was all off. He is fine now had no problems for 2 years!