help with down heifer heavy bred

[braunvieh]

I have a tough situation here and not sure what to do. Had a 3 year old get stuck in the mud of a creek and was there for several hours before we found her. Got her out but she cannot get up. If we lift her with a hiplift and the tractor, she can stand and actually walked around.  (this happened Saturday) Problem is, when she falls or lays down, she cannot get back up and keeps sprawling out and then we are constantly watching to keep her from bloating and dying. Monday she stood and walked around for 10 hours, ate alot, drank water, looked real good. Then went down and has gone downhll since. Looked droopy yesterday morning, couldn't get a temp reading on 3 thermometers, so called vet, gave her banamine and nuflor. Yesterday she could not stand on her own for more than a couple minutes so we just left her down and kept her from laying on her side and bloating. Last night got a temp reading of 95, she ate a little, and this morning she is standing with a little support from the tractor, but she is not strong enough to stand on her own anymore, she tries to walk, wobbles and down she goes. Today she has no appetite and won't drink water, looks like she has lost the will to live is the best way to describe it. My concern with her is she is heavy bred. She has an AI due date of Feb 12, but I am certain she is not bred to that date, so could be 3 weeks out from calving or even farther. If I am gonna lose her, would like to save the calf. Any ideas on what we can do? Thanks.

 

[FutureBreeder2013]

If you dont think the cow is going to make it you could have a c-section done to her to save the calf.

 

[kanshow]

What are her other calving indicaters doing?  Vulva?  Udder?  Can you or vet rectally palpate to see what position the calf is in?  I'd probably have my vet do that and then procede with a c-section if the calf is in place. 

We have propped them up with bales before to keep them from rolling over.  But you are right, they quickly loose the will to live and this winter it seems worse. 

 

[Show Heifer]

I sent you a PM. Please read it NOW.

Summary: Her body has used all of her reserves to maintain herself, now it is shutting down (lack of body temp). You need to get some quick, instant energy into her now. I use Corn syrup in ewes. Warm it up and drench her. It will take a bunch. The correct term is pregnancy toxemia. And no, it doesn't matter if your heifer is "fat" or not.... in fact, that makes it worse. 
If it is pregnancy toxemia as soon as she calves (and lives through it) she will make a complete turn around in less than 6 hours. It is amazing.

I wish you luck....

 

[DL]

If the heifer has no recordable temperature she is cold. As SH said she has no reserves - she needs energy and warm fluids - IV would be good - call your vet

 

[braunvieh]

Thanks for all the replies. We did call the vet and he will be here in an hour. At that point we will determine if a C-section is our best option. Palpation gives me the indication the calf is too young/small to survive but we will see what the vet says. I will keep you posted.

 

[kfacres]

If it were me, and she is down for the count... I'd keep her blocked up and on a syrup intake... I would wait this out until she calves, and then dispose of her...

one time we had an old ewe that went down a month before lambing, hips just gave out when she got heavy bred...  We got her up every day for 10 min, 2x day, to walk and pee...  Kept her alive just until she lambed.. let her lick lamb off. and then did away with her..  our bottle lamb eventually was champion ram at a state fair...  well worth the trouble keeping the old ewe alive.. now I relize that will be much harder to do with a cow-- but I stil lsuggest it...  You did it once with a tractor- and I'm sure that tractor will still start, and the front loader will still work... 

Just my 2 cents worth.. seems to be all its worth here lately..

 

[Cowboy]

Been thru ths a hundred times overin Missouri years ago -- almos every time  co went dwnite creek whil heavy bred she would either hve a uterin torsion OR a Displaced Abomasum due to the thrashing around.

Deffinately check for a twisted uterus, and even more common, your Vet can ping her for a DA -- once you hear the sound you will never forget it. Sounds like a tin can half full of water -- a deffinate ping will almost always need DA surgery ..

If she went off water and eats just a little bit -- those are good signs of a DA.

Good luck with her -- time is of the escense!

Terry