Calf with bent legs

[jacobl741]

Hi all looking for some advice/experience on helping a calf with bent legs. Saturday night had the vet out to help calve a massive heifer calf which had both front legs tucked.
They are bent at 90 degrees on the knee joint so obviously the calf can't stand however it is trying to get up. Currently milking the cow and feeding to calf but it's not ideal.
Anyone have any suggestions other than just trying to stretch the calves tendons a few times a day? Like I say near enough at 90 degrees I'm told this is a pretty bad case but I've never had it before so can't be sure. Realistically how long should it take for her legs to straighten out, I know it's not 2 days old yet but zero improvement so far.

 

[bert]

I have found an injection of Multimin can work wonders, but we can get short on selenium and causes these symptoms, but definitely worth a go

 

[Werzle]

I got one at the moment born saturday night bent quite bad, giving it some metacam and kneeling it under the cow to suck . Improving abit everyday by working his joints as much as poss so think he will come . Scuttles on his knees abit and will stand up on bent legs but not walk on them. Vet might plaster cast a bad one perhaps. Can take a week or two for one straighten out , depends how keen you are to keep feeding and working its legs abit like how much work folks want to put into a downer cow.

 

[Whitepeak]

Are they bent the normal way? Can you gently straighten them? If so would it be worth splinting them?
I have heard of in very bad cases the vet cutting the tendons to allow the leg to straighten. Obviously this is something that should only be done under veterinary advice

 

[Sharpy]

We have had this a couple of times, my dad splinted them with a bit of 3 inch plastic gutter, some cotton wool and a roll of vet wrap. It worked and you wouldn't know looking at the calf.

 

[jacobl741]

Are they bent the normal way? Can you gently straighten them? If so would it be worth splinting them?
I have heard of in very bad cases the vet cutting the tendons to allow the leg to straighten. Obviously this is something that should only be done under veterinary advice

Yeah they are bent the normal way, it's just they are tucked under laying down. I don't think splinting would work yet due to how bent they are, I have been working them and gently trying to stretch the tendons, couple pics attached of her tonight . She it's going around the pen on her knees now

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Yeah they are bent the normal way, it's just they are tucked under laying down. I don't think splinting would work yet due to how bent they are, I have been working them and gently trying to stretch the tendons, couple pics attached of her tonight . She it's going around the pen on her knees now

Ask the vet about cutting the tendons if they are too tight

 

[Matt]

Having had one ourselves recently but always been able to walk on own
Vets chat was

Wouldn't cut tendons. Unless last resort.


Splint would be option needs changing regularly as it grows / alters.
Selenium and regular metacam

Also speak to vet about giving it a course of engermycin. The prolonged dose.

Apparently a side effect is loosens tendons.

 

[ladycrofter]

Just be patient! She will come good in time. As in many many weeks, not days. Several months before she's 100%. Agree she needs VitE/selenium, 2ml one dose only.

I had one, they sorted over time but one front shoulder was stiff straight out. After a few months she was bucking around with the rest. Obviously couldn't go in the ring because her gait was weird, so straight to the abb when the time came.

 

[Kaisney]

The tip of the hoof needs to be hitting the floor for the leg to improve. I would (and have) ask the vet to cast the legs as straight as possible, with sedation if needed. And the calf has come good.

 

[Chasingmytail]

A couple of years ago we had 2 like this. We encased the legs in drain pipes and messed with them for weeks. However eventually the casing caused the knees to split and because of the way they ended up walking their ankle area became an open wound. We tried everything but had to put them down. Just couldnt put it right. Also tried endless vits etc but its something that I put down to iodine deficiency and hence nothing could sort out the calves legs as they developed that way. I had a random bloods done and a few cows were borderline. Now we bolus with vits, minerals and high iodine bolus to overcome this and nothing in the past 2 years. We did have one with stiff legs prev to using the bolus. We no longer take the risk as some cows will not show any def but it only takes one. Strangely enough years ago they had a lot of loose salt and seaweed which they loved and no issues.

 

[nails]

Yeah they are bent the normal way, it's just they are tucked under laying down. I don't think splinting would work yet due to how bent they are, I have been working them and gently trying to stretch the tendons, couple pics attached of her tonight . She it's going around the pen on her knees now

That is the best thing to do . Stretch those tendons as often as you can. Once they tighten up in the bent position , it will end up a more permanent disability.

 

[harperfarmer]

A couple of years ago we had 2 like this. We encased the legs in drain pipes and messed with them for weeks. However eventually the casing caused the knees to split and because of the way they ended up walking their ankle area became an open wound. We tried everything but had to put them down. Just couldnt put it right. Also tried endless vits etc but its something that I put down to iodine deficiency and hence nothing could sort out the calves legs as they developed that way. I had a random bloods done and a few cows were borderline. Now we bolus with vits, minerals and high iodine bolus to overcome this and nothing in the past 2 years. We did have one with stiff legs prev to using the bolus. We no longer take the risk as some cows will not show any def but it only takes one. Strangely enough years ago they had a lot of loose salt and seaweed which they loved and no issues.

This was exactly my experience with one really bad case. In our situation though it was one particular bull that was throwing calves prone to it.

 

[Cowpoke82]

Metacam an multivits always seems to work for me

 

[TelesnaAg]

They get this in the dairy job in oz a bit, as they say work the tendons, must have patience, they do seem to come good.

If you convince the animal its normal and make itvwant to live...not much they cant pull through.

Ant...

 

[ladycrofter]

How's it coming?

 

[jacobl741]

How's it coming?

Yes an update! Progress is slow, she's feeding and everything by herself but walking around on her front knees. 2 weeks on now giving physio 2-3 times a day her legs have gone from being solid 90 degrees to more like 35-40 degrees now, still too bent to stand or splint unfortunately. Had the vets out again yesterday, they reckon keep the physio up another week and if not a great deal more progress go for the tendon cut and cast, but this is obviously last resort! He did say it's the worse case he's seen. It's definitely patience testing but I'm hoping there will be light at the end of the tunnel! She's strong and doing well, she's sure putting up a fight when we give her physio now!

 

[TelesnaAg]

Yes an update! Progress is slow, she's feeding and everything by herself but walking around on her front knees. 2 weeks on now giving physio 2-3 times a day her legs have gone from being solid 90 degrees to more like 35-40 degrees now, still too bent to stand or splint unfortunately. Had the vets out again yesterday, they reckon keep the physio up another week and if not a great deal more progress go for the tendon cut and cast, but this is obviously last resort! He did say it's the worse case he's seen. It's definitely patience testing but I'm hoping there will be light at the end of the tunnel! She's strong and doing well, she's sure putting up a fight when we give her physio now!

Good work, if the calf thinks theyll make..they will make it...only humans and merinos are cry babies.

Ant...

 

[Cowpoke82]

I had one this spring walked for two months on its front knees , you should see it now unrecognisable

 

[Pistonbroke]

Having had one ourselves recently but always been able to walk on own
Vets chat was

Wouldn't cut tendons. Unless last resort.


Splint would be option needs changing regularly as it grows / alters.
Selenium and regular metacam

Also speak to vet about giving it a course of engermycin. The prolonged dose.

Apparently a side effect is loosens tendons.

Our old vet suggested the engemycin route but at a high overdose rate. Trouble is I can't remember how high . Calf came right but we'll never know if it would have done anyway.