Heifer walking funny

keepalive213

Lmx heifer, 26 months old, 4 months in calf.
I noticed her walk was a bit funny about a week ago when I was walking them between fields. I thought that it was just be a knock that might come right given time.
Today I noticed she is keeping her head down and to one side when walking. Her step seems a bit off too, more noticeable at the back.
Shes not inclined to walk much today, I had to walk her down to the feeding trough where as they would all usually run down, but she did eat as normal and has no other symptoms.

I'm not looking for veterinary advice as the vet is calling tomorrow.

Just curious in advance as to what it might be or if anyone has came across a similar problem.

The man in red and black

keepalive213 wrote: »

Lmx heifer, 26 months old, 4 months in calf.
I noticed her walk was a bit funny about a week ago when I was walking them between fields. I thought that it was just be a knock that might come right given time.
Today I noticed she is keeping her head down and to one side when walking. Her step seems a bit off too, more noticeable at the back.
Shes not inclined to walk much today, I had to walk her down to the feeding trough where as they would all usually run down, but she did eat as normal and has no other symptoms.

I'm not looking for veterinary advice as the vet is calling tomorrow.

Just curious in advance as to what it might be or if anyone has came across a similar problem.

Could be a range of things but summer mastitis would be high on my list even in a maiden heifer. Let us know how she gets on tomorrow

Never wrestle with pigs

Heavy incalf? I'd one last year with a trapped nerve. She was fairly struggling before calving. Was perfect after calving and grand since. Vet said that the calf must have been lying in her funny against the nerve.

keepalive213

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Heavy incalf?

Almost 4 months in calf, fairly stocky heifer.

Sacrolyte

If she’s walking like she’s drunk it could be meningitis or such affliction.

Lady Haywire

Sacrolyte wrote: »

If she’s walking like she’s drunk it could be meningitis or such affliction.

Aye but if it was first noticed about a week ago, she'd have popped her clogs by now, though there's also that deficiently with similar symptoms . Be interesting to see what the vet says tomorrow.

Wildsurfer

Blackleg perhaps?

whelan2

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Blackleg perhaps?

No she'd be dead at this stage. Wonder is there a stone in her hoof or something

Welding Rod

whelan2 wrote: »

No she'd be dead at this stage. Wonder is there a stone in her hoof or something

Hangover ????

keepalive213

Vet just gone, she didn't give a definite diagnosis.
Heifer is walking around with her head like she's eating under an electric fence.
She said meningitis is a possibility but there's a complete lack of any other symptom.
Said to watch her for a few days and watch her dung/urine.
I'm disgusted because this is the time of year I usually sell and now I can't.

Never wrestle with pigs

Did she get a shot of vit b for the brain? Could be a touch of listeria? Are they tight on grass? Any bare clay in the field?

keepalive213

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Did she get a shot of vit b for the brain? Could be a touch of listeria? Are they tight on grass? Any bare clay in the field?

She never gave her any injection. They have new grass every few days no shortage. The only bare clay in the field is a bank that they are always rooting at.
In fairness this particular heifer is a divil for rooting and licking stuff.

Never wrestle with pigs

keepalive213 wrote: »

She never gave her any injection. They have new grass every few days no shortage. The only bare clay in the field is a bank that they are always rooting at.
In fairness this particular heifer is a divil for rooting and licking stuff.

I'd be thinking of listeria then I think.

keepalive213

I'm gonna put heifer in the pen and get the vet back this evening, checked her this morning, standing with her head up as normal, eating and rechewing...
Still has the wonky walk though.

White Clover

Listeria or blackleg as others have said. Any visible swelling?

tanko

So she's holding her head up as normal, thats an improvement.
Often with things like this animals go downhill fast or improve slowly over time.
If that vet was no help yesterday they'll hardly be any use today.

charolais0153

Laminitis

keepalive213

The vet treated her for meningitis and injected one bottle of stuff into the muscle.
Just have to wait and see. When I was walking them down the road I noticed her front half is swaying left and right when she's walking.

whelan2

keepalive213 wrote: »

The vet treated her for meningitis and injected one bottle of stuff into the muscle.
Just have to wait and see. When I was walking them down the road I noticed her front half is swaying left and right when she's walking.

Did the vet look at her feet at all, if it was meningitis she wouldnt have lasted this long imo

keepalive213

whelan2 wrote: »

Did the vet look at her feet at all, if it was meningitis she wouldnt have lasted this long imo

Yeah she checked her out from head to tail in fairness.

greysides

I doubt it's meningitis but a brain abscess seems feasible.

keepalive213

I rang our old vet, a man long retired and he said he would call back and have a look at her.
Straight away he spotted a difference in her eyes, one side is slightly more open than the other, and the wonky walk also obviously.
He told me the animal has brain damage, probably from some kind of infection and is not going to improve.
An sean madra don bhothár chruaidh

Good loser

keepalive213 wrote: »

I rang our old vet, a man long retired and he said he would call back and have a look at her.
Straight away he spotted a difference in her eyes, one side is slightly more open than the other, and the wonky walk also obviously.
He told me the animal has brain damage, probably from some kind of infection and is not going to improve.
An sean madra don bhothár chruaidh

I had a bullock like that (I think) last year.


Vet came 2 days & gave heavy antibiotics. Left some for another 3 days.
Came good.

The man in red and black

keepalive213 wrote: »

I rang our old vet, a man long retired and he said he would call back and have a look at her.
Straight away he spotted a difference in her eyes, one side is slightly more open than the other, and the wonky walk also obviously.
He told me the animal has brain damage, probably from some kind of infection and is not going to improve.
An sean madra don bhothár chruaidh

Just to play devils advocate here(and I am not knocking the old vet at all, I'm sure he is a top vet too.)
It is possible that in the 5-6 days since the first vet examined it that the clinical signs changed or became more obvious. I am fully aware I haven't seen the animal on either day so I don't know if there was any difference but just something to keep in mind at times when two vets look at animals days apart. Could be that if the first vet had seen it the second day the eyes would have been spotted and possible that the second vet may not have found any obvious diagnosis the first day either.

Its like taking a car to a mechanic with a subtle problem they can't quite pinpoint. You drive the car another 5000km and then bring it to another mechanic because you are still not happy. Car now has another 5000km of damage and second mechanic finds issue in 2 minutes making 1st mechanic look like they missed something obvious.

Hope you can at least factory the cow!

Wildsurfer

The man in red and black wrote: »

keepalive213 wrote: »

I rang our old vet, a man long retired and he said he would call back and have a look at her.
Straight away he spotted a difference in her eyes, one side is slightly more open than the other, and the wonky walk also obviously.
He told me the animal has brain damage, probably from some kind of infection and is not going to improve.
An sean madra don bhothár chruaidh

Just to play devils advocate here(and I am not knocking the old vet at all, I'm sure he is a top vet too.)
It is possible that in the 5-6 days since the first vet examined it that the clinical signs changed or became more obvious. I am fully aware I haven't seen the animal on either day so I don't know if there was any difference but just something to keep in mind at times when two vets look at animals days apart. Could be that if the first vet had seen it the second day the eyes would have been spotted and possible that the second vet may not have found any obvious diagnosis the first day either.

Its like taking a car to a mechanic with a subtle problem they can't quite pinpoint. You drive the car another 5000km and then bring it to another mechanic because you are still not happy. Car now has another 5000km of damage and second mechanic finds issue in 2 minutes making 1st mechanic look like they missed something obvious.

Hope you can at least factory the cow!

I can't figure out whether you're a vet or a mechanic!

The man in red and black

Wildsurfer wrote: »

I can't figure out whether you're a vet or a mechanic!

Well I'll take that as a sign that I used a good analogy so Mixed practice vet!

Genghis Cant

Wildsurfer wrote: »

I can't figure out whether you're a vet or a mechanic!

Vet No. 1 I reckon :-)

keepalive213

The man in red and black wrote: »

Just to play devils advocate here(and I am not knocking the old vet at all, I'm sure he is a top vet too.)
It is possible that in the 5-6 days since the first vet examined it that the clinical signs changed or became more obvious. I am fully aware I haven't seen the animal on either day so I don't know if there was any difference but just something to keep in mind at times when two vets look at animals days apart. Could be that if the first vet had seen it the second day the eyes would have been spotted and possible that the second vet may not have found any obvious diagnosis the first day either.

Admittedly there would be a touch of nostalgia surfacing, in my ringing of the second vet, as he was my late father's vet for many years.
I can't and didn't knock the first vet, I have always found her very competent.
My sister lives in rural cavan and has someone working on a "cure" so all may not be lost. I do not believe in it myself but who knows.

The man in red and black

keepalive213 wrote: »

Admittedly there would be a touch of nostalgia surfacing, in my ringing of the second vet, as he was my late father's vet for many years.
I can't and didn't knock the first vet, I have always found her very competent.
My sister lives in rural cavan and has someone working on a "cure" so all may not be lost. I do not believe in it myself but who knows.

I don't believe in the cure for the bleeding myself but a couple of days ago after castrating 36 bullocks they asked me to cut the horns off of one animal. I did it and looked at my watch. 10 to 4 in the afternoon. Not a good time of day for dehorning. They said their family member had the cure for the bleeding and they were going to ring for it(Now there was no bleeding at this time anyway). At that time of the day I said "Absolutely ring for the cure, great idea lads" Every little helps :P Some of those cures are fascinating. I love hearing stories about them.

keepalive213

Op here with an update.
A while after my original post I bought an injection to make the animal abort, I think it was €6. Then I changed my mind and sold her the way she was at a discounted price.
A few weeks ago she had twins, one died while calving (supposedly coming backwards) , the other is grand.
Not bad after a brain trauma and heavy antibiotics.
She still has the wonky walk and literally no other symptoms.