Tm Gus Heifer

[savaged]

I posted a picture of this little girl last Saturday after I snapped her leg in a breech delivery.

Thought I'd update - she is doing great, getting around and nursing well.  Just hope that leg is healing straight.


Thanks especially to Stumpy for the offer to help and for another TM Gus Straw.  I'll let you know how this turns out in about 10 days when we remove the splint.

 

[OH Breeder]

Have you had it Xrayed?

 

[stumpy]

Good luck with her! She looks to be doing well. On a selfish note , get her better, calves like that will do great things for the old bull!

 

[DL]

Have you had it Xrayed?

On the same note - for proper alignment, stability and healing the cast needs  go over one joint above and one joint below the break - if the break is between the fetlock and the hock you may be getting movement at the fracture line and not proper healing -

 

[CAB]

  Need to also keep in mind that cattle are not like PPL, they have all of that hair to deal with. You need to replace the cast regularly to get a look @ how things are going. I can't tell if you have a full cast or a split with tape, but either way you need to take it off in no more than 2 week intervals if not shorter intervals. I have had one very bad experience with a tight full cast in which when I took the cast off the bottom of the leg came off with it. I also have had great results with a full cast on a calf that was savaged by it's mother. Healed like new and I still have the cow here after 14 years. I like to use PVC pipe cut in half and taped REAL well. Not as air tight to let the hair/skin still breath. I think that the size of PVC pipe to buy is either 2in or 21/2in. Good Luck. The calf looks very nice. Brent

 

[savaged]

Have not had it x-rayed.  The vet did all the work, spoke like he had treated such breaks many times before.  I guess I trust his judgment.  She does have movement in the back leg "knee" joint.  The break is just above the hock, where your first loop of OB chain would typically be.  The wrap some medical tape, then a roll of gauze/foam, a rigid splint, then two rolls of elastic wrap, then duct tape (with additional paint stick supports in the front).  It appears to be very stable, and she drags it behind her versus picking it up and placing weight on it.

Vet says we take it off after two weeks time.

Sure hope it's good.

 

[DL]

I believe you have your joints confused - at least by the looks of the cast - the fracture is between the fetlock and the hock on the metatarsal bone - the hock is the joint above your cast - you would put your chains above the fetlock - for optimum alignment and healing for maximal function and potential show worthiness the cast should immobilize the joints above and below the fracture. A nice heifer with a poorly aligned leg is not a good advertisement for a bull. Your heifer - your call - good luck

 

[OH Breeder]

Have not had it x-rayed.  The vet did all the work, spoke like he had treated such breaks many times before.  I guess I trust his judgment.  She does have movement in the back leg "knee" joint.  The break is just above the hock, where your first loop of OB chain would typically be.  The wrap some medical tape, then a roll of gauze/foam, a rigid splint, then two rolls of elastic wrap, then duct tape (with additional paint stick supports in the front).  It appears to be very stable, and she drags it behind her versus picking it up and placing weight on it.

Vet says we take it off after two weeks time.

Sure hope it's good.

I really like my vet, but I have taken two animals to OSU because it was something I felt needed further evaluation. He has never had issue with that. He knows "us show" cattle people spend more than the average bear to keep something alive. I am not distrusting your vet at all, but for as cheap as it is, I would want to KNOW it was in alignment and make sure it was going to heal properly. I am an exER nurse and just always take extra precaution especially with something that can make or break your heifer.

 

[savaged]

It will be 7 days post fracture tomorrow morning.  Too late to change anything now?

 

[OH Breeder]

Not necessarily. I am sure at this point it has started to knit. DL may be able to tell you more on that end as she is a vet herself. In humans we would rebreak a bone and set it properly if it was out of alignment. I am not sure how they would handle a calf.

 

[Cattledog]

Sure hope your heifer heals well.  She has a nice look for a calf!

 

[DL]

It will be 7 days post fracture tomorrow morning.  Too late to change anything now?

It depends - I see several possibilities - the only way to know for sure is to x-ray the leg
1) if the fracture is not stable it will not heal (it is sort of like why they suture long cuts - get the surfaces together and not moving) - you would see that on x ray; because the hock does not appear to be immobilized from the picture this is a distinct possibility
2)there will be healing but the alignment will be off - again would see on x-ray
3) there will be healing but the alignment will be perfect - again will see on x-ray
4) there may or may not be healing but since the fracture is through the growth plate the bone will never heal perfectly - again will see on x-ray

I am making the assumption that the skin was intact when you broke the leg - if that is not the case all bets are off