Ingrown Horns

Frey

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My mini zebu cow is about six year old now and her horns, which had always had a downward angle, took a sudden inward turn. Before the turn, Rose's horns would have grown past her face but are now angling for her eyes. She's heavily pregnant, with her due date somewhere in the next week at most, and our vet says he can trim them a month after birth. He said that when she was six months in. The problem is that they're growing quickly and are very close to her eyes. Is there anything I can do now that won't jeopardize her pregnancy?

Note: We live in central Florida, so fly season is all year.
 

greybeard

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Ask your vet to just tip the horns if there is a real possibility they will get in here eye(s) in the next week or so.
By 'tip' i mean just cut the very ends off. The ends are all keratin and nerves don't run all the way to the end and in most cases neither do blood vessels.

Can you get a picture of her face?
 

Latestarter

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Greetings and welcome to BYH @Frey Sorry to hear about your cow's horn issue. Hope you can get it taken care of and move on. Pictures are always appreciated. browse around, jump in when you feel the call, and make yourself at home.
 

farmerjan

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If she is that close to calving, it is unlikely they will grow so fast to get into her eyes, before she calves. As @greybeard said, see if the vet can tip them, but if possible wait until she calves. As soon as she calves, and cleans, and the calf is a few days old having had colostrum etc., and eating/nursing well, then cutting the horns is okay. Make sure they do a nerve block so that she has as little discomfort as possible.
It is unlikely that they will grow a couple of inches in a week or so before calving unless they were already too close. Still, there is nothing that I am aware of that will "slow the growth" of the horns.
 
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