new Here and need some help with a stumbling baby

[Roy and Vicky]

Hi all.

We just got a week old black Angus. He had a rough start getting into this world.. His mother suffered a prolapsed uterus and he spent too much time in the birthing canal so he's not quite the brightest bulb in the box. The folks we got him from felt he was limping on his front left leg because of some how maybe the way he was stuck in the birth canal. Is there anything we can do for this poor guy. He stumbles when he steps on that foot. The foot and ankle are not swollen, nor is the upper joint of the leg. Any suggestions?

We decided to have some fun with our first "Son" and since he had such a hard entrance into this world and seems a little dumber than a rock we have named him "Well Duh Mass" He's getting better, the first day here he had to be prompted to get up all the time, last night he didn't want to eat but half his bottle, and he had some loose dark stool. Today is like a new little guy out there, He got up when I went out with very little prompting, he ate all his bottle this morning, his stool is pudding consistency now, he walked outside though he's still stumbling a little on the front leg, he even 'Moo'd" which made me feel a lot better, and he's pushing against me and trying to play but the leg is slowing him down, he was trying to jump around like a "normal" baby calf would, but the leg stopped him.

Any and all suggestions or insight would be greatly appreciated since we are first time parents.

Vicky

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

. I can not help you, but there will be someone along soon who can.

 

[Chirpy]

I'm no help for you either but I also wanted to welcome you to BYH!

Oh, as soon as you can... you need to post pictures of the little dude.

 

[Roy and Vicky]

 

[WildRoseBeef]

You should get the leg checked out by a large animal vet. Does he hold it up when he's standing at all? Does he respond when you touch the foot or leg or move or anything? It's possible it's an injury from having one leg jammed back further in the pelvic cavity than the other, and caused injury when the heifer tried to push him out. It sounds like he was in that position for quite some time, hence the injury. So it's probably that he got a tendon pulled or something. It'll heal up, but nonetheless I'd take him to the vet to get the injury checked out and get a more professional opinion on it.

BTW

 

[redtailgal]

Difficult births often show leg injuries in the calves. It not being swollen is a good sign.

If you are very worried, or if he is acting at all painful, or lethargic then by all means, consult a vet.

If he were mine, I'd give him a day or two to work the kinks out. I'd encourage him to walk, and I'd have him out in the sunshine, if you have sunshine right now. I've always found that a light leg massage helps them, as well. Usually within a week or two, they have it worked out and are bouncing around.

He is a handsome little guy, dont worry too much about him not taking all of his bottle right now. When you are bottle raising, it's better to ease up on the amounts rather than throw a bunch of replacer at them all at once.

Dark loose stool is fine and normal, it may turn yellow and soft, but should not be runny or watery.

Check out this pages:

http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2952-bottle-calves

http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2952-calves-scours

Good luck with him! Bottle babies are lots of fun as you will soon learn, I hope! Please, keep us all posted about how he progresses.

 

[Royd Wood]

Deff give it a few days as I'm sure he will work it off. Let us know what happens
Nice pics and I always have to laugh at oversized ear tags

 

[Roy and Vicky]

Thank you for the responses. We're thinking of calling the vet because we've had him for four days now and still no improvement on his leg and walking. He may just be "Duh" because of his birth circumstances and that is adding to the leg issue, but we'd hate to have a steer that can't get around or is in pain. He was trying to bounce around like a calf normally would yesterday but when it came down on that leg it showed pain so gonna give the vet a call today.

I love his poor little ear tag, he winces when I touch that side but loves to have his neck and behind is ears rubbed.

Thank you for the links redtailgal they were a lot of help. I'll be reading them more too]
Vicky

 

[redtailgal]

Yeah, if he is showing pain I'd definately call a vet. I'd be worried about a break. Hopefully, its a torn muscle or pinched nerve.

Cute little bugger, hate to hear that he is in pain.....let us know what the vet says ok?

 

[Roy and Vicky]

I'm waiting for Roy to get home any minute now so he can help me get him to the vet. The ones we got him from are thinking he might have a mild case of the scours. His feces is medium brown and pudding consistency. The day after we brought him home it was watery and we put it down to stress of moving and changing from a serogate mom to a replacer, but his over all health is not good, so we're crossing our fingers he'll be okay and we won't lose our investment or this cute little "Well Duh Mass"