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Emergency! Vet Care

Torn teat

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T O P I C R E V I E W
farmlife	Posted - Aug 01 2018 : 4:15:41 PM It seems like there has been a lot of tragic things happening this summer on the cow front and I felt so grateful to be missing out on most of them. Then this happened.... Elli is due approximately 8/7/18. I have always joked that her udder needs its own zip code as she is getting ready to calve, but apparently it is so big that either she or some other cow stepped on her teat when she was getting up and tore the end off. Here is the other side for reference. When I first found it the teat canal was hanging down below the remaining intact teat, but she retracted it back up to an even position on her own. The vet said that basically we are preventing infection, keeping the flies off and letting it heal. The part that is hanging down towards the rear was not quite in the same position yesterday, so it will be interesting to see if she loses more tissue in the healing process. She has been leaking milk from that quadrant (obviously) and the vet may or may not have to amputate the teat entirely and dry up that quarter, but she/we will reevaluate in about a month. At this point the vet thinks that the calf may be able to latch on to it, but that milking may be too painful. She got a shot of Excede (antibiotic) yesterday behind her ear and we have another dose if necessary to give her in 5-7 days. There is a milk withdrawl with it, but apparently it is lessened if given in the fatty pad behind the ear as opposed to subcutaneously. It should be interesting. Other than that one little issue, she looks good, but I hope she can hold on to the calf a little longer to heal up first.
15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
NellieBelle	Posted - Aug 19 2018 : 12:06:00 PM Thank you Keeley, and bless Elli's heart. Amazing how animals bodies deal with such things. Dr. Sarah has been a big help to you as well. So much we don't know but this forum helps on educating each of us with the many different situations that arise and have to be dealt with. Oh, in a vet text I see where they call the stones, "floaters" as well. Who knew?
farmlife	Posted - Aug 19 2018 : 11:39:14 AM What I love about this chatroom is that we all learn from each other! I can only hope that Elli and I are saving someone out there a lot of worry. What my vet said about Elli's teat going forward is that she thought the calf would be able to nurse it but that it would be too painful for me to milk it. But, when I talked to Dr. Sarah she said that the calf would avoid it and Poppy has. Dr. Sarah also recommended that I not milk it so that Elli could work on drying it off naturally. She said it should continue to leak milk up to 9 months. Her thought on it is that the next time she calves that quarter will be completely dried off and the teat canal will have closed by then. Elli's injured teat has retracted and curled in on itself as it has started to heal. It is about half the length that it was when the injury first occurred. No calf will ever be able to nurse on it and there isn't enough of a stub to milk. That quarter is hard and directly around the teat is a little recessed. Ironically that quarter cleared out the colostrum the quickest after she calved. Here's a tidbit just because it's interesting. Elli has learned how to manage her front and back teats independently. When Poppy nurses Elli lets down milk for her two front teats and the injured one leaks. When I milk, the injured one no longer leaks and she lets the milk down for the back teats only. When Elli had Emmy Lou this was about the time I started bottle feeding because I didn't want Elli holding back milk for her own sake. With only three teats I feel okay about letting Poppy handle the remaining front teat for now with monitoring and I've been taking care of the other two. I have yet to decide if I am brave enough to breed Elli again. Time will tell.
CloversMum	Posted - Aug 18 2018 : 7:48:50 PM I still have to cringe each time I think of poor Elli. What an ordeal although Keeley you are doing an amazing job with her, treating, researching, and continuing to work with her. We all are learning through you.
NellieBelle	Posted - Aug 17 2018 : 02:59:18 AM Well, it's good information going forward as a person doesn't know what's coming one day to the next. I suppose it's just going with your gut and hopefully making the right decisions for your cow and yourself. Yes Elli's teat is looking better and will hopefully come through all of it soon, and I know my nerves would be frazzled by now with all that's going on but Keeley is doing so great. Keeley and Elli are teaching us much, for I didn't know anything about either of these problems. Definitely would like more info on the milk stones. Wondering if it's all nutritional, genetic or what causes such a thing to occur? I couldn't find much info on it.
maryjane	Posted - Aug 16 2018 : 8:43:51 PM The first time Daisy got a staph infection in one of her quarters, WSU said I should cull her because they're impossible to cure. When I said I wouldn't do that, WSU recommended "killing" that quarter using a chemical they inject that prevents it from making milk going forward. I actually made an appt. but then changed my mind. After looking online and finding a vet's blog who had cured staph with an antibiotic called Pirsue, I found a local vet who was willing to get some for me and wouldn't you know, it cured her. So I know there is something they can do that can keep a quarter from producing milk going forward. But I think it's an ordeal to do it and there can be complications. It would be nice if Elli's quarter could just dry off every time on its own. Would it do that once the colostrum comes in and the udder is so full and swollen? I'm curious too, Janet. Such a horrible injury. But it is looking better and then milk stones on top of all she's been through. Keeley, you get the award for tenacity.
NellieBelle	Posted - Aug 16 2018 : 11:20:25 AM Keeley, I"m curious about Elli's teat. If she goes through another pregnancy, will that quarter with the injured/healed teat seal closed or will the canal still be open, leak milk with shortened teat? Will the quarter still fill and dry off each time. Just wondered what the vets have said or suggested regarding that quarter and teat with future deliveries and milking.
maryjane	Posted - Aug 16 2018 : 10:23:56 AM Such great news Keeley. Poor Elli; what an ordeal for both of you. I hope everything gets routine for you real soon.
farmlife	Posted - Aug 15 2018 : 8:29:51 PM So here's a picture of Elli's teat after 2 weeks. Ironically because Elli's udder is so big she has been able to reach her teat. For a while there the end looked black and very dead looking, but Elli has used her tongue to take that tissue off. It is actually starting to curve around on the edges and heal over except for the long piece of tissue in the back.
NellieBelle	Posted - Aug 08 2018 : 03:12:36 AM That is encouraging news Keeley. It's amazing what the body, not only ours, but animals also, can heal if given the opportunity. I have found this to be the case in more situations as time passes. We are so use to living with quick fixes, and immediate results, that we don't allow our bodies to handle the issues on their own. Of course if things were nasty or infected it would become a different situation, but I'm truly amazed at what our bodies handle. So glad Elli is doing so well. Thanks for the update as I've been wondering how she was coming along.
farmlife	Posted - Aug 07 2018 : 5:38:48 PM So I decided to consult with Dr. Sarah of Dr. Sarah's Essentials on this issue. Long story short, she says the one shot of antibiotics should be sufficient. She says she probably wouldn't have even given Elli the initial shot. She says she sees an injury like this about once a month in her practice in Wisconsin. Because the teat is open it is possible to get bacteria into it, but since the teat still leaks milk it flushes the bacteria out again. She feels that as long as it is consistently covered in ointment to protect it from flies it will heal. I have been using her arnica ointment. She said the calf will likely avoid the teat with the injury and as long as I don't attempt to milk that quarter it will dry up over time. She said expect it to take a long time, but not to panic as Elli goes about her business. So I will stay the course. Quite frankly Elli has acted like nothing is amiss the whole time.
Boots&Flipflops	Posted - Aug 03 2018 : 6:44:31 PM Keeley, That looks just about as bad of a teat injury as I have seen. Even husband said "Ouch" Hope she comes through it okay. Praying for the best and no infection. Happy calving in the next few days.
txbikergirl	Posted - Aug 02 2018 : 6:13:40 PM boy, that is tough. poor girl. like mj it is making me cringe.... blessings from texas for the teat and the cow!
farmlife	Posted - Aug 02 2018 : 5:58:55 PM I keep shaking my head too. Not sure how it's going to go, but Elli and I will keep working on it. I can't believe how relaxed she has been about me handling it. I think I would be trying to stomp anyone who touched it into the dirt. The vet commented that she is a really nice cow. I said, "She has to be. You've seen that udder; it takes a lot of management!"
maryjane	Posted - Aug 02 2018 : 05:33:47 AM I cringe every time I even think of this. What a ghastly accident. Just horrific, Keeley. I sure do hope she heals as planned. Keep us in the know. I keep shaking my head in disbelief.
NellieBelle	Posted - Aug 01 2018 : 7:17:06 PM Oh Keeley, what an ordeal! I can't imagine. I just keep saying, "one just never knows." I certainly hope things go well for Elli. I've worried about Nellie having the same thing happen as her udder hangs so low to the ground. I'm hoping Elli heals up as best she can and things go well with her. Sorry such a thing happened.