Calf with a cut hoof wall

[angusorphans]

The calf was born last night. No one noticed a split hoof wall when it was moved to a calf pen at noon. (Mom was sick... to sick to even stand for nursing). I went out for feeding a overall check on all the calves and I saw it.... His front hoof is cut and he is limping badly. It is one of those cuts that reminds me of a veggie pealer cutting off the top layer from back to front (but it stops and the cut wall is just hanging there). It encompasses the outside of one of the two claws on his foot. The inside and bottom of his hoof is still slightly soft. I flushed it with hydrogron proxide and iodine, But hated to do much else and cause more harm then good. No idea what really cut his foot. I found some lose wire in the group pen he is in, but he was no where near it when I went out to check, and it doesnt look sharp at all, more like a entanglement problem. (of course I removed it.)

Do I wrap it? Should I just take it to a vet and have him treat it (aka, this is serious and needs professional help to heal correctly if at all)?

UGGGh, I feel so BAD that I didnt do an immediate health check when I heard the calf was born expecially to a sick mom and instead enjoyed my day off and waited 5 hours

 

[redtailgal]

no reason to feel bad, stuff happens.

Keep it clean, I'd be hesitant to wrap it. I would try to soak it in some epsom salt and betadine. You'll need to watch carefully for infection, treat with Pen G. Try not to use peroxide on it. The same action that kills germs in hydrogen peroxide also can inhibit the growth and development of new tissue....esp hoof tissue.

Can you provide a pic?

 

[angusorphans]

I got some photos... the outside is hard, the inside of the cut is softer, like the bottom calf's foot, where it is still mushy .

The calf isnt doing well. He seems lethargic and almost reminding me of a dummy calf in his spaceyness. He does however drink 1 and 1/2 pints of colosturm or replacer at every single feeding still. He ends up completely exausted by the end though. I hit him with pencillin G.


Even though it isnt related, I had to share some cute pictures from today too. Some little happy moments today.

The troublemakers, Right after giving me a heart attack and sneaking out of a loose gate and heading inside the crowding tub with the big cows

Two babies decieded that the running and air conditioned car seemed like a nice place to rest while I fed the others. (These are the new babies of today and they were free to run around until I had their pens set up and everyone fed.)

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Cute pictures!

To me it looks like the hoof wall is nearly completely eroded (if that's the right term) away exposing the laminae or maybe the frog of the hoof, which would probably be the softer, squishier or palatable part of the hoof that's injured. I also wonder of some of the hoof wall is already dead too? Just putting some thoughts out there...

 

[angusorphans]

I imagine a large partion of the hoofwall is dead. It seems to have been cut off right up along the hairline even.

I feel so bad for the little bugger. Even considering putting him down. I dont see a healthy calfhood, and possibly reprocussions into adulthood. He is bottlefed, so he will never be a breeding bull, and life as a feeder steer isnt always pretty if he is lame for life

 

[WildRoseBeef]

It's like he'd have to have that half of the hoof amputated, and like you say that may not even improve his condition, but probably make it worse. I've heard of it being done, and said the animal got on fine with only half a hoof, but I wouldn't know how it would really help this calf, if at all.

Poor guy.

 

[goodhors]

You might want to call a Farrier who does horses, to ask about some of the hoof products
for split hooves or surgically repairing the wall. Some interesting products that could make a
false wall until he grew his own back in. Not sure what the cost would be, so you will
want to ask. Cost of fixing the hoof could be offset by his sale price as a grown steer.

Just an idea. Farriers are often called on to "fix" hooves for all kinds of reasons. Many
new resin products that work fast, stay hard, to allow animal to regrow their hoof.

Not sure if those slip-on claw covers would work for this kind of problem, but would allow
him to get the hoof soaked to keep contamination down. Maybe clean the hoof, glue on
the claw cover for a few weeks, then redo the hoof as his hoof grows larger. Glue-on
horseshoes are much improved from their start, useful in many activities with the horse.

Seems like a real waste to put him down now, when some "out of the box thinking" might
get and keep him sound to reach market size. Not a total loss of income to the farm.

 

[angusorphans]

sad to say, the little guy slipped into a coma this afternoon. After much rousing and a tube feeding, he perked up slightly and is slightly consciense now. I plan to go out and check on him and roll him every 2 hours tonight, but I dont have alot of hope for him. I made my mind up to give him 24 hours because I had a vet get me a stronger antibotic shot today, and it might be able to bring him round, If we can just make it though the night.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Aww that's not good. Hopefully he'll come back again...sometimes they do, but then they relapse and up and die on ya.