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Calf with swollen back legs. Help?

alabama

Well-known member
I noticed a calf yesterday with both back legs swollen from the hock down. He did not seem to feel very well either.
This calf is six months old and received vaccinations 5 days ago. He was given Urtraboc 7, Cattlemaster 4-VL5, and One Shot along with a dose of Ivermicten. I should also mention that he got a dose of Ultraboc 7 at two months old when the pairs were moved to summer pasture.
The weather is very dry and almost no grass to graze. The calves are creep feeding and free choose good fresh hay. There is a noxious weed in the pasture, Horse nettle, also called nightshade.
If only one back leg was swollen I would think inquiry but with both back legs swollen the same I wonder if he did not have a reaction to the vaccination.
Does anyone have a guess as to what is going on?
 

EastTexasGal

Well-known member
Not sure about cattle, I do know that Nightshade was the culprit on my old stud horse, and that was in a drought situation. What the vet said with the drought that the toxins get even stronger with no water. He did swell in both hind legs and run a fever. He said that the toxins settle in the kidneys and that is what caused the swelling in both hind legs. Then he ran a fever...we did stall rest, he flushed him with fluids. And, he was on antibiotics for like 2 weeks. He hardly could walk even after the 2 weeks..but he did recover luckily. When I found him he was in the creek, standing. Weird how they have the instincts to do what was good for them.

Alabama, this has been a real weird year for stock....Good luck in figuring it all out. I am defenitely interested to know if it is the Night Shade are a reaction to the shots.

Easty
 

alabama

Well-known member
I talked with the vet and he does not suspect that it would be due to nightshade or a shot reaction. The vet does however suspect that he may have a parasite that is transmitted by what I call a yellow fly. It is a small yellow horse fly. They are also called deer flies. It causes swelling of the back legs as well as the scrotum. I think this guy may well get a ride to Auburn in the morning if he is not much better this afternoon.
 

MsSage

Well-known member
does it look like this?
swollenhocks.jpg
 

Brad S

Well-known member
bammy, I think I know your prob, but first give yourself an attaboy for noticing - llikes like we have a cattleman south of the M/D line.


A critter fighting bvd will swell in the dew claws and they'll point higher up than straight back. Now cattlemaster is a prtty wimpy vaccine, but I think you have a vaccine response. In feedyards, watchful cowboys will watch the dew claws to make pulls.

credit Dr Crane for this knowledge (ford kansas) he vets over a million head at any time.
 

alabama

Well-known member
The calf went to Auburn friday. They gave him LA-200 by IV and somthing to educe the swelling. He should be better by Monday.
Yes the swelling was noticed at the due claws but went well up into the hocks. The vet still said we are fighting a parasite but no blood work was done
 

alabama

Well-known member
Well the little guy is doing much better. Most of the swelling is gone and he seems to be feeling better and running with the other calves.
 
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