Post by Shelley (whistlingtrain) on Apr 11, 2010 21:16:29 GMT -5
I've been introducing the cows to grass again, which has been great for everyone. Tonight when I brought the girls in and to milk, I noticed that Beauty wasn't quite as excited to go home as usual, and when I got her back inside, she was quivering all over. (Remember, Beauty's a Dexter and they're not supposed to have these issues.)
When she had milk fever the first time, that was the first thing I noticed--but didn't do anything. It wasn't until several hours later when she was staggering that I gave her a tube of paste and called the vet. He ended up coming at 11:00 pm and IVing her.
So, what should I do? Luckily I had a tube of cal-mag gel in my pantry, and last year I had sprung for the caulking gun. It's so much easier with the gun, by the way. I called into the vet, but didn't find out until after I gave the long version of the story to his wife that he was at a calving. I thought, "oh well, I'll have to guess." But he called me back right away and said that would be the thing to do. Give her the whole tube and that would at least get her through the night.
So that's what we did. I think she got at least 2/3 of it in. It took me a couple of squeezes to figure out that I was giving her way to much at one time, so she was spitting a lot out and gagging. But, she's small, so 2/3 should be fine anyway. Hopefully that will take care of it. I didn't milk, but tried to empty her broken quarter which was oozing mastitis yuck. She didn't have that last night when I milked. So, tomorrow I'll get some Today to fix that up.
The grass and suddenly sunshiney spring weather must be too much for my old lady.
FYI, I hesitated to use the straight calcium gel that I also have because I thought it might be grass tetany, which is a magnesium issue. This is mostly the reason I called the vet. He said that generally, usually magnesium problems happen in the morning, because grass has less magnesium in the morning when it's dewy? I didn't really understand, but he said it probably was milk fever, and to call in the morning if she wasn't doing well.
We are so lucky to have one dairy vet in our whole county who will actually answer the phone on Sunday night.
Fingers crossed....
When she had milk fever the first time, that was the first thing I noticed--but didn't do anything. It wasn't until several hours later when she was staggering that I gave her a tube of paste and called the vet. He ended up coming at 11:00 pm and IVing her.
So, what should I do? Luckily I had a tube of cal-mag gel in my pantry, and last year I had sprung for the caulking gun. It's so much easier with the gun, by the way. I called into the vet, but didn't find out until after I gave the long version of the story to his wife that he was at a calving. I thought, "oh well, I'll have to guess." But he called me back right away and said that would be the thing to do. Give her the whole tube and that would at least get her through the night.
So that's what we did. I think she got at least 2/3 of it in. It took me a couple of squeezes to figure out that I was giving her way to much at one time, so she was spitting a lot out and gagging. But, she's small, so 2/3 should be fine anyway. Hopefully that will take care of it. I didn't milk, but tried to empty her broken quarter which was oozing mastitis yuck. She didn't have that last night when I milked. So, tomorrow I'll get some Today to fix that up.
The grass and suddenly sunshiney spring weather must be too much for my old lady.
FYI, I hesitated to use the straight calcium gel that I also have because I thought it might be grass tetany, which is a magnesium issue. This is mostly the reason I called the vet. He said that generally, usually magnesium problems happen in the morning, because grass has less magnesium in the morning when it's dewy? I didn't really understand, but he said it probably was milk fever, and to call in the morning if she wasn't doing well.
We are so lucky to have one dairy vet in our whole county who will actually answer the phone on Sunday night.
Fingers crossed....