Downer Cow Syndrome, Creeper Cows.
Downer Cow Syndrome, Creeper Cows.
Downer Cow Syndrome, Creeper Cows.
Metabolic Diseases:
Downer Cow Syndrome
“Creepers”
by
Dr. Ali H. Sadiek
Prof. of Internal Veterinary Medicine
and Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University
E-mail: Sadiek59@yahoo.com
1
Causes
I- Metabolic causes:
1. Complication of M. fever
2. Hypomagnesemia.
3. Ketosis.
4. Fatty liver
5. Imbalance on electrolytes e.g K after parturition.
6. Acute ruminal impaction
II- Muscloskeletal causes
1. Fracture
2. Dislocation of hip joint.
3. Nerve injury
4. Traumatic lesions of the thigh muscles,
Causes
III- Toxic causes
1. Severe mastitis.
2. Severe metritis
3. Chronic pneumonia
IV- Other causes of Downer cow syndrome:
1. Dystokia as a result of oversized fetus
2. Johne's disease,
3. Traumatic reticuoloperitonitis.
4. Long standing starvation and inannition
2
Pathogenesis
• Prolonged recumbency + Pressure of
swelled muscle + ischemia of Muscles
leed to ulceration, necrosis of major
muscles of limbs, pelvis and injury of
its nerve supply resulting in many
complications e.g:
1- Ulceration and necrosis of msucles.
2- Cardiomyopathy (due to repeated Ca
injection).
• Mastitis.
• Pneumonia.
prof. Ali sadiek 5
3
Clinical signs.
1. Prolonged recumbency, don’t raise within 24
hrs after two successive Ca injection.
2. Cows still conscious, eat little.
3. At first, normal temperature, increasing
pulse.
4. Attempt to raise, make it creepy cows.
5. Extended hind limbs to right and left.
6. May fade to lateral recumbency.
7. In severe cases cows loose their appetite
completely.
Prognosis
• 50 % of cases may respond to
therapy.
• Others came to complications of:
1. Mastitis,
2. Ulceration and necrosis of muscle
and joints.
3. Drenching pneumonia,
4. Death.
4
Cows still conscious Downer cow
5
Downer cow- lateral recumbency
Laboratory findings
1. Levels of blood Ca, P, Mg, glucose,
blood picture may be normal or
decreased
2. Albuminuria as a result of muscle
necrosis.
3. Increased muscle enzymes (AST, CPK)
4. Ketonuria.
5. Increased Urea, creatinine that referes to
poor prognosis.
6
Treatment
I- Medicinal:
• 500 ml Ca - IV twice daily.
• NSAID Acetyl-salycilate, phenyle-butazone
• Cortizone
II- Supportive
• Injection of Vit. E, Se.
• Injection of electrolytes (K, Ca, Mg, P).
III- Hygienic Nursing
• Nursing of downer cows e.g turning over,
change beds (sandy or straw beds) and hanging
the downer cow
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•Hanging the downer cow