The beginning of May, Alicia’s cow began going lame. Kenton and I both felt bad about it because he had just taken care of the cow for a week while Alicia was in Huaral. I went over to look at the cow. It seemed to have a bruised hoof, but no visible injuries. I gave it some meds for pain and slow-release antibiotic to hopefully to avoid a hidden infection.
For about a week, it seemed like it was getting better, then it started getting worse again, little by little. After a while, it was getting to be so lame on that foot, it began to refuse to walk the several kilometers to Alicia’s pasture area. Finally, it decided to go down and not get up.
I went to check it again, and it seemed the same hoof that was tender before was incredibly sensitive now. I suspected some internal hoof problem. I’ve dealt with that sort of thing before in the States, but I do not have the tools to trim a hoof now. And I wasn’t sure how I’d tie her up to be able to easily handle the cow.
So I called the vet I’ve used over the years, and he said he had a hoof knife and some other tools and could meet us at Alicia’s to look at the cow. Sure enough, the hoof heel had separated from the corium/cushion, and a pocket of infection had built up. Cutting it open, we found a puncture wound that appeared like the cow had stepped on a nail or something. The hoof had closed up, but the internal wound could not heal, a common issue with cows.
A couple of weeks later after opening up the hoof and having medicated the cow, she is doing quite well now. I expect her to make a full recovery. Yay!
Juan David 