Livestock · Cattle
Ten signs a cow needs a vet today
Dr. Colleta Chepkosgei, BVM
· 4 min read
Cows are good at hiding illness. Knowing the signs that mean you shouldn’t wait and see can save a cow — and protect the rest of your herd.
Call the vet today if you see
- Not eating or chewing the cud for more than a day.
- A swollen left side and signs of distress (bloat).
- Straining to calve for more than an hour without progress.
- Down and unable to get up.
- A hot, hard or swollen udder, or clots or blood in the milk.
- A sudden drop in milk yield.
- Dullness, shivering or fast breathing with a high fever.
- Severe diarrhoea, especially with blood.
- Lameness that stops her walking or grazing.
- Staggering, blindness or unusual behaviour.
While you wait
- Keep the cow in shade with clean water
- Separate her from the herd if you safely can
- Note when the signs started and what she has eaten
- Don’t give medicines unless advised
Prevention costs less than treatment
Many of these problems — mastitis, bloat and tick-borne disease among them — are easier to prevent than to treat. Regular herd health visits catch problems early, before they spread or cost you a cow.
