# This is really weird!!



## huvalfarm (Jul 3, 2011)

This big beautiful cow just gave birth to twins : ) She is a great mother and the twins are doing great. We are just babysitting her and her calves for my FIL - he wants to keep close tabs on them and we have the ideal pasture. They have been here for about a week. 
When they got here, the momma had a big blubbery fold of skin (the dewlap?) She is huge and has been well fed, so I thought, no big deal. Well that thing has gotten huge and now looks like it is the size of a soccer ball!!! She doesn't seem bothered by it at all. 

What is it?? A tumor? abcess? Snake bite? 

Got any ideas about what should we do about it??

take a look at some pics


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## CJBegins (Nov 20, 2009)

Try your picture again. 
Sometime when their heart get weak the will swell up there if I recall correctly.


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## huvalfarm (Jul 3, 2011)

sorry about the pictures...

IMG_9812 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

IMG_9815 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


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## boiledfrog (Jun 2, 2011)

Breast implants?


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Brisket disease can occur in cattle kept at high altitudes but this seems too sudden for that. As large as that appears to be, I'd call a vet and ask if she needs to be seen.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

My guess would be that she has a absess caused by a splinter or something in the area. I would have a vet look at her and see if it can be drained. Not pretty if it ruptures on its own.


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

I was going to suggest the same as ksfarmer. A puncture wound that has closed over and pus is building inside.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I think it looks more like edema than an abscess...that'd be one honkin' huge abscess. There are several things that can cause brisket edema. I think I agree about calling a vet.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

I also think it`s edema from having the calves, keep and eye on it and see if it goes down in a few days. If it doesn`t, then call the vet for his opinion. > Thanks Marc


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## huvalfarm (Jul 3, 2011)

Well... not too worried about brisket disease because of high altitude -- we live in South Louisiana. I think our altitude is about 28 feet!!!

Breast implants!!! Ha Ha... I think that cows' breasts are more toward the other end!! 

I didn't realize that edema could build up in that area. Pregnancy and caring for twins could definitely have caused this.

A good friend thinks it is probably snake bite. There are alot of copper head snakes around. He says that cows will often get bit around the neck and face when they lean over to graze. He has years of experience and says not to worry, it should resolve itself. 

I will be keeping a close watch on this thing and will call a vet if it looks like its not going down in the next few days.

Thanks for all the input. I always find the answers I need somewhere on this forum.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Given that she's just had twins and is fat, I'd quess that it is edema that has crept up on her.
Another possibility is that she has injested a small hunk of metal. The most forward stomach is where it came to rest. The metal could have then punctured the stomach and is headed towards the heart. This will produce a large adema, too.
I have no experience with snake bites and high altitude brisket diseases.


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## huvalfarm (Jul 3, 2011)

The good news is that it hasn't gotten any bigger today : ) Still watching...


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## Kato2010 (Jun 24, 2012)

If a cow has a swollen brisket from congestive heart failure (caused by hardware disease), she will be swollen farther up the neck, even right up to under her chin. This doesn't look like that. It looks more like an abscess to me. It's very localized. I've seen some pretty big abscesses, and this wouldn't be the biggest one. A test for abscess is to find a soft spot and stick a 16 gauge needle into it and see if any pus comes out. If so, it needs to be lanced or else it will harden up and turn into a permanent, but harmless bump. It wouldn't be life threatening, but an abscess that turns into a permanent lump can downgrade the price of the cow when you go to sell her.

Or your neighbour could be right about the snake bite, but I can't comment on that because we don't have any snakes that bite here.


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## PaulNKS (Jan 11, 2009)

Also... usually an enlarged brisket is the sign of hardware ingested. However, there would be other symptoms. She may arch her back at times, you may hear a grunt from her when she walks, swelling on the upper left side, etc....


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