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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

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Downer Cow Syndrome

It is commonly fatal condition of dairy cows
closely associated with the unsuccessful
treatment of cases of Milk fever.
It is ch. By :
1- Longevity of recumbency even after repeated Ca
therapy.
2- Traumatic lesion of limbs, muscle ending in its
necrosis.
3- Myopathy & necrosis of skeletal and even
cardiac muscle.
4- Fatty infiltration of the liver.
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 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,

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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

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 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.
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 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.

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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.

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 Cows still conscious Downer cow

Acute Coliform Mastitis

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Ulceration and necrosis of muscle and joints

Downer cow- extended hind limbs (creepers)

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 Downer cow- lateral recumbency

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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.

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 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 of cows affected with nerve injury

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 •Hanging the downer cow

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