Dislocated Hips – It’s that season

With a lot of bulling activity and wet slippery ground at the moment, we can expect to see a number of cows dislocating hips.

A cow that dislocates a hip will immediately become unsound and reluctant to move. The hip joint is referred to as a ball and socket joint. When dislocation occurs, in about 80% of cases, the ball dislocates dorsally - often the affected leg looks slightly out turned and you may see the top of the femur rise and fall as she walks. The pelvis will tilt downward toward the affected side. These have a good prognosis with veterinary reduction when treatment is sought in the first 24hrs.

Ventral dislocations (20% of cases) are a little harder to correct. The leg is usually held forward with the stifle in a locked position.