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Ataraszk

Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
19
Location
Willis, MI
Please Help!! I have a 5 week old buck fawn that I think has a spinal injury. This bf is not being bottle feed. Thursday I found him laying down when all the rest of my deer took off. I approached him he had trouble getting up, got up walked 5 feet and fell.He did not get back up. I inspected him the best I know how and couldnt see anything. I then propped him up and he walked about 15 feet and laid back down. I proceeded to give him a shot of Nuflor. No improvements. Sunday now he wont even stand up. Over all the deer looks completely heathy. He tries to stand up but cant get his legs from underneath him to stand up. Just tips over. I try to get him to stand up by propping him up and he curls his ankles so he wont stand. I imagine mommy is somehow feeding him because he looks heathy. Please any advice to save this deer would help. I am new to farming
 
Could potentially be white muscle or some type of nerve damage. With white muscle I begin seeing it in about 1-2 month old fawns, they lay there don't move and seem to lose their fear of you. I give thiamine and some type of antibiotic to prevent infection from abrasions caused from "flopping" around. If it is nerve damage B vitamins and thiamine will also help to potentially correct this as well. If he is eating that is a good sign. If it were to be a spinal injury you would not see a whole lot of movement. Ryan
 
Thanks. Where do I get thiamine? Is that a tractor supply item or my vet? Also should I pull this deer to bottle feed or let nature take its course?
 
I get thiamine through my vet. Depending on his temperament you can try a couple things, pull him and bottle feed generally if its white muscle they tend to lose fear of you and will take a bottle at any age (I've done 2 month old ones before). You could also leave him in the pen, supplement him with bottles if he will take it. If he has access to adult feed he will be ok!
 
1 big problem he has is he cant get up. He looks like he has been getting feed tho. Seems healthy and ears not drooping at all. Besides not being able to walk he seems perfect. I think I am going to order Thiamine from my vet and pull him to bottle feed. I believe that is his only chance. Poor thing!! Any thing else anyone would recommend?
 
That is your best option if he can not move. Good luck!
 
I use Vitamin B complex, which is a solution that your veterinarian can get you as well. Depending on strength we give between 2.5-5cc daily. What the body doesn't use, is urinated out. Feel free to give me a call if you would like 608-669-6185
 
If he has a spinal injury, as you suspect, swelling needs to be reduced. A few cc's of Dexamethazone should help him. We have seen near miracles from that treatment.
 
I have been having a few fawns getting white muscle disease and this is exactly how they act. You need to get the selenium-vitamin e goat and sheep gel made by durvet, it's the closest thing to the real thing.  Only give one does, selenium is easy to over dose and can be fatal. He probably will not come out of unless this is done if he's been down this long. Chances are he will need to be tubed to get some milk in him, most won't do anything but fight a bottle if they've been on the mother, few will take it but if you can keep him alive by tube feeding him and getting him up every few hours and he may come out of it.Get the lamb tube from a vet, it works great. Ive heard of a lot of other farmers dealing with the same thing this year, Good luck
 
Update. I pulled him last to start bottle feeding. We got extremly lucky. He almost ripped the bottle out of my hand. Red cap and some pediltye to make sure he has enough fluids. Seems really heathy. Has taking all fluids offered so far and actually was eating grass out of my hand. I am awaiting Thiamine via mail today and will start treating him. Thanks for everyones help.
 
First of all a Big Thank You to Ryan!!!! Has helped me than I would ever expect!! I am looking for final advice. Trying not to put this fawn down. Have been treating with Thiamine for 6 days with little improvement. Still eating great and acting awesome just wont walk. I am looking for any last advice before I put this fawn down. Please help!!!
 
I have a lamb that was found in the field that could not use has back legs.  We gave BO-SE and thiamine.  We did thiamine for 10 days after that and I was just about to put him down because there was no change but put it off for a few days more.  Well guess what we came into the barn and he was standing the other day.  He never seemed to be in pain is why we continued to treat him.  Guess the lesson here was never give up and hope for the best.
 
If he's eating good and looking healthy I'd keep doing what you are doing with the thiamine treatments. I've also had similar acting fawns in the past and treated this way, it takes some time but if he's eating he'll likey get better. Don't let him lay in one position for an extended period of time, might help to hold him up like he is standing every once in a while... Good luck...
 
Make him a sling to put under his belly or maybe a towel or something with 4 holes cut into it for his legs and tie ropes from the rafters to support him up. He will try and walk around a little and that will help keep his strength up! 
 
I agree with Mike, try working working with him in a cradle, or sling.
 

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