We often get called out to attend a 'down cow', but there is a subtle difference between the presentation of the acute down cow and of the cow suffering from 'downer cow syndrome'.Any cow that has been unable to rise and been down for more than 24 hours falls under the clinical term 'Downer Cow', irrespective of the initial cause of her recumbency.

The primary reasons for her situation generally fall into one of three categories - T.M.T.

Toxic
Metabolic
Traumatic

These need to be addressed as a matter of urgency, but if not responding to treatment then the situation starts to become gloomier. Once down for over 24 hours they develop significant secondary health problems, specifically: 'a pressure induced ischemic muscular necrosis' - in other words muscular and nerve damage to the larger muscles of the back legs, leading to an ever-reducing ability to rise and recover successfully. 

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