Caudoventral coxofemoral luxation in a mature Holstein dairy cow

Abstract

"Logic", a 3-1/2 year old lactating Holstein dairy cow, presented to the Cornell University Hospital for Animals in January 2008 with a history of being knocked down by another cow. Upon her arrival, she had already been recumbent for 4 days. There was marked swelling of the gluteal and caudal thigh muscles, crepitus on flexion and extension, and an abnormally abducted left hind limb. With this history and presentation, coxofemoral luxation should be high on a list of differential diagnoses. Caudoventral coxofemoral luxation was diagnosed based on a palpable head of the femur within the obturator foramen and confirmed by radiographs. Closed reduction was attempted and determined successful but reluxation was diagnosed several hours later. Due to the value of the animal, the owners elected to attempt open reduction, but pre-operative radiographs revealed a femoral neck fracture. She was euthanized due to the grave prognosis associated with femoral neck fractures in adult cattle. This case report was used as an example to review the diagnosis, incidence, treatments, prognosis and complications associated with coxofemoral luxations in cattle.