Ayurveda in the integrative management of bovine secondary recumbency-a case report

Downer cow syndrome, or secondary recumbency, is a condition primarily affecting dairy cows, where the animal is unable to rise and stand, due to unknown cause. It is usually associated with poor prognosis. Terminal downers are euthanized in most countries. A four-year old Kasarkode dwarf-cow, post-calving was brought up laterally recumbent with heavy nasal discharge, labored breathing, loss of appetite and signs of dehydration on 6th day of its recumbency. Before this, the patient was diagnosed with milk fever and standard treatment with calcium borogluconate was administered intravenously. The animal was left to succumb under unprotected conditions, due to various constraints on euthanasia. After adopting the cow, Nasya was started immediately to avoid death due to sepsis and shock. The animal was drenched with Ayurvedic fluids containing deepana-pacana herbs. Sternal recumbency, warm and moistened muzzle was observed on the fourth day of commencing ayurvedic treatment. Respiratory distress was minimal. Drastic prognostic shift from “no hope” to “good” was possible within 6 days thanks to Nasya, and the animal was stable. Thereafter, integrative care comprising of antibiotics, rehydrating IV fluids, and supplementations, along with ayurvedic medicines was initiated. Ruminal-fluid obtained from slaughterhouse was used for ruminal-flora replacement. Rumination on 14th day, cow on its feet by 19th day and complete healing of decubital ulcers by approximately 40 days was recorded. A downed cow which did not respond to standard veterinary care was managed with Ayurveda-integrated veterinary care. Ayurveda herbs like bamboo leaves (Bambusa vulgaris), green chiretta (Andrographis paniculata) that cattle prefer eating during certain illness, turn out to be useful for Ayurvedic management. Hence, Ayurveda veterinary medicine might be, a good choice for integrative management of terminal downers, preventing early death in downed dairy cows.