3 Day Old Cow Wont Eat

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I had a heifer that was scratched or poked in the eye and it watered like crazy for a few days. She's a cute little bugger. Are you working her towards putting her in with your herd?
 
Had to get Mira shots today.

Took the picture of Mira's eyes to the vet. Update on that; white snot-like gunk was coming out of the tearduct and the eyes are redder than before. And I can tell she's having a hard time seeing.

So the gave me a shot of draxxin that's the equivalence of giving her a shot for 14 Days. So it was a lot. I was supposed to give it to her in the neck under the skin but she's much bigger and harder to control nowadays. So I had to do the rear shot like I did with the thiamine back then... I just hope it'll work for her.
 
You have to be real careful switching from recommended sub-Q shot (under the skin) to intramuscular (in the butt). May not work as well - or could have reactions?? I am not sure what it might do. Just keep that in mind for the future. Under the skin makes the drug work much slower - longer lasting. In the muscle can cause tissue damage (not usually enough to notice unless it is a ready to butcher steer), and it absorbs into the system much faster.
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":8infps25 said:
You have to be real careful switching from recommended sub-Q shot (under the skin) to intramuscular (in the butt). May not work as well - or could have reactions?? I am not sure what it might do. Just keep that in mind for the future. Under the skin makes the drug work much slower - longer lasting. In the muscle can cause tissue damage (not usually enough to notice unless it is a ready to butcher steer), and it absorbs into the system much faster.
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Well... Dang...

Nothing I can do now. I couldn't get it on her neck. I tried like ten times. She'd buck me hard and no one would help me so it's all I could do to get anything in her at all... I feel bad now... But she seriously wouldn't let me get her neck :(

I'll keep a look at her though. All I can do now
 
Her ear has a gash on the tip. My finger caught on a hard crusty piece and I pulled my hand back and ripped it off by accident and now the tip of her ear looks like it's bleeding. And she can't eat. She's struggling with the bottle and don't move if she can help it...

Poor baby. I feel awful. I was just trying to make her eye better...
 
M-5":13r4c11e said:
Ear will be fine . Don't beat yourself up.
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The ear I'm not as upset at as I am the fact she can't eat right now... I don't understand what's going on with her and it's upsetting...
 
So here's an update.

It's midnight and I just got back from the movies.

Here's a rough picture of Mira's Ear. I don't know if you can see it, but the whole corner tip is skin missing and ripped off. It's still slightly bloody.



I was able to get Mira to eat 2 1/2 Pints (quarts) of formula. But it was a very slow process. Honestly I was reminded of when I was first helping her feed from a bottle. I even tried the turkey baster technique but she wouldn't take anymore. So all together - including what I was able to give her around her normal feeding time - she has 3 1/2 Pints. Which isn't bad but again she could hardly eat any of it for long.

She's having a little hard time walking. She's sluggish but not swaying so much as trying to walk too fast makes her stumble so she moves pretty slow. And she's extra affectionate and tired.

I feel giving her the draxxin in her leg has done this and I'm worried I just made her sick or something... One of the three vets that all know me and Mira said to give it 24 Hrs. If her appetite and movement haven't come back properly by tomorrow around the time I gave her the shot, then I should be prepared to call them on Monday unless she shows improvement before then. So I'm not gonna freak out or get mad/upset yet. It's not in my control right now.

I just wanted to share how stuff is right now for y'all since talking with you all makes me feel better and you all put up with me this long so... Thanks.
 
The ear is nothing to be concerned with. She may have had a little frost bite and it is now sloughing off. NBD.
Hope she eats better today. Keep in mind, she may need the Thiamine again??? (stumbling)
Have you gotten a thermometer yet? take her temp. High temp will make them not want to eat and can be weak (stumbling). Just buy a cheap human one if you need to. Or go to the house & use yours.
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":3gx6ukqi said:
The ear is nothing to be concerned with. She may have had a little frost bite and it is now sloughing off. NBD.
Hope she eats better today. Keep in mind, she may need the Thiamine again??? (stumbling)
Have you gotten a thermometer yet? take her temp. High temp will make them not want to eat and can be weak (stumbling). Just buy a cheap human one if you need to. Or go to the house & use yours.
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I had a thought about frostbite being the culprit after I read up some stuff online. Poor cow. Still looked painful.

I fed her 1 3/4th quarts of formula this morning ( 3 1/2 Pints) and she was walking better and more alert. But she's still struggling with sucking for long periods on the bottle. She was able to get half a pint down before she had to spit the nipple out of her mouth. By the end of the bottle at the 1 3/4th mark, she wasn't interested in trying to drink anymore. But her appetite is trying to return.

I have a thermometer but there is no way whatsoever I can use it on her anymore unless someone holds her for me. She's too big now for me to man handle on my own and not hurt her or me. And we don't have anything to secure her to a spot for me to check now. At this point it's hope and pray and watch her for the next few days.
 
Get a halter or make one. Just have a slip loop, put over her head & slide the rope thru the loop, making another loop over her nose. Tie her to a car or the fence where the other cattle are. You have got to be able to "man-handle her" when you need to. Get the halter on her, then let her drag it & follow you to something to tie to.
 
Now I'm getting upset.

I took Mira's temperature twice. She didn't have one. But she can't eat. At least not her milk. I gave her water and starter feed. She has that and she was eating grass today. But it's like she can't suck on the bottle. I don't know... It's so weird and upsetting...



This is her eyes right now. They look so terrible. And I don't think the Draxxin is doing anything but making her sick or off kilter... Guess I'm calling the vet Monday...
 
If any of you all have a vet that you can ask what could happen to a calf that's been administrated Draxxin in the rear instead of the neck, you'd be my hero because my vets are making no sense to me when I ask. I'm getting frustrated with them so any help would be appreciated immensely...
 
Liz draxxin can have some side effects. Head shaking , salivating, breathing problems , most likely because of the IM injection. I realize you overly concerned but try to just let it run it's course. Things should be better tomorrow try not to stress.
 
M-5":3b6fe8p0 said:
Liz draxxin can have some side effects. Head shaking , salivating, breathing problems , most likely because of the IM injection. I realize you overly concerned but try to just let it run it's course. Things should be better tomorrow try not to stress.
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I'm trying not to freak out as hard as I normally would. Mira survived almost dying twice and a seizure... I know she's tougher than she looks. I just feel bad that I might have made her hurt. But like you said, try to let it run it's course... I just worry mostly that she won't / can't swem to drink her milk and her eyes look terrible... But I'm gonna try to stay calm... Thanks lol. I'm easily jumpy if you have t noticed.
 
Got Mira to drink 2 Pints (a quart) at midnight then got 3 Pints (a quart and a half) in her this morning at seven. This morning she was mildly playful.

Checked on her in the late afternoon and she was a little lethargic. Walking fine. Her eyes still look rough but she seems to be able to see me and follow me around if I move somewhere.

As long as I can get food in her and she's up and moving without bumbling about, I feel like she's gonna be okay.

We've decided to move her from the barn. We think something in the barn is triggering her getting constant pink eye. We're not sure what and I'm on the investigation to clean it up. But right now it needs a full sweep and it's best to keep her out of there.
 
Just plain old hay can trigger eye irritations. You can't bullet proof everything. Do you have hay on ground in pen or up in a feeder? Up is nice because it doesn't get used as bedding, but if you are having sensitive eyes, down would be better.
 

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