Best antibiotic for very sick calf?

[mcdowedd]

My father-in-law has a 2-week old, very sick calf. It's navel got infected about a week ago. The vet came and gave it Nuflor. The calf is getting worse...very weak. My father-in-law tubed it this morning because it had quit eating. Is there a better antibiotic that should be used instead of Nuflor? Any other suggestions about what to do for a bad infection?

 

[dun]

For navel ill the best I've heard of is long acting penicillian. Talk to your vet about a really long and heavy course of treatment. We had aone a few years ago that go basicly a double dose every other day for a month.

 

[rockridgecattle]

First has it gotten to the joints?

Second navel ill requires serious dedication of daily treatment to get it better. Start with 5-7 days and go from there. this also depends if it has gone into the joints. If it has might be looking at 14 days
Nuflor IM every other day (folllow direction)+ a daily dose of anafin (non steriodal anti infalmatory).
Next, scrub up, gloves and have a bottle of iodine on hand
this takes 2 people
Drop the calf on it's side, pick at the scab on the navel and squeeze out the puss. This is the best way to get rid of the infection.
MAKE sure your hands are clean and gloved up, clean the area on th navel and then iodine after the puss is out. Might have to do this daily so to get the infection out.
Good luck
RR

 

[mcdowedd]

Thanks for the replies...I have printed this, and we are going to get started trying the ideas here. I'll give you an update.

 

[simangus23]

Draxxin

 

[larryshoat]

For a calf that sick I would give dexamethasone for a couple of days, he needs some relief from the symptoms immediately . For a navel infection use 10 ml penicillin per day for 7 days . For the first 4 days give oral amoxicillin 10 ml morning and night in addition to the pen . At the end of 7 days re-evaluate .

Larry

 

[angie1]

Don't forget probio's ~ use the paste stuff. Calf will need it given the antibiotic use.

I lost the only calf I had get navel infection, so that's where my advice ends.

 

[mcdowedd]

We lost the calf yesterday...I really appreciate all of the advice we were given though.

 

[rockridgecattle]

sorry to hear you lost the calf

For the next case you will know what to do.

I forgot to mention this can be passed on from calf to calf. (Asked the vet after we had a bad bout of it) What happens is if a calf has it and lays in an area, and then gets up, another calf lays in the same spot with a young open navel and the bacteria will infect that calf. The cord acts like a sponge.
95% of navel ill is a management issue.
Clean bedding
adequate and timely colostrum
minimal stress
no crowding
We experience this with a calving area that was set up for 50 and then we increased to 100 but did not increase the area. Overcrowding was our downfall....vet came out right and stated that fact.

the other 5% comes from
a mal presentation...vet said they are higher risk
too long of a umbilical cord...acts like a sponge being dragged through the dirt
too short of an umbilical cord, exposure of the navel to all bacteria.

Iodining the navel in right after birth helps to pevent the problem

RR

 

[CattleHand]

On top of all of this tube feed it a raw egg

 

[3rdgeneration farmer]

Mycotel, draxxin. Mycotil is fatal to humans, be careful. If one of these dont work, you'll probably lose it. im sorry to hear about your troubles.

 

[mathersb&t]

Just came from the Vet. not more than a hour ago and he gave me baytril says it is the best thing for a naval infection also you have to watch if you have been giving all sorts of medicines to this calf. Because it has stripped all the good gut bugs as well as the bad ones. you need to try to restore some of the good bacteria it has lost. I currently have 3 calfs down not sure if it is naval infection or lack of selenium. Best thing to do as the vet has told me get its temp. that will tell alot.... You need to get the electrolyte mix and take it off of all milk products for two days but give it the electrolyte mix for twice daily for 2 days then the next half milk and mix for day 3 and 4. this has helped mine when they were weak... We have also found that the minerals we have been given our mothers was lacking selenium which we think is the start of our problems. I also just bought liquid selenium(bose) from the vet. Good Luck....