calf having a hard time walking

[rex]

I had a calf born late friday evening to a heifer. She delivered fine with no help. The calf tried to get up a few times but seemed to have trouble standing. Saturday morning it was cold, windy and snowing. I went out to check on the calf and had trouble finding her. She was laying in the creek up to her neck in the water and shivering. I got her out and wrapped her up and took her to the house to warm her up. I noticed her eyes were bloodshot. What causes this? SHe also could not stand but after I warmed her up and gave her electrolytes and later some milk she had a lot more strength. She has trouble but manages to get herself up and can stand but has a hard time staying up. Her right hind leg bends like it is still soft and her knee bends backwards. She is uncoordinated like a newborn otherwise she acts fine. Anybody know whats up with this? Also her and the cow seemed to have bonded. How long before the cow wont take her back? She cant make it in the pasture on her own yet. Thanks

 

[Sir Loin]

Rex,
Re:

She was laying in the creek up to her neck in the water and shivering

To me that's the first sign of fever. She went into the water to cool off and probably has pneumonia from lying on the cold wet ground.

If she's been in a warm place for over 2 hours check her temp.
Check her nose for any discharge.
Check her breathing. Is it continuous or does she stop and start a lot.
Put your ear to the side of her chest and listen for a rasping and/or gurgling sound when she is breathing.

All of the above are signs of pneumonia.

Rex,
Re:

and gave her electrolytes

Just out of curiosity, what did you use?
I use "Imu-Tek Kick Start ".
"Sick pen - 1 dose daily for 3 days after antibiotic therapy."
http://www.cattlestore.com/pc-812-54-im ... start.aspx

Re:

How long before the cow wont take her back?

That all depends on the cow. I've seen them take them back after a week and others won't take them back after a day.
You might want to take the little girl out to visit with her mommy for an hour or so at least once a day. Sometimes that helps.

SL

 

[mdmdogs3]

She was laying in the creek up to her neck in the water and shivering

To me that's the first sign of fever. She went into the water to cool off and probably has pneumonia from lying on the cold wet ground.[/quote]

question
would a newborn be smart enough to get into water to cool off?

 

[Beefy]

get enough milk in her to make her strong enough to live and put back with mom as soon as you can. would be real nice if you can pen the mom up so calf doesnt HAVE to walk as far just to keep up. encourage her to walk when you can. she will be fine once she gets her legs under her. ive seen them with backwards knees like that- takes a few days but they get stronger and are fine, the hardest thing is keeping up with the cow. she may be a little postlegged when she grows up though.

 

[Beefy]

She was laying in the creek up to her neck in the water and shivering

To me that's the first sign of fever. She went into the water to cool off and probably has pneumonia from lying on the cold wet ground.

question
would a newborn be smart enough to get into water to cool off?

answer: no.

 

[Nowland Farms]

The calf was in the creek because it fell in there and could not get out.

Heck, I don't even think cows have enough sense to know they have a fever, much less think "I believe I have a a fever. I wonder how I can cool off? Oh yeah, I can go lie down in the water. That'll cool me off !!!" Shezzzzz :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

 

[msscamp]

She was laying in the creek up to her neck in the water and shivering

To me that's the first sign of fever. She went into the water to cool off and probably has pneumonia from lying on the cold wet ground.

question
would a newborn be smart enough to get into water to cool off?[/quote]

No. It was in the creek because it probably tried to get up, wobbled around, and fell in.

 

[Sir Loin]

would a newborn be smart enough to get into water to cool off?
answer: no.

Correct, they are not "smart enough", but they are born with certain instincts. Another instinct is to looking for a teat and/or sucking.

"Instinct".
1 : a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity
2 a : a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason
b : behavior that is mediated by reactions below the conscious level

Around ponds and streams is where I almost always find sick calves. Seldom do I ever find them in an open field.

Re:

The calf was in the creek because it fell in there and could get out.

That's possible, but being found in the creek is still an indication to suspect that she may have pneumonia, just from falling in the creek.

SL

 

[Beefy]

would a newborn be smart enough to get into water to cool off?
answer: no.

Correct, they are not "smart enough", but they are born with certain instincts. Another instinct is to looking for a teat and/or sucking.

"Instinct".
1 : a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity
2 a : a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason
b : behavior that is mediated by reactions below the conscious level

Around ponds and streams is where I almost always find sick calves. Seldom do I ever find them in an open field.

Re:

The calf was in the creek because it fell in there and could get out.

That's possible, but being found in the creek is still an indication to suspect that she may have pneumonia, just from falling in the creek.

SL

the calf was less than 24 hours old. it wasnt intentionally chilling out in the water. While calves that are under the weater can tend to stand in water to cool off or seek hydration, i have NEVER EVER seen one lay down in the water up to its neck. i have seen cows get completely under water except for their heads but i have yet to see a less than 24 hour old calf cooling itself off in this fashion.

 

[msscamp]

would a newborn be smart enough to get into water to cool off?
answer: no.

Correct, they are not "smart enough", but they are born with certain instincts.
SL

What are you smoking, and why aren't you sharing? It's been a very long week, and I could certainly use a trip to whatever fantasy land you were visiting at the time of this post. :lol: If what you are saying is true, why do bigger calve not go skinny dipping in stock tanks when they have fevers, instead of just laying around being miserable while waiting for the meds to kick in? Cold water is cold water, after all.

 

[msscamp]

Her right hind leg bends like it is still soft and her knee bends backwards. She is uncoordinated like a newborn otherwise she acts fine. Anybody know whats up with this? Also her and the cow seemed to have bonded. How long before the cow wont take her back? She cant make it in the pasture on her own yet. Thanks

It sounds like maybe the tendons and ligaments in that one leg have not tightened up like they should have - possibly due to her position in the womb. I would only keep her in the house for one night, then tuck her and mom into an open-fronted shed with some bedding. That would limit how far she has to go to find mom and milk, but also encourage use of the leg. Using the leg should help everything tighten up and work properly, but you might have to milk mom out and bottle until it does straighten out. I would also get the calf up and help her move around.

 

[rex]

Well, thanks for the help but Im pretty dang sure that she didnt get in the creek to "cool off". It was about 34 degrees and snowing. She was only about 30 yards from where she was born. Not walking well so she fell down the slope into the creek I am sure. i should have said that I guess. She isnt sick at all. Just having problem with the one leg pretty much. She is better today but may wind up being a bottle calf. Looks like it will take a little while for her to recover.
What about the bloodshot eyes? Anybody have any guesses on that? Thanks for the help. I was hoping just a tendon problem.

 

[msscamp]

Well, thanks for the help but Im pretty dang sure that she didnt get in the creek to "cool off". It was about 34 degrees and snowing. She was only about 30 yards from where she was born. Not walking well so she fell down the slope into the creek I am sure. i should have said that I guess. She isnt sick at all. Just having problem with the one leg pretty much. She is better today but may wind up being a bottle calf. Looks like it will take a little while for her to recover.
What about the bloodshot eyes? Anybody have any guesses on that? Thanks for the help. I was hoping just a tendon problem.

She might not be sick now, but I would keep a very close eye on her because she could very well develop pneumonia from being wet and chilled due to her dip in the creek. Scours are another possibility. As far as the bloodshot eyes - the only thing I can think of is ruptured blood vessels due to blood vessels constricting in response to the extreme cold of being in the creek. I know it's lame, but it is all I can come up with. Sorry. The only other possibility I can think of would be pressure due to birth.

 

[Beefy]

i would guess stress/shock from darn near hypothermia. but some calves just have bloodshot eyes... so who knows. could just be dry eyes from the cold but considering everything stress would probably be as safe a guess as any.

 

[hillsdown]

I agree it could be stress but the thing I am worried about is the scenario leading up to this.It could be meningitis /septicemia.Keep a real good watch on the calf if it is "shocky' especially to light or touch or if it falls over after any stress then that is an indicatior.
If so consult your vet and the best of luck.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I had a calf born last November and happened to witness the birth. The calf kept trying to get up and couldn't quite get its balance but finally hit its feet. Each time if fell it went closer and closer to the stock tank. Next thing I knew there it went right into the water with the cow still licking it clean all the way. I went into the pond and got it out and placed it in the sun 20 feet away. It got up and nursed a bit but wound up in the stock tank again. This time I picked it up and carried it all the way up the embankment to an upper pasture. Mom was ticked off about it. I got the calf hooked up to the teat and nursing and got the heck out of the way so the cow would calm down (she's 1/2 Brahma and protective).

If I had not been there, the calf may have drowned or else wound up in the same condition yours did.

 

[Earl Thigpen]

Her right hind leg bends like it is still soft and her knee bends backwards. She is uncoordinated like a newborn otherwise she acts fine. Anybody know whats up with this? Also her and the cow seemed to have bonded. How long before the cow wont take her back? She cant make it in the pasture on her own yet. Thanks

It sounds like maybe the tendons and ligaments in that one leg have not tightened up like they should have - possibly due to her position in the womb. I would only keep her in the house for one night, then tuck her and mom into an open-fronted shed with some bedding. That would limit how far she has to go to find mom and milk, but also encourage use of the leg. Using the leg should help everything tighten up and work properly, but you might have to milk mom out and bottle until it does straighten out. I would also get the calf up and help her move around.

Visit your local vet. Tell him/her the symptoms. More than likely they will recommend a shot of cortosone (sp) to the tendon in the "bad" leg. I've had a couple of calves come up "lame" and each time a shot brings them around. Vet tells me they will usually come around on their own but in your case I would do the shot just to speed the process up a little.

 

[Sir Loin]

How about this one? Has no one got any comments?

Rex: "and gave her electrolytes"
SL:

Just out of curiosity, what did you use?
I use "Imu-Tek Kick Start ".
"Sick pen - 1 dose daily for 3 days after antibiotic therapy."
http://www.cattlestore.com/pc-812-54-im ... start.aspx

 

[hillsdown]

SL what are you asking what should we be discussing about?

 

[Sir Loin]

Hillsdown,

When someone says give her electrolytes Or I gave her electrolytes, exactly what is given? What is the product name/manufacturer and do you have a website for it?

I'm using:
Imu-Tek Kick Start
http://www.cattlestore.com/pc-812-54-im ... start.aspx

Does anyone else use kick start?
If not what are you using?
SL