Calf scour treatment

[Lisagrantb]

Has anyone used the liquid injectable Oxytetracycline (LA 200) and given it orally to a calf to treat scours in the place of Terramycin tablets which is Oxytetracycline. Just wondering in a pinch would it work the same if given the correct dosages.

 

[Buck Randall]

It will work the same, which is to say that it won't work at all. Don't bother.

 

[CG1]

I'd need to know more about the calf to say what may help. Is this a bottle calf? My bottle calves always get the runs the first week on replacer. Is this a calf on a cow? I'd be trying to figure out why it has the runs than treating blindly.

 

[Lisagrantb]

It's in the field with cow. How would you figure it out?

 

[Lisagrantb]

On cow. How do you tell what is causing it?

 

[Dsth]

good advise from cowgal604. calf scours is one symptom of dehydration, which didn't make sense to me when I was told that the first time. if calf is newborn and sucking on the cow, the cow may not be producing enough milk or calf not sucking. vet told me that if a calf over 3 weeks old gets the scours, he/she will usually clear up on their own. I treat younger calves with electrolytes and scour pills from vet (not sure what medication is in them.) I have never treated scours with LA200 so can't advise about giving it orally.

 

[gcreekrch]

Has anyone used the liquid injectable Oxytetracycline (LA 200) and given it orally to a calf to treat scours in the place of Terramycin tablets which is Oxytetracycline. Just wondering in a pinch would it work the same if given the correct dosages.

First, how old is calf, second, on bottle or cow?

We have put LA down the hatch with some good results. Haven't used a bolus in several years. Viral scours use of tetracycline you are only treating secondary problems. Electrolytes are a must or maybe IV if calf is bad enough.
Older calves are usually having a bout with Coccidiosis and can be treated with LA and Corid or as we have in Canada, Amprol.

We have prevented scours here with a good vaccination program and a good, made for us mineral containing Rumensin and Bio Moss. We one treated 100s of calves, now rarely 2 dozen in a spring. Got so I know they are sick before they do.

 

[alisonb]

It's in the field with cow. How would you figure it out?

It may be milk scours...what breed is the cow? What colour is the scours? Calf may be getting too much milk.

 

[greggy]

Just feed or tube a good electrolyte if showing signs of dehydration, is the calf well otherwise ?

 

[CG1]

A calf on a cow that's nursing well shouldn't want to take a bottle. When I question if they are getting enough I'll see if they take a bottle. I've never had a calf nursing well accept but if they take it I know mama is having issues.

If it's really young meaning 1-7 days old could just be adapting. Did you give it anything at birth? Could it be reacting to something you've administered?

You need to check this calf's temperature first and foremost...

 

[Aaron]

Step #1 always, always, always is check temperature.

 

[Lisagrantb]

Angus maybe a week old and haven't given it anything. Scowers are a light yellow. It dose show signs of dehydration. Tomorrow I will take temp and give electrolyte.

 

[alisonb]

Angus maybe a week old and haven't given it anything. Scowers are a light yellow. It dose show signs of dehydration. Tomorrow I will take temp and give electrolyte.

Nutritional scours (cream/light yellow) usually occurs when the calf drinks too much milk. It may mean that the mother has a lot of milk or she did not manage to feed the calf for some time(weather etc), when she did calf was cold & hungry and drank too much over filling it's abomasum which in turn overflowed, without clotting, into the intestines.The result, a watery scour. Stress and the quality of colostrum can also cause scours. Nutritional scours mostly clears up on its own once a routine is set, without our intervention, but I have also seen it progress to an infectious scour.

Lisagrantb - How long has calf been scouring? Is it still drinking strongly or is it weak? Any signs of blood/mucous in diarrhea?

If it is strong and still drinking it may be getting over it on it's own...sometime catching it to give it electrolytes stresses it more than anything else. Just monitor closely, at any sign of weakness give electrolytes.

If it is showing signs of dehydration, has a temperature and is weakening start electrolytes immediately. Give calf electrolytes and then wait about a half hour before you allow it to drink milk. By doing this you are making sure that when it drinks milk, the milk clots normally in the abomasum and is not watered down by the electrolytes.

All the best!

 

[TCRanch]

I sometimes use Tri Pectate &/or boluses with activated charcoal or Sustain (currently not available for calves but can break up the cattle bolus). Electrolytes! And yes, definitely take its temp.

 

[greggy]

It's in the field with cow. How would you figure it out?

If it is unwell....or you suspect so....bring them into an area you can monitor closely and do checks etc....

If it is well otherwise, then, just monitor....

 

[Lisagrantb]

Went to give it electrolytes today and it's doing better. It's up moving around and nursing and no new signs of runny bowls. Thanks for the help. I'm a row crop farmer, been around cows some but since my father in law passed away suddenly I'm now a rancher. Not easy with the cows 40 miles away from the house and the terrible weather we've been having.

 

[Lisagrantb]

Angus maybe a week old and haven't given it anything. Scowers are a light yellow. It dose show signs of dehydration. Tomorrow I will take temp and give electrolyte.

 

[Hereford2]

The best thing for scours is Electrolytes staggered every 4 to 6 hours alternately with milk. Just be sure it's been 3 hours since the last milk feeding, Before giving electrolytes..

 

[farmerjan]

If you have nothing else handy, use some Immodium like people use for diahrrea. Give the calf 2 tablets. It will "stop him up" just to get him to stop dehydrating as you work on getting electrolytes in him and getting him feeling a little better. If he is not shooting it out the back end as fast as it goes in the front, you can then work on treating the scours. I like Immodium better than using something like Kaopectate, because they will take a couple of little pills easier than something that is thick and tastes crappy. Hereford2 gave you good advice about the feeding and alternating the electrolytes and milk. I will sometimes not feed any milk for 24 hours, just electrolytes, to get them rehydrated.

 

[greggy]

It is over a week now, is either doing alright, or ....