Calf with Navel infection

[jlahc]

We were out checking the calves today and noticed one with a baseball size swelling around his navel. He is a week old and it just appeared. I think it is infected.

We gave him a shot of penicillin, but were wondering if there were any other recommendations. Should we consider lancing or draining it? We were also wondering if it could it be something else (eg. can calves get hernias?)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[dun]

If you poke around in it, gently, you can feel the hole in the abdominal wall if it's a hernia. If it's a navel infection, hit it hard with antibiotics and quickly. Talk to a good LA animal vet about the best drugs for treatment. Alsom if it's navel ill, it will take a long course of antibiotics to kick it.

dun

 

[milkmaid]

Don't go lancing it if you have no idea what you're dealing with - if it is a hernia and you puncture the intestines, you have a dead calf on your hands. As Dun said, if it is soft and you can push it back up into the abdomen, it's a hernia. If it's hard or hot or does not move, it's a navel infection. Diagnose the problem and then take action. If it is navel ill, IMO I'd probably use something stronger than pennicillin, or else I'd use a VERY high dosage of pennicillin. Navel infections aren't anything to deal casually with.

 

[rockridgecattle]

this is something we have dealt alot with. YUK. It's real hard to treat and you have to be dedicated.
Switch to Nuflor NOW and predef or anafin. Nuflor IM follow directions
Next, flip the calf on his side...this takes two people. One hold the calf down and the other to work at the navel.

Wear gloves, iodine your gloves to prevent further infection. DON'T lance.
Find the scab and pick it with your fingers to open it and then squeeze out the puss. Draining really helps the problem ones.
Do not do this where there are other little calves that have not got the navel dried. Can spread...experienced this.
Clean with iodine and keep cow and calf isolated and close at hand to treat easily and regularly until cleared up. And in a clean pen.

Our vet grabbed the hanging down thing and tore it off to squeeze out the puss. Tried it and it i guess takes practice

Low colostrum intake can cause this, poor bedding, calving in dirty areas are all possible causes.
it is hard for the anti biotic to get there for some reason.

Good luck

 

[rockridgecattle]

just like the other guys said check for hernia first.
Always give a good dose of iodine on new born navels.

 

[jlahc]

Thanks for the tips. Apparently my partner had already checked for hernia and made sure that wasn't the problem, but she never told me... She has a lot more experience with cattle than I do - I just do the grunt work and provide a good decoy target for angry cows

Anyway, this morning he was scouring, so we gave him electrolytes and a shot of Nuflor right away. We also picked off the scab and drained out a bunch of puss from around his navel and doused it with iodine. He fought us pretty good, which is a good sign I think. He seems to be doing a lot better tonight. He is nursing and though not jumping around like the other calves, he is up and walking around a bit. We will keep a close eye on him and the rest of the calves over the next few days, but hopefully he will be fine.

Thanks again,

--Jason

 

[rockridgecattle]

good to hear. Don't forget the anti-inflamatory...real important too. It really helps and keep draining the puss. shouldn't have to re-open the scab, but might have to. It could still be open to drain more. Drop the calf and check daily when you give the anti-inflamatory. Be carefull not to re infect and keep up with the treatments...hard bug to get rid of especially if it gets into the joints.


Two other causes of navel infection...
according to our vet a backwards birth can pre-disposition the calf to navel ill and
this one is a kicker...dirty puller.
Good luck
T

 

[rockridgecattle]

how's the calf

 

[jlahc]

We followed through with the treatment and he is doing well. The swelling has almost disappeared around his navel and he hasn't been scouring for a couple days now. We put him back in 'general population' today and he seems to be getting along fine. We will keep an eye on him for a few more days though.

 

[rockridgecattle]

glad to hear. watch for a relapse cause navel ill is hard to fight and can re-occur if not totally gotten. if it re-occurs it might show up in the joints. The calf would walk kind of peg leg like.
Treatment until fully gone is best. The last dose of Nuflor we like to give SQ. There is more of it and lasts a day or two longer. Can't think of exactly how long so check the label. the calf might always have a bit of a bump there.

It's a good feeling when we can get those sick ones better