Calf with possible Navel/joint ill?

[ellllle]

I am desperately in need of advice.
I received a 2 week old Angus bull calf yesterday from friends who thought he may have been stepped on because he was slightly wobbly in the hind legs, especially the right. I felt around his hips, legs, knees, everywhere and nothing felt out of place, broken or swollen. He was walking quite bad yesterday and I found him flat on his side twice nearly choking to death, eyes rolled back, it was traumatic. But today he was noticeably better.
I noticed that his navel was quite swollen and had a large scab on it and thought it may be navel ill and was starting to form into joint ill, I have had many calves and never experienced this. Although he is drinking perfectly and eating, no scours and he's very alert and active and playful he tends to run and jump and buck on his hind legs fine with no sign of it affecting him, which I read is quite the opposite in navel/joint ill. After he's finished playing with my lamb for about 20 mins I think he gets a little sore, he wobbles about and sits down. He can get up by himself fine.
I am a long way from the nearest town and my livestock vet doesn't get back from holidays for another 5 days so I just need some sort of advice if this may be navel/joint ill and what is the most affective way to treat it, is there any home remedies that can heal it or at least delay the bacteria until I can speak to my vet? Or is it possible he may have just bruised muscles in the hind legs from being pushed around by bigger cows and the navel infection is separate. And can I wash his navel in salted water?

Thanks.

 

[shadyhollownj]

Use the search box. There is a ton of useful information on the board. I had a calf with joint ill two weeks ago. Look at my post. Give penn G twice and day for at least ten days. Give nuflor 3cc IM also and 6cc subcu two days later. Also give probias everyday. A shot os BOSE might help. Did you take his temp? Also pull the scab off, clean well, and soak with iodine. I am by no means a pro but this worked for me and was recommended by multiple people. Welcome to the board and good luck.

 

[ellllle]

It's kind of hard for me to get all of this stuff because I'm 5 hours from the nearest town that only might sell any of this but thank you for your advice anyway. I don't have and iodine at the moment so would salt water be okay to wash it?

 

[Crazy Farmgirl]

If you, can get the scab open and drain the navel, clean inside the wound with iodine and treat with pen g for at least 5 days. Watch joints for swelling, tenderness or lack of mobility.
keep an eye on temp and make sure he's getting adequate fluids.

 

[ellllle]

I just found my spray can called Cetrigen, it's an antibacterial spray for open wounds on cattle, sheep etc. would this be as affective as iodine? Only concern is it says to keep away from mucous membranes, does that include the navel area?
A friend actually looked at him and thinks it could possibly be an umbilical hernia, but he's never seen navel ill either so is there anyway to tell the difference between the two? he let me feel it today and it felt sort of squishy and round and running straight up maybe an inch thick. His legs seemed to have healed he's not limping or wobbling any more and putting full pressure on both, so he may have just been pushed around in the yards.

 

[shadyhollownj]

Hows the calf?

 

[ellllle]

He's actually doing really well. I spoke to the vet and sent a picture and he suggested that it's possible the umbilical cord didn't take up properly, which when I clean it I've found the umbilical cord beginning to come down and the navel has slightly reduced in size. I put him on antibiotics a friend gave me for 5 days just in case and his navel gets sprayed with iodine, and it seems to be all healing well, he hasn't got sick or feverish or swollen joints, which I'm assuming if it was navel ill I would have seen a decrease in him not an improvement. So fingers crossed he recovers fully. Thanks for all your help!