Chalky Calf Stool

[ksmit454]

This began Thursday evening. Started with a high temp of 104, and gave banamine per vets recommendation. We also dewormed her with ivermectin pour on and administered probios. That next morning (Friday) temp back to normal 101, and gave Kaopectate 3x that day. Friday night she seems back to totally normalcy and running around and playing. Then Saturday morning back to really runny stools and it's still chalky. No temp, but giving more kaopectate and probios. She's eating and drinking but just not really herself. My vet is going to do a fecal test. Ideas...????

 

[GoWyo]

Cryptosporidium? If it's chunky. Usually self-limiting and they get over it in a few days. Keep them hydrated. Maybe just milk scours.

 

[TCRanch]

How old is she? On her dam or a bottle calf? What are you feeding her? Pro Bios boluses and gel are white & Kaopectate is pink, but chalky (what goes in must come out).

Make sure she's hydrated - electrolytes if necessary - and I wouldn't feed anything with too much protein just yet.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I had one here a while back doing the same thing!
Never did figure it out.
Calf is weaned and fine now.
Somewhere on this board is pictures. I only found it on the ground tho iirc.

Grayish/white scours?

Someones doing it. Havent found him/her yet. What's up?

www.cattletoday.com

 

[ksmit454]

Cryptosporidium? If it's chunky. Usually self-limiting and they get over it in a few days. Keep them hydrated. Maybe just milk scours.

Not chunky, the first night it was absolutely straight liquid. But it very well could be Cryptosporidium. There's not much to do either than what I'm doing, correct?

 

[ksmit454]

How old is she? On her dam or a bottle calf? What are you feeding her? Pro Bios boluses and gel are white & Kaopectate is pink, but chalky (what goes in must come out).

Make sure she's hydrated - electrolytes if necessary - and I wouldn't feed anything with too much protein just yet.

She is 2 months old and super healthy otherwise. She's on her Dam. She's been getting grass hay and alf. I have noticed that the other cows have a bit of runny stools but nothing like this. I was giving the mama sweet cob but I stopped that thinking it was contributing to scours. Yes that would make sense that her stools are chalky... that koapectate is for sure chalky. She seems hydrated but I haven't pinched her neck skin to see how retention is. I will do that in the morning. I saw her drink and eat today and pee.

 

[ksmit454]

I had one here a while back doing the same thing!
Never did figure it out.
Calf is weaned and fine now.
Somewhere on this board is pictures. I only found it on the ground tho iirc.

Grayish/white scours?

Someones doing it. Havent found him/her yet. What's up?

www.cattletoday.com

How interesting, sounds about the same as this heifer. She def has a nasty butt and stinky. It seems so far that this issue resolves on its own. My vet suggested kaopectate to prevent dehydration. I will continue to monitor her and I hope she gets over whatever is going on.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Hope the calf gets on ok.
It was the weirdest thing I ever saw at the time.
Just wait tho, something else weird will come along....

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Milk/corn scours. If she not lethargic, leave her alone.

 

[simme]

Cryptosporidium (commonly called crypto) was mentioned as a possibility. It causes a nasty sickness. It is a parasite - not a germ or virus. It is surrounded by an outer shell that protects it. Bleach, alcohol and disinfectants are not effective to kill it due to this shell (like a protective bubble). It can survive in its shell for a long time. Point is that if you handle an animal with crypto, don't depend on a disinfectant to clean up. Mechanical removal (soap and water) are better choices to remove it from your hands. Hard to kill it. Treating a crypto infected calf has a risk that you can get it as well It can give you the same symptoms (dehydrated, tired as well as emotional attachment to the toilet) and it lasts a while. It invades and damages the lining of the intestines. That damage must heal to overcome the effects. Fluid therapy (maybe including IV) is the treatment.

 

[ksmit454]

Cryptosporidium (commonly called crypto) was mentioned as a possibility. It causes a nasty sickness. It is a parasite - not a germ or virus. It is surrounded by an outer shell that protects it. Bleach, alcohol and disinfectants are not effective to kill it due to this shell (like a protective bubble). It can survive in its shell for a long time. Point is that if you handle an animal with crypto, don't depend on a disinfectant to clean up. Mechanical removal (soap and water) are better choices to remove it from your hands. Hard to kill it. Treating a crypto infected calf has a risk that you can get it as well It can give you the same symptoms (dehydrated, tired as well as emotional attachment to the toilet) and it lasts a while. It invades and damages the lining of the intestines. That damage must heal to overcome the effects. Fluid therapy (maybe including IV) is the treatment.

Thank you for the good info. I do have a fecal test being done with my vet so we will see what comes back with that and I will let you all know. As far as an update goes, she seems to be doing well other than still a bit of runs. And I noticed tonight the rest of the herd has the runs as well.... UGH!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

"Rest of herd" meaning cows and calves??

 

[ksmit454]

"Rest of herd" meaning cows and calves??

Yes, I have the cow, a heifer, and a steer that have runny stool. Still awaiting for the fecal to come back