Have 50 day old dairy calves. Was dehorning today. Noticed 2 calves with swelled navals. Checked navals, were not soft but hard. Had checked all calves for naval infection when younger and thought had all cleared up. Don't know if these particular calves ever had naval infections (had 140 calves). Can an infection show up at 50 days old? Thanks for any imput. Hillside
Concerning large navals
- Thread starter hillside
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I know those navel infections can be very persistant, and, even when the infection is gone, will take a l-o-n-g time before the skin shrinks back up to normal. My vet said he's seen it take a year.
If it feels like there's actually something there (not just an empty 'pocket'), I'd be checking it closely for a lingering infection.
If it feels like there's actually something there (not just an empty 'pocket'), I'd be checking it closely for a lingering infection.
thanx milkmaid. beilve it or not im a little confused about the symtoms of an infected navel. one person said that navel is hard and when grabed is larger than a mans thumb. anouther said its soft with a pus or infection ball around it. iv felt navals that were both ways.not sure w/ one is a problem. confused hillside
Anything "there" is a problem. At 50 days of age, even a bull calf shouldn't have much at the navel area...if in doubt, compare the calf to its contemporaries. I've felt infections that were hard (usually in older infections), and I've felt ones that were relatively soft. Hernia's are also possibilities. And obviously, if you see pus or drainage, there's an infection.
