Difference between calf pneumonia and narcotic laryngitis

[sunnyblueskies]

What's your experience?
Month old calf, started with, what I assumed, pneumonia symptoms about 10 days ago. Heavy laboured breathing, lethargic and going off of feed. Treated it with Zeleris, which is a mix of metacam and a antibiotic as I understand. Calf improved and the herd was turned out to pasture.

Checked day before yesterday and the calf has gone back downhill. Very heavy breathing, wheezing now, which it didn't before, no runny nose, dry cough every now and then. Sucks on the cow and doesn't look malnutritioned or dehydrated. Crap.
Talked to the vet, they sent a dose of draxxin and dexamethasone to repeat for a few days.
So that's where we are at.
My question: What's really the difference between pneumonia and diphtheria? Never had a case like that before.
What's your success in treating this?

 

[TCRanch]

Diphtheria is in the mouth or larynx but with symptoms that mimic pneumonia, and treatment is pretty much the same. I've only had one calf with it (years ago) and my vet treated with Resflor Gold (full recovery). The Dex your vet prescribed with the Draxxin will help with the swelling.

 

[wbvs58]

I think I would be looking for something physical causing the problem like some twine caught around the larynx especially if it seems well otherwise and is the only one affected.

Ken

 

[TCRanch]

I will add, my calf that had diphtheria also had a "hark" instead of a cough. And good point, Ken. My vet did check inside his mouth. Don't think he found anything, but he was thorough.

 

[Randi]

Respiratory Diphtheria is a horrible disease. We deal with it EVERY year. It is very hard to treat. If a calf is raspy or roaring it is more than likely diphtheria and not pneumonia. Pneumonia in my experience is rapid breathing but not noisy breathing.

Diphtheria calves will have wheezy/roaring breathing. A fever. They may look really ill or not. That will change if left untreated. They may cough and it is a really raspy cough. Think of the worst sore throat you've ever had and the cough you had with it.

Treatment involves antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. And it is a prolonged treatment if you really hope to beat the disease. My preference is Resflor and Dex, followed by LA. 3 treatments of Res/Dex and then 3 treatments of LA. It is a 2 week protocol. Draxxin can be used as well.

Success depends a lot on how soon you start treating them. If you catch it in the first day or so the outcome is reasonably good. If you don't find them for a few days; the outcome is likely not going to be good.

Here is a video I took a number of years ago of a calf that was quite sick. He recovered. This year we treated 3 calves and had success with all 3 of them. Some will have a roar or wheeze when they are breathing due to scar tissue.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CSpWhFXCq/

 

[GoWyo]

Their breath will stink like dead tissue if diphtheria. My vet recommended sulfa pills the last couple we treated. They weren't in horrible shape yet at the time, just loud, raspy breathing.

 

[sunnyblueskies]

Respiratory Diphtheria is a horrible disease. We deal with it EVERY year. It is very hard to treat. If a calf is raspy or roaring it is more than likely diphtheria and not pneumonia. Pneumonia in my experience is rapid breathing but not noisy breathing.

Diphtheria calves will have wheezy/roaring breathing. A fever. They may look really ill or not. That will change if left untreated. They may cough and it is a really raspy cough. Think of the worst sore throat you've ever had and the cough you had with it.

Treatment involves antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. And it is a prolonged treatment if you really hope to beat the disease. My preference is Resflor and Dex, followed by LA. 3 treatments of Res/Dex and then 3 treatments of LA. It is a 2 week protocol. Draxxin can be used as well.

Success depends a lot on how soon you start treating them. If you catch it in the first day or so the outcome is reasonably good. If you don't find them for a few days; the outcome is likely not going to be good.

Here is a video I took a number of years ago of a calf that was quite sick. He recovered. This year we treated 3 calves and had success with all 3 of them. Some will have a roar or wheeze when they are breathing due to scar tissue.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CSpWhFXCq/

Your video was not accessible.

 

[sunnyblueskies]

As of yesterday the calf is still breathing heavy and also wheezing/barking. It had its second shot dex. It's a big strong calf, wouldn't be able to catch it or hold it down if it weren't locked up, that's for sure.
First time we have a case like that in over 25 years, at least since I'm here.
I'll head your guys suggestion of checking in the mouth and smelling it's breath when it get's it's next shot today.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, learn something new everyday.

 

[greybeard]

Your video was not accessible.

Yep, the hated 'it may be broken' thing..

 

[sunnyblueskies]

Still treating the calf with dex daily. Still making noise when breathing, although not as bad. Tough to keep animals in when the grass is growing. Ugh.