My neighbor gave me a three day old calf, she can't handle him due to her age. He was born on Sat night or sun morning. Wouldn't stand so she's pretty sure he didn't get colostrum right after birth. She took him to the vet the following Monday 1-31 (not looking at notes so dates maybe off) vet said he had constricted tendons. Milked his mom and tubed him. My husband (after research) put on half splints and we got him up walking. This was on Tues. Wed he seemed to be having labored breathing. Fri. back to the vet and they gave him a shot to loosen tendons. Sun he seemed ok and was teying to eat. Breathing still labored. After alot of reading and searching we decided to do penicillin, as I have no baytril and didn't have time to order any. We gave him three shots on Mon Tues and Wed (half of what was called for because he's not well). We've given him a small dose of JumpStart, a vit B shot and some probios (spread out over a week). He can hardly suckle, been tube fed 4 times now by vet while we steady try to get him to suckle, getting maybe a pint a feeding in him. We cannot tube and won't risk drowning him. Thursday 2-4 took him back to vet to see if they could show me how to tube. (That was a no-go understanably) Vet gave him baytril and a steroid (tongue hangs out while he's trying to eat). Vet said its an illness (cant remember name) but he's got a very mild case so he should come out of it. Got him home and he refused to eat or move and we really thought we would lose him that night. Today he barely ate but he's giving it his all to try. We're still trying to get his strength up so he can get a better grasp. His head is always hanging low and he will only walk for about five mins before he lays down again. This baby is a weak little guy and we're utilizing the vet with tubing. I can't afford to do this forever so I need suggestions on how to get him to suckle so I can get him stronger. I tried molasses, and a small amount of caro syrup no results. Tried a goat nipple, didn't work, tried a pail also. He simply can't seem to get a handle on that bottle. We even tried to put him back with his momma but she wouldn't take him. Any suggestions? Anything at all that might help me get this baby up and running? Sorry for long post, trying to give as much info as possible. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Don't know what's going on. Very worried.
- Thread starter BarbG
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JMJ Farms
Well-known member
dun":3migp86r said:
+1. BoSe shot. Definitely wont hurt. Shot of Dex wouldn't hurt either.
Craig Miller
Well-known member
I'd cut the hole in the nipple bigger. He won't have to work so hard to get the milk out.
Got home this evening and went to feed. He has this raspy sound in his throat. Could he possibly have pneumonia and the vet hasn't picked up on it? I've not seen them do anything to him aside from feed and the shots. Any thoughts on this? (Calling a new vet first thing tomorrow.) I think more than "patience and persistence" is required for him.
JMJ Farms
Well-known member
Very possible that he does has pneumonia.
Here's something I didn't mention in original post (a lot going on with him)
When he's trying to eat he keeps the nipple on one side of his mouth with his tongue hanging out the other side. As we are feeding we have to keep moving his tongue under the nipple and moving the nipple to the center of his mouth to try and help him get a better grip. That's the issue the vet saw and said he had that illness. (Going to ask what she called it)
When he's trying to eat he keeps the nipple on one side of his mouth with his tongue hanging out the other side. As we are feeding we have to keep moving his tongue under the nipple and moving the nipple to the center of his mouth to try and help him get a better grip. That's the issue the vet saw and said he had that illness. (Going to ask what she called it)
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
Aspiration pneumonia is the term that I believe you are looking for.dun":2m6g5mfe said:
When you start them on the bottle, it helps to straddle them and cup your hand around their lower jaw and bottle holding them together and keeping the nipple centered in the mouth. We call that a " dummy calf" that can't seem to get the hang of nursing and wrap their tongue on the nipple creating suction. Most usually will eventually catch on with persistence.
It sounds like you may be dealing with aspiration pneumonia, which is very easy to cause wrangling to get them to suck or tubing them.
Ky hills
Well-known member
I used to raise baby dairy calves, 80-100 per year, got most of them at 3 days old. It was common for them to have various issues, most of which resulted in loss of appetite and or scours. I became fairly proficient at tube feeding them, although admittedly each time is a bit nerve wracking. You may already be giving the calf electrolytes, but if not it would probably be beneficial. I have good results with a product called Re-sorb.
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
Everyone here is "smart" Dun. Just maybe on varying subjects. There are a lot of things/words that excape my mind, that I know what they are, but can't remember the term for the life of me! Today I tried my bank PIN number 6 times before I remembered it! Surprised the ATM didn't eat my card! :roll:dun":3phsm63o said:
