DOWN CALF BUT NO SYMPTOMS

[Oregone oliver guy]

So the yesterday afternoon I went out to feed and found a calf that was in the cold muck and acting like it was in shock against the hay feeder. The calf is 2-300lbs and was spry just a few days ago. I highly doubt the calf was stomped on because the feeder was dry from the day before and i check it every time i put a round bale in. so i'm pretty sure he bedded down there for the night and it got really cold (for our area it was in the teens) and i think he just didn't get up in the morning.

So once i found the calf i loaded it in the truck bed and put it in the barn. I got some hot water bottles and packed its hocks with them. I also covered him in hay and a towel and heavy table clothe. He wanted to suck so i got him a bottle of milk replacer that i made with warm water but it didnt drink more then maybe a 1/4 pint then would stop. After a few hours i had him sitting up and he was eating the hay we had on top of him and he felt warm (normal). I had a friend that runs alot of cattle come take a look and we both concluded that we dont see bloat or any dehydration. The fecal matter is solid and normal consistency. I gave him a shot of High b complex and vit A&D, as well as a shot of Pen.


I checked on him thorough out the night and he still is not doing any better (not any worse though either).


This morning i got him to drink a gallon or so of water and he is very alert and blinks and even will nudge me as i lay there with him when he wants water or his head itched hahah but i'm concerned he's not standing up and i cant get him to stand.

i have checked all his legs and hips and they feel normal and he's not flinching at all when i touch him.


Also when i get fluids in him i can hear his guts rumble. He did pass gas when i picked him up and put him in the truck. He also appears to be chewing cud as i was checking on him.....


any advice?? should i get some LA 200?? he doesnt sound raspy when he breathes. also the LA i believe will counter act the penicillin i gave him so ???? not sure what to do? Also has any one ever slinged a calf to get them to stand up and just leave them in a sling for a while (day or so) i'm mostly concerned that he's not standing up, but i do have him in the normal laying calf position.

any advice or things to try is greatly appriciated

 

[angus9259]

if he were mine i would be calling my vet

 

[M-5]

Time to load him up and head to vets office . I Could tell you what I would do but I'm not a vet .

 

[TCRanch]

Agreed, I'd get him to your vet or at the very least call him asap.

Did you take his temp/was it normal? Has this calf been vaccinated? Has he been banded/cut & did he receive tetanus or Covexin 8 (or whatever you generally use)? Does he have a mama or did you just buy him as a calf & do you know his history?

There are way too many things that could be wrong (diseases, neurological, injury/trauma, etc) to diagnose. Please do NOT put this calf in a sling for a day or so! A sling is a means to help a downer stand for a short period of time. And I would not give additional antibiotics without advise from your vet.

 

[boondocks]

As a newbie-ish, I'm nonetheless a bit take aback at the rush for antibiotics (and already thinking of going on to a different antibiotic) despite no (apparent) fever or obvious sign of infection, let alone one of a bacterial nature. Your initial thought is that he just "got too cold." I rather doubt Pen or LA is the recommended treatment for that.
Sorry, not trying to be critical but aren't we trying to avoid Uncle Sam deciding farmers/ranchers can't be trusted to use meds responsibly?
Hope you figure it out and the lil bugger pulls through. In the meantime, can't a rumbly tummy be a side effect of Pen? Sure is in humans...kills off the normal gut biota

 

[dun]

As a newbie-ish, I'm nonetheless a bit take aback at the rush for antibiotics (and already thinking of going on to a different antibiotic) despite no (apparent) fever or obvious sign of infection, let alone one of a bacterial nature. Your initial thought is that he just "got too cold." I rather doubt Pen or LA is the recommended treatment for that.
Sorry, not trying to be critical but aren't we trying to avoid Uncle Sam deciding farmers/ranchers can't be trusted to use meds responsibly?
Hope you figure it out and the lil bugger pulls through. In the meantime, can't a rumbly tummy be a side effect of Pen? Sure is in humans...kills off the normal gut biota

I'm glad someone beat to saying it. Willy nilly usage of antibiotics, particularly those that aren;t all that effective, really bothers me.

 

[SIMMGAL]

As a newbie-ish, I'm nonetheless a bit take aback at the rush for antibiotics (and already thinking of going on to a different antibiotic) despite no (apparent) fever or obvious sign of infection, let alone one of a bacterial nature. Your initial thought is that he just "got too cold." I rather doubt Pen or LA is the recommended treatment for that.
Sorry, not trying to be critical but aren't we trying to avoid Uncle Sam deciding farmers/ranchers can't be trusted to use meds responsibly?
Hope you figure it out and the lil bugger pulls through. In the meantime, can't a rumbly tummy be a side effect of Pen? Sure is in humans...kills off the normal gut biota

Agree. No use in using antibiotics if you're not sure of a diagnosis. If he did get too cold, they won't help anyway. If it's neurological, they most likely won't help that much at all either. Call a vet. :2cents:

 

[WalnutCrest]

Since the OP hasn't bothered to return, I believe the situation has probably resolved itself. Unfortunately.