Down calf

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sidney411

sidney411

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South Central Texas
We were given a calf yesterday that is unable to get up. What I was told is that he is 3 weeks old and was up and walking the first 3 days after birth then went down. He got colustrum. They gave him a round of pen, and a round of baytril. He really acts like he nurses but is not very effective, it takes a long time to drink a bottle compared to other bottle calves we've had. I have to put the nipple in his mouth. I can put him in a sitting position and he will try to get up but only ends up falling over on his side. He can move all 4 legs and 1 back leg is strong enough to bear weight when I hold him up. The other 3 fold up when I try to make him stand on them. I have not seen him wag his tail either while he is nursing. I talked to the vet last night and he thinks it is contracted tendons but I have always thought that was present form birth, and didn't last so long, and that they could actually get up and walk? He said it can come on later. Any other suggestions as to what may be wrong with this little guy?
 
Was the calf pulled, sidney?

If so, there may have been damage to the spinal cord. Though if that was the case it seems to me it would have displayed these symptoms from birth.
 
Sidney

Confirm this calf has been down for three weeks - give or take a bit?

I hate to say this, but it is not looking good - do you figure they were simply downloading this thing to you to relieve the work load?

This does not sound anything like tendon probs. I figure this to be central nervous system or spinal. Both of which have - from the sound of it - poor prognosis.

If this animal has been down for this length of time you know what my solution is - but you can try for a bit more if you like.

Good luck,

Bez!
 
The calf was not pulled and is quite small for a 3 week old calf, it is more the size of a newborn, as I can easily pick it up. They said that is has grown though. Bez, how could I tell if it is a spinal problem?

Yes, they said they just didn't have the time to deal with the calf anymore so I figured I'd give it a chance to see if I could get him to get up and around.
 
It sure sounds like a spinal problem to me as well.. especially if he can't move his tail. That was the defining symptom when my bull was having problems.

I give you a lot of credit for trying to help the calf though. It sure is hard to let those type go without giving them a chance. Good luck!
 
Probably not what is wrong-- but no harm in giving him some Selinium just in case.
 
Milkmaid,
oh wait. i mean Sidney! it doesnt sound like a tendon problem to me at all. it sounds to me like some kind of trauma to the neck or spine. my only other stab in the dark would be a possible deficiency of some sort.
 
sidney411":34i5nej4 said:
I discussed the possibility of selenium and magnesium deficiencies with my vet and he was not concerned with either in our area.
Click to expand...

I just thought I would mention that some animals just don't seem to "use" minerals as well as others. We had a cow here for a few years that would give us selenium deficient calves even though they were getting mineral with selenium in it. Cow is gone now, but that is a possibility.
 
We had a calf like this once, Vet said it was polio, said to give massive doses of Vitamin B, unfortunately we didn't catch it in time and it died, maybe this is what it is, maybe not, just a suggestion.
 
sidney411":id10030n said:
The calf was not pulled and is quite small for a 3 week old calf, it is more the size of a newborn, as I can easily pick it up. They said that is has grown though. Bez, how could I tell if it is a spinal problem?

Yes, they said they just didn't have the time to deal with the calf anymore so I figured I'd give it a chance to see if I could get him to get up and around.
Click to expand...

I don't suppose this animal got banged around at all?

I cannot give you any more thoughts except perhaps gentle massage and time - which will wear on you as well. Movement into a sitting position may actually be making the recovery process worse.

If there is a disc or portion of the spine out of place there may be nerve pinching. General weakness in the hind end makes me think this is the problem.

Sometimes they just are not going to get better. The lack of suck makes me think you might be in for a long process.

What is the breed?

Bez!
 
Polio-- usually comes with some brain disfunction shortly after the first signs.Rolling head,rolling eys ect ect
 
Are you saying he has no suck reflex, or very little? If he has, but takes a while to drink, duz hole in nipple need to be enlarged a small amount. My vet say's no suck reflex is a shortage of copper in the cow. Also, if you think it could be a nerve problem, run your fingers down his spine to see if he has a vertabre out of alignment. Now I know some will make a joke of it, but i've done my dog and calves, by massaging along the vertabre that's out. and applying pressure on it, and have "cured" both.
 
sidney411":2qbey4m5 said:
The calf was not pulled and is quite small for a 3 week old calf, it is more the size of a newborn, as I can easily pick it up. They said that is has grown though. Bez, how could I tell if it is a spinal problem?

Yes, they said they just didn't have the time to deal with the calf anymore so I figured I'd give it a chance to see if I could get him to get up and around.
Click to expand...

Sidney, I'd say give the calf a good dose of Vit A, D, E, B12, and Selenium, and see what happens. If there's a positive result, good, if not...well, your post brought something to mind that I was reading the other day. I'll copy it for you.

"Another congenital disease enity resembling crooked calf disease has been identified as being hereditary...the calf...was full-term, but small (44 pounds), very weak, unable to stand, and slightly hydrocephalic. It remained recumbent for 3 days before getting up, and was killed after 112 days." ~from Bovine Medicine & Surgery

If you want the rest of the article I'll type it out for you.
 
Thanks all for the posts:

Update from this weekend. The calf can wag his tail and move all 4 limbs. But, even with splints on he can not stand. I have given him B12. I can put him over a square bale and he can push himself over it with his back leg and then fall flat on the ground. He can not move himself much while on the ground and can't sit up in a normal position on his own. He is taking the bottle very well now but is not able to open his mouth wide enough to take the nipple in on his own, I have to open his mouth more but after the nipple is in his mouth he goes to town on it. I tried making him sit up between 2 square bales but he keeps pushing with his rear legs and ends up in front of the bales sprawled on the ground. I put him in a hay net and hung it to where he could stand if he could but his legs just seem to give out under him, he does try though. He will kick his legs and push off (for lack of better explanation) with his back legs. I will give him another week and if I see no improvment then I will put him down. I wouldn't wait that long if he seemed to be in pain, but he is bright eyed and from what I can tell he is trying.

He is a commercial brangus cross, nothing special.
 
Update -
calf has shown little progression. I had to take some heifers in to the vet this weekend so I hauled in little guy too. Vet concluded calf was born with infection in the umbilical area and progressed throughout his body. The pressure from the swelling in the joints killed the nerves in his front legs, but he does have feeling in the rear legs though. He got a shot of baytril, one for tonight and one for friday. Vet said 10% of ever walking again.
 

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