Fighting pneumonia

[Petercoates87]

Hey everyone. So I have a 3 month old heifer that I'm battling pneumonia with. She's pretty thin and breathing heavily. She was treated with dressing a week ago and treated for lung worm also. She has had injectable anti inflammatories and still keeping up a temp. Our vet suggested giving her an aspirin once a day. Anyone got any suggestions on what else I can give her to get her up on her feet better. Also I feel like it's a bit of a long time getting better. Thank

 

[Petercoates87]

Lol oh my draxxin she was treated with last week.

 

[Bright Raven]

Remember, there are as many viral pneumonia pathogens as there are bacterial. Draxxin might make her feel better and may prevent a secondary bacterial infection but it will not treat a virus.

You can vaccinate at birth with Inforce 3 to prevent some common virals, i.e., PI3, IBR, BRSV.

The Bovine Respiratory Disease complex is broad.

 

[Buck Randall]

Given that she's thin and has been sick for a while, you might be dealing with some scarring of the lung tissue and abscess formation. If that's the case it's an uphill battle and her odds aren't great. It's really hard to get antibiotic distribution through that tissue.

 

[Petercoates87]

I figured that I'm in an uphill battle. Sadly probably a losing one. At this stage what would be a good suggestion to do?

 

[Bright Raven]

I figured that I'm in an uphill battle. Sadly probably a losing one. At this stage what would be a good suggestion to do?

You might have a vet listen to her lungs. If this has been a chronic lung infection, the damage is done. Draxxin is expensive but it is labeled for bacterial BRD. If you got no positive results, it is time to make some decisions.

 

[Petercoates87]

Yeah the vet was in a looked at her. Listened to her lungs as well. And this is her drug of choice.

 

[Aaron]

I would do multiple treatments of Resflor as it is much cheaper and still effective. As soon as she looks half decent get her to the sales barn

 

[Stocker Steve]

Most diseases posted about on CT have a nutritional component, where stress from inadequate feed is a factor. Add some damp weather and you may have a lunger.

What is the heifer eating? Is her mother below average for milk?

 

[TCRanch]

You're doing pretty much everything you can. Is she also dehydrated? Might tube her with electrolytes. Still nursing? Maybe supplement. I've given hard pneumonia cases a shot of Vitamin B Complex for a little more energy and ProBios (gel, in the tube) never hurts. And agree with Aaron, I've had good luck with Resflor Gold (has Banamine in it).

Sometimes they surprise you and pull out of it so best of luck.

 

[Petercoates87]

Hey TCranch yeah she is still nursing. Sadly I couldn't catch her momma to bring her back home. We have a community pasture here it's not a privately owned one. But I have a nurse cow here that she is drinking from. The vet has told me she can't give her anymore injectiable anti inflammatories and to use aspirin. So call me crazy but I'm crushing them and mixing it in a bottle of Ensure and giving that to her through a large syringe in the morning and giving her probably 3 more bottles of enure throughout the day in hope it helps her get all the stuff she needs. To bounce back. Our vet doesn't want to give her anymore antibiotics for another few days.

 

[TCRanch]

Nothing crazy about crushing the aspirin and getting creative with additional calories! I've crushed them and mixed with cubes or grain and molasses. There is also apple and molasses flavored aspirin powder. I've ordered it online (maybe Jeffers?) and I believe it's marketed for horses. I've also used plain ol' aspirin from the store (Walmart, whatever). You do whatcha gotta do! Wishing you the best of luck, please keep us updated!

 

[Stocker Steve]

Be proactive. :cboy:
Cull the mother.
Retain the nurse cow.
Trucking costs less than drugs.

 

[Petercoates87]

Lol Steve the nurse cow is getting culled. The only reason she's being a nurse cow is she had a still born this year. The calfs mom is a good cow never have any trouble with her. I maybe part to blame as I get (2-3 ) 2day old dairy bull calves to raise every year and sell. Always have trouble with them. And I can never get anywhere with our vets to give me vaccines for these guys. And well I blame the vet a bit too. Here it's like playing Russian roulette when ya call the vet. We have 3 good ones and one that everyone hates to see coming. Of course when i called the first time i got the shitty one. She tells me she gave her the middle of the road drugs only to find out a week later when she wasn't getting better that she gave the lower end stuff. Then when i called in on a Saturday when the calf wasn't doing much better I get our favorite vet n she put her on draxxin and some vitamin injectables and banamine to get her going. She's not getting any worse but not much better either. Temp is down this morning. So I'm glad to see that.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Inforce 3

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Word of advice in the future - do NOT bring in calves of any kind from another farm, when you are having newborns. New calves may be healthy, but they carry bugs YOUR farm may not be immune to. A cow's colostrum only protects the newborn from bugs the dam has been exposed to. Never, never bring in unknown bugs to newborns.
Does the calf have a good appetite? If not, give Probios. Antibiotics kill all the good bugs in her system as well as the bad ones. Also, I would give her a shot of Multimin90 if the vet has not given it yet (or BoSe/MuSe - a Selenium).
Sounds like you are doing what you can. Make sure she has enough nutrition and keep her temperature down. After a few days, sounds like vet will be willing to hit her with a different drug.

 

[76 Bar]

Sage advice Jeanne! Long ago I learned the hard way that buying a graft calf (exclusively from dairy's with exemplary herd health and newborn protocol) eventually came home to roost.

 

[elkwc]

Not sure what weight she is. But my vets have me give a 2nd dose of Draxxin or NuFlor. Usually in 3-5 days and it will knock it.

 

[Petercoates87]

Hey everyone. Thanks for all your advise. But the lil girl didn't make it. I definitely learned my lesson with calf health and all that. I have had grafted calves 2 years in a row now and that has worked out. But those lil buggers always get pneumonia never my beef calves. This obviously has cost me this year. It's been a very hard lesson for sure. But I finally got the vet on board to get me vaccines now so I'll be able to do my lil herd every year. And yes I'll be keeping the dairy calves away from my barn for a while.

 

[TCRanch]

Sorry to hear she didn't make it but thanks for the update. One of the best books I've read is the Essential Guide to Calving by Heather Smith Thomas. Pretty much everything about calves in layman's terms with personal anecdotes and pictures. And congrats on building a relationship with your vet - priceless!

https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Guide-Calving-Giving-Healthy/dp/1580177069/ref=asc_df_1580177069/?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid={creative}&hvpos={adposition}&hvnetw=o&hvrand={random}&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl={devicemodel}&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583795260776502&psc=1