foaming at the mouth an chewin rocks

[tup]

we have a heifer in a shared heifer pasture that is foaming at the mouth/coughing/ and grinding teeth as it sounds like she is chewing rocks. she has also isolated herself from the herd. I talked to a cousin who has a big dairy in Pa. last night and he mentioned quite a bit of dead loss due to lung worms. he also said he had to finally take two carcasses to cornell unv. to have a diagnosis. his vet couldn't solve the mystery after four years. He felt the heifers symptoms were descriptive of lung worms. we have not had any dead loss in quite a few years with the exception of one stillborn calf. all three herds on this road of ours has enjoyed this good health. i'm worried because i noticed that the other heifers are now starting to cough. my father-in -law and other kin, aim to fix it with a shot pennicillin (hillbilly cure all, lol)
I have my doubts. any ideas?

 

[larryshoat]

Cattle often grind their teeth when they have a fever .Put a thermometer in her and if over 102 treat with a good broad spectrum antibiotic, something like Draxxin, or Nuflor, or Baytril, or Micotil, or A180 .Something along those lines .If temp is normal 101-<102 then start to think about other issues .

Larry

 

[tup]

thank you sir, as i had said, we have not seen illness here in a very long time. we are far behind today's medicine's. i'm surprised we don't still slap black salve on everything and call it good. from a grateful miss tup

 

[rockridgecattle]

I would also suggest an anti inflamatory if it is a respiratory infection. anafin is good, it's non steriodal no or low risk in abortions.
If more than one has it I would also get the vet or a new vet to test for BVD and IBR.
I mean no distrespect when i say this:
If the animals have not been vaccinated, introduction of even a herd bull or a near by cow, that has been stressed and shedding the virus, could be a time bomb waiting to go off.

Get some tests done. then you know what you are doing

Deworm as well

 

[tup]

contacted vet the news is not sobering though no final diagnosis, we were advised that these replacment heifers will never be able to rejoin herd even if they recover. sobering news to us. we are already fighting drought. thank you, your quick advise got folks movin a little faster round here. we have to realize that even in our isolation, we are not immune to the problems all folks have with thier cattle. i think we have learned a hard lesson these past few days

 

[rockridgecattle]

did they say what might have?
sorry for the trouble

 

[sidney411]

I'm very curious to also know why the vet said they can never be in the herd. What do they have and how did the vet come to that conclusion? What tests were run? Thanks!

 

[tup]

well, the vet gave us Nuflor. some sort of respiratory, but my husband was not clear. one thing was certain however, it can be quite contagious. i don't know if the vet meant the sick heifers would be never do wells and wouldn't be productive in the herd, or if they will poison the herd as carriers. i am a little surprised that the vet was quick to prescribe what the fellas said you all here recomended. lol, i told my husband perhaps the fee ought to be sent here. if i can get a straight answer of what the diagnosis was i will post once more.

 

[tup]

brd was the official diagnosis. nuflor seems to be working. we are treating all the heifers.

 

[rockridgecattle]

Sell them heiffers and test your main herd. Sell the heiffers for slaughter do not pass problems on to someone else.
Very contagious, will pass the disease to the off spring (PI calves) if not vaccinated. Will shed more of the virus through every opening they have(eyes nose mouth, poop, pee etc) every chance they get and even more when they are stressed.

Sorry for the rough one