HELP WITH SHOW STEER (SICK)

[kobo]

HELLO, NEW TO BOARD...
Have a Maine/angus steer about 14 months old weighing about 1100 lbs. Over a month ago I noticed his head hanging and just looking sick. Took his temp and had a low grade. Waited about a week, same...called vet friend and got us 2 syringes of Draxxin. Gave him one dose...waited another week or so not much change....then gave 20 cc of penicillin...waited another week gave him the other 12 cc of Draxxin. Waited a few more days and took to another what I thought was qualified vet, now he seems worse than before. Know he revaccinated him for respritory and gave some banamine. Still head hanging and tough breathing. Still eating about 20 lbs of feed per day (though slower, tonight not that much. (tongue sticking out delayed breathing and coughing.
Yesterday he had some discharge from his nose, but today didn't see that, but labored breathing still....
Vet did check him and listen to him said he thought he only had about 30% use of his lungs, and some upper respritory stuff he gave us some powder to put on his feed to clear that up (labeled for horses)...
Anyway, pretty sure he may have had pneumonia (though not postive) and may have waited to long to get on the Draxxin) but not sure.
Now wondering if he may not have dyptheria?? Do any of you have any ideas or suggestions?? Thank you

 

[TheBullLady]

The problem with pnuemonia is if you don't treat it pretty quickly, it tends to get "chronic". Meaning the calf will seem to improve slightly, but will never be a good doer. I don't know now much longer you have before you show, but 30% lung capacity is not good. Where it's gone on this long without any noticeable improvement, you may be too late to do much.

Draxxin usually works well, but apparently it wasn't the right drug for the type of pnuemonia. Sometimes you have to try other options, like Nyflor or Baytril, or Mycotil.

 

[kobo]

Ok...if I can't seem to get him well what would you do in the same situation. I don't want to eat him...but am worried one morning will go up there and he could be keeled over dead!!
Thanks :cry2: :cry2:

 

[dun]

Ok...if I can't seem to get him well what would you do in the same situation. I don't want to eat him...but am worried one morning will go up there and he could be keeled over dead!!
Thanks :cry2: :cry2:

When the drug withdrawl time passes about your only choices are to eat him or just keep feeding him till he dies.

 

[hillsdown]

Banamine is crap in these situations, give him a good dose of dex or predef at the min. Treat him with nuflor and or a combined nuflor micotil combo .. Nuflfor stops it from growing and then micotil kills it...

 

[milkmaid]

Couple options - calf still has pneumonia (option - retreat him and continue treating him on a planned treatment schedule; the bouncing from one antibiotic to another and sporadic treatments are worthless), or the calf is over pneumonia and has temporary or permanent lung damage (option - feed him until he's passed the withdrawal times and butcher him, or feed him and wait to see if he recovers).

Take his temp in the morning (you'll get a more accurate reading in the morning than late in the day), if he is still running a temp and/or has a depressed attitude (not "bright, alert, reactive") then he's probably still dealing with an infection and you should treat him with something that gets a response and keep him on it until he's well. If he acts fine and is not running a temp, but coughs, has trouble breathing, etc, then you're probably looking at a lunger and time will tell as to whether he will recover and how severe the lung damage is. The other problem is that a calf with lung damage is prone to picking up every stray "bug" that comes along and repeatedly getting sick. I've tried using Nasalgen on a "lunger" before to increase immunity and it seemed to keep her healthy. Low lung function but she didn't come down with pneumonia again.

Hope that helps. Next time don't wait so long to treat - respiratory stuff ought to be considered an emergency.

 

[kobo]

Thanks so much MILKMAID, you've had the most educated and helpful answer thus far...we did break down this morning and hauled him to what we've been told is the best bovine vet clinic in TX. ((85 mi away)
She took his temp 103, then she checked his throat and diagnosed him with a condition called laryngeal Hemiplegia (roarer). She said its normally found in horses its something to do with a defect they develop in how they swallow (something like that...would have to look up hard to explain) She also drew blood and said she would find out if he still has a infection going on and if so told me to treat with Naxcel and Pennicillin for the next 10 days. She thinks he does but won't know for sure till test comes back.
She said he'll never recover, but can make it if pampered somewhat and stress kept to minimums. So...good to know we don't have to put a "bullet" in his head (from previous poster), although if he doesn't get better may sell him to someone else who might send him to do just that. I can't just too attached.
Anyway...thought you might wanted to know. Another thing...she said the Naxcel has just a 4 day withdrawal time if we feel he doesn't improve if it ends up he does have a infection going on.

 

[kobo]

One more thing MILKMAID...is Nasalgen a prescription, a shot or what? Do I get from vet, and how did you administer. (If I get this guy feeling better) Not sure if lung problems, just can't get alot of air with the laryngeal thing. (is what vet said)

 

[milkmaid]

Naxcel - right, it does have a 4 day slaughter withdrawal; the issue with withdrawal times is the Draxxin the calf's been given. I don't recall offhand but Draxxin is probably around 30 days. Ideally the calf would improve a little and you could get him past those 30 days and then make a decision.

Nasalgen - it's an intranasal vaccine; about 1cc of vaccine squirted into one or both nostrils, and results in a fast, local, immunity to PI3 and BRSV. Obviously those aren't the only "bugs" that can cause problems, but those are two that can cause problems and it seems that an increased amount of white blood cells in the upper respiratory tract will help prevent other "bugs" from establishing an infection. You can get it from your vet or any place that sells vaccines, no prescription needed.

Glad I could help - give us an update on the calf and hopefully you have good news to report.