High fever...?

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ksmit454

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I have a yearling heifer who all of a sudden wasn't too interested to eat when being fed. We have had some really hot weather so I thought maybe that was playing a part. Tonight, same thing, not too interested in eating. I got her in the squeeze and took her temp, which was 105.1 F. I know that is high. She has zero other symptoms other than a little lethargic, and not interested in eating. Ideas? I will be sending a message to my vet but I wanted to see if anyone has had experience with oddly high temperate and no other symptoms.
 
Most pneumonia cases will present that way initially. The heavy breathing and cough comes after.
 
Most pneumonia cases will present that way initially. The heavy breathing and cough comes after.
Ok thank you, good to know. That is why I was stumped, no other issues. I have penecillin, or LA-300. Recommendations? I just gave her some probiotic & electrolyte paste until I can get to her tomorrow with antibiotics.
 
Ok thank you, good to know. That is why I was stumped, no other issues. I have penecillin, or LA-300. Recommendations? I just gave her some probiotic & electrolyte paste until I can get to her tomorrow with antibiotics.
I'd still recommend contacting your vet in the morning. Someone who can actually look at her is going to do a better job than someone shooting from the hip on the internet. Besides, even if my guess is right, they'll have a better antibiotic for her than what you've got on hand.
 
I'd still recommend contacting your vet in the morning. Someone who can actually look at her is going to do a better job than someone shooting from the hip on the internet. Besides, even if my guess is right, they'll have a better antibiotic for her than what you've got on hand.
Yes all of that is true! I figure it's not life threatening at this current point so I will wait until morning to text my vet. And yes she usually recommends something other than what I have on hand lol. Thanks for your help!
 
Vet says it could be tick borne, bacterial, or viral. Unfortunately my regular vet is on maternity leave and there are only 2 other vets in the area that will even look at cattle...
 
Banamine will help bring her temperature down. If it is respiratory, which I think likely, I'd give her something like Resflor Gold which already has Banamine in it. Talk to a cattle Vet again, and describe those symptoms. Hopefully one will give you a prescription without having to come out to see the animal. They can go very quickly from slightly lethargic and off feed to deaths door. I wouldn't wait on treatment. A temperature of 105 can be dangerous. There are certainly better things for what you are describing than LA 300. LA-300 is used more for treating eye and foot infections. Your calf sounds like one I lost a few years ago. He didn't seem all that sick and I thought I'd just keep an eye on him. I might not have even noticed anything was wrong, but we were doing an inventory of calves and all of the other calves got up and gathered around near the ATV. We found him maybe 50 feet away hiding in the weeds in the shade. When I got him up he walked slowly to the cow and sucked half heartedly before lying back down. We were busy and didn't check cows the next day, and when we went to check two days later the cow was with the herd and he has no where to be seen. We found him not far from where he'd been before and he obviously had respiratory issues. We got him to the corrals, took his temperature and treated him with Nuflor (same as Resflor, different company) and Banamine. For some reason he went crazy in the chute. We let him out and he just laid down and by morning he was gone.

Last year we had another one. Just lethargic and not hanging with the herd. That time I didn't wait. Brought him in and his temperature was 105. We treated him with Nuflor and Banamine and his temperature came down to 101 and he was back acting normal in only a day, but by then we had more calves hanging their heads. I hadn't vaccinated yet, so we brought in the whole herd vaccinated and treated any with a temp over 104 with Nuflor and Banamine. I gave all of them Enforce III as advised by my Vet. He said the nasal vaccines have a much quicker response time. We got lucky and stopped what I think was about to be a wreck. We had recently moved the cattle up along a fenceline that bordered the neighbors cattle, so I expect they picked up something from them.
 
Banamine will help bring her temperature down. If it is respiratory, which I think likely, I'd give her something like Resflor Gold which already has Banamine in it. Talk to a cattle Vet again, and describe those symptoms. Hopefully one will give you a prescription without having to come out to see the animal. They can go very quickly from slightly lethargic and off feed to deaths door. I wouldn't wait on treatment. A temperature of 105 can be dangerous. There are certainly better things for what you are describing than LA 300. LA-300 is used more for treating eye and foot infections. Your calf sounds like one I lost a few years ago. He didn't seem all that sick and I thought I'd just keep an eye on him. I might not have even noticed anything was wrong, but we were doing an inventory of calves and all of the other calves got up and gathered around near the ATV. We found him maybe 50 feet away hiding in the weeds in the shade. When I got him up he walked slowly to the cow and sucked half heartedly before lying back down. We were busy and didn't check cows the next day, and when we went to check two days later the cow was with the herd and he has no where to be seen. We found him not far from where he'd been before and he obviously had respiratory issues. We got him to the corrals, took his temperature and treated him with Nuflor (same as Resflor, different company) and Banamine. For some reason he went crazy in the chute. We let him out and he just laid down and by morning he was gone.

Last year we had another one. Just lethargic and not hanging with the herd. That time I didn't wait. Brought him in and his temperature was 105. We treated him with Nuflor and Banamine and his temperature came down to 101 and he was back acting normal in only a day, but by then we had more calves hanging their heads. I hadn't vaccinated yet, so we brought in the whole herd vaccinated and treated any with a temp over 104 with Nuflor and Banamine. I gave all of them Enforce III as advised by my Vet. He said the nasal vaccines have a much quicker response time. We got lucky and stopped what I think was about to be a wreck. We had recently moved the cattle up along a fenceline that bordered the neighbors cattle, so I expect they picked up something from them.
Wow... what a bad thing all together. I was able to contact another vet. I spoke with the vets assistant who is going to get back to me with what I should do next. So far she's still acting ok, just a little stand-offish. As soon as I hear back I'm going to see if I can get some banamine and a better antibiotic than what I already have.
 
With a temp of 105.1, that's getting into the scary zone (at least for my operation). She may be acting okay right now, but I'd get on the vet sooner, rather than later, for an antibiotic specifically for respiratory and Banamine or Banamine Transdermal.

Stand-offish is a big clue something is not right. On the fringe of the herd. Laying down a lot. Maybe an ear (or both) will be a little droopy. Not very interested in food. As opposed to the obvious signs of: coughing, snotty nose, discharge around the eyes, heavy/labored breathing.

Sending good luck!
 
With some tick borne parasites Oxytetracycline (LA300) can be quite usefull. As Buck suggested getting a Vet to actually examine the animal and take blood and smears especially before you start changing things with various antibiotics could be quite usefull to get a diagnosis since at this stage no one really knows what is going on and you potentially have the rest of your herd at risk.

Ken
 

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