My hubby and I have been around cattle from birth, my FIL, hubby, myself, vet have never seen this before. Acutally don't know what the problem is. Gone for 1 week baby was apprx 2 weeks old, FIL checking cattle. when we got home somehow somewhy baby was dehydrated (badly), momma was around but baby wouldn't stand and nurse. We bottle fed, momma was still around. late that afternoon wen't back to bottle feed and momma was gone, stayed late and momma stayed away, moved baby to barn and I have bottle fed for 11 days now. baby has never stood up without assistance. Was nursing bottle great, two days ago, decided she didn't remember how to nurse, or didn't want to nurse, have used nuflor, nutri-drench, penecylin (sp) Electrolytes, last night she did nurse the bottle again, but I'm wondering if this is a lost cause, I HATE TO GIVE UP. Sorry this is so long and I'm new here and saw where there seemed to be lots and lots of help, Thanks for any time or advice.
i'm new here - Please help - Down calf -
- Thread starter Bevie
- Start date
mermill2
Well-known member
Hello, Bevie, you will need to hydrate calf. you may have to tube her. How about vet, have you called him?? Whatever it is sounds serious.Is calf weak, Take temperature, Does the calf seem dull, or etc,???Could be different things, Any diarrhea? How is the mother? I hope your calf gets better Merry
mermill2
Well-known member
Hello Bevie, Sorry I didn;t see where you had called the vet, My eyes are not what they used to be, Maybe, it is something neurological??? i am really sorry about your calf. There are some really good people out there, Dun, Alice, Milkmaid and more.Keep getting nutrition in her,treat symptoms. Merry
mermill2
Well-known member
Hi Bevie, I got the website address for the Merck Veterinary Manuel http://www.,erckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp It may be the new addition, 50th anniversary, ???I keep it on my favorites Merry
Calf is very very weak. I'm afraid it maybe neuro. But I just thought well.... she was nursing so good. until a couple days ago. has pooped and pee'd. She did have some scours and I gave spectrum so far so good on that. Old time remedy I know but I have put egg in milk starter. Vet out of elimination gave some selenium for white muscle, but... we are all just at a loss, we probably will never know and if she pulls thru -a miracle. Thanks for the quick help - off to get more nuflor right now and try to get banamine, have never heard of it. hubby either. pray and wish us luck.
mermill2
Well-known member
Devie, It is Merck not erck on that website, i was in too much of a hurry, trying to get that to you, I hope your calf pulls through. the website again is : http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp Sorry about the dropped m merry
mermill2
Well-known member
Devie, It is Merck not erck on that website, i was in too much of a hurry, trying to get that to you, I hope your calf pulls through. the website again is : http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp Sorry about the dropped m merry
What I meant by vet had never seen anything like this is..... not dehydrated but for no apparent reason. no pneumonia type symptoms, was fine nursing 2wk old calf and boom. She did NOT have scours until a day or so into the bottle feeding. I've seen dehydrated calves, seen pneumonia, seen snake bite, I live in Southern Oklahoma seen a lot of stuff. but there is no obvious symptom pointing to anything specific. eyes are not weepy - she seemed to be getting stronger after scours were under control and eyes looked honestly good. I do sincerely thank you for your help, I was raised and worked on a dairy farm. my family has always been in the cattle industry, uncle is a cattle buyer. etc. and I'm am tending to agree, she needs to suffer no more. I just felt as long as she wanted to nurse, maybe I could help her. thanks again.
Keep in mind a calf doesn't neccessarily have to be scouring to be under attack by scour-causing bacteria or viruses. Some cause a lot of fluid loss by diarrhea, others cause very little fluid loss and manure looks normal -- but they're wreaking havoc on the calf's insides. Perhaps that was the inital problem, and while calf was not really "scouring", he sure didn't feel good enough to get up and nurse, and that could dehydrate him VERY rapidly.
If she still nursed last night I wouldn't give up quite yet. Try a shot of Vitamin B complex and electrolytes (what type are you using?) to stimulate her appetite. Might not be a bad idea to repeat the selenium (Bo-Se). I also give a standard shot of Vitamins A and D to any calf I'm treating - just figure they're losing lots of minerals, vitamins, and electrolytes when scouring.
You don't happen to have any IV fluids like lactated ringers or saline solution, do you? Some of that given SC with 5-10cc's of dextrose might give him the boost he needs.
Banamine and dexamethasone are two different drugs that can make the calf feel better and reduce inflammation in the gut. My vet says he's used Rally 20/Recover - it's an antihistamine - on scouring calves as well, in conjunction with dexamethasone and he likes the results. Can't vouch for it, myself, as I haven't tried it yet.
Calves don't really "forget" how to nurse off a bottle - if they won't nurse at one feeding when they drank fine before, it's because she they don't feel like it - just don't feel well enough to drink. I would guess that most likely you haven't whipped whatever bug is causing her trouble. So keep the calf on antibiotics. Nuflor's good. I'd go with something orally, too though, Spectam or SMZs. Make sure you keep plenty of fluids into that calf - even just tubing with water. Oh, and make sure you haul her to her feet and at least try to make her stand at least once a day. Good luck with her and hope she makes it for you. :)
If she still nursed last night I wouldn't give up quite yet. Try a shot of Vitamin B complex and electrolytes (what type are you using?) to stimulate her appetite. Might not be a bad idea to repeat the selenium (Bo-Se). I also give a standard shot of Vitamins A and D to any calf I'm treating - just figure they're losing lots of minerals, vitamins, and electrolytes when scouring.
You don't happen to have any IV fluids like lactated ringers or saline solution, do you? Some of that given SC with 5-10cc's of dextrose might give him the boost he needs.
Banamine and dexamethasone are two different drugs that can make the calf feel better and reduce inflammation in the gut. My vet says he's used Rally 20/Recover - it's an antihistamine - on scouring calves as well, in conjunction with dexamethasone and he likes the results. Can't vouch for it, myself, as I haven't tried it yet.
Calves don't really "forget" how to nurse off a bottle - if they won't nurse at one feeding when they drank fine before, it's because she they don't feel like it - just don't feel well enough to drink. I would guess that most likely you haven't whipped whatever bug is causing her trouble. So keep the calf on antibiotics. Nuflor's good. I'd go with something orally, too though, Spectam or SMZs. Make sure you keep plenty of fluids into that calf - even just tubing with water. Oh, and make sure you haul her to her feet and at least try to make her stand at least once a day. Good luck with her and hope she makes it for you. :)
memanpa
Well-known member
once again MM comes thru with very sound advice.
MM has to be the queen of saving calves the rest of us would give up on :heart: :heart:
MM has to be the queen of saving calves the rest of us would give up on :heart: :heart:
Texan
Well-known member
Unless she's a heifer, I'd get rid of momma pfq. She's just wasting grass a good cow could eat. A mature cow shouldn't let you just take her baby away and never come back to get it. A cow doesn't get much more worthless than that.Bevie":3m8e512d said:
Farminlund
Well-known member
Good point Texan
I had to put down a calf due to a genetic defect. Chased the 1st calf heifer out of the corral area & did the dead. A herd mate calved a few days later & more than a week after loosing her calf this new born got out of the pasture & was chased back from the general direction of the corral. Once back inside the fence & into the proper pasture, it now had 2 mothers, its real mom & the heifer who was convinced that her calf of over week ago had come home.
Just a little story on the mothering instinct of a good heifer.
I had to put down a calf due to a genetic defect. Chased the 1st calf heifer out of the corral area & did the dead. A herd mate calved a few days later & more than a week after loosing her calf this new born got out of the pasture & was chased back from the general direction of the corral. Once back inside the fence & into the proper pasture, it now had 2 mothers, its real mom & the heifer who was convinced that her calf of over week ago had come home.
Just a little story on the mothering instinct of a good heifer.
mermill2
Well-known member
Hi bevie, Check your pm Merry
mermill2
Well-known member
Hi Bevie, Please check your 2pms, is that calf eating grass?? Merry
Not the first day we found her down. no. She had been nursing her momma for about 2 wks before she went down. She was not a newborn calf, i mean 1 or 2 days old - she was between 2-3 weeks old and seeminly fine. thanks for your help.
