Is this Diphtheria?

[Hamiam]

On Tuesday I noticed a 3 month old steer calf with a runny eye, maybe even a tinge of pink or red under it. Otherwise seemed fine, looked minor. When I checked him yesterday he was making a loud noise when breathing. I worried it was pneumonia & got him in the chute. His eye looked fine, only seemed like he had slight bags under both eyes like kind of puffy but not bad. His weight was 319. His weight was 288 on 3/20 when he got his first vaccines. He gets boosters 4/18. I gave him 9cc of LA300. Today, you can still hear him breathing from yards away but when you look at him, he doesn't appear to be in Respiratory Distress or working hard to move air. He is eating & acting normal. I will call the vet in the morning, but based on what I've read tonight, he either has some type of Partial obstruction or he has diphtheria. I'll get him lotted in the am & take his temp too. This is a first for me & has me worried.

 

[GoWyo]

Does his breath stink like rotting meat? That is a tell on diphtheria. Also stretching his neck out to try and clear his airway to breathe is another. Maybe not that far along if that is what it is.

 

[greybeard]

Does his breath stink like rotting meat?

I never knew that but never been around any cattle diphtheria either.

 

[Hamiam]

Does his breath stink like rotting meat? That is a tell on diphtheria. Also stretching his neck out to try and clear his airway to breathe is another. Maybe not that far along if that is what it is.

I didn't notice a smell when I had him in the chute but wasn't looking for that either. I will definitely be taking a closer look & sniff this morning & update my post. I didn't see any stretching & I was surprised with the loud sound while breathing & now normal he looks & acts. I think you right, it might be that I caught it very early. My vet is really good about letting me send pics & videos to help make decisions on how to treat. He is a nice calf born 1/15/24 weight 94 lbs. So he's gained 225lbs in less than 3 months. He was castrated/cut - 2/23/24. I just hate when I have a hurt or sick animal. Unfortunately we just found out 2 weeks ago that our 14.5 year old Blue heeler mix has a large spleen tumor/ suspected cancer. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/aZB9VGK4Gicasobf/?mibextid=xCPwDs

 

[daneg]

Sounds like diphtheria, give Dexamethasone.

 

[GoWyo]

Sounds like diphtheria, give Dexamethasone.

Need sulfa pills to kill diphtheria.

 

[Silver]

Don't necessarily need Sulfa pills for diphtheria. In fact jamming pills past the infection can do more harm than good. A drug like Borgal is good though.
Whichever drug is used they need lots of it and they need it for a long time. I would treat for 10 days to 2 weeks after symptoms disappear. Along with an anti-inflammatory.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Is your vet going to make a farm call?

 

[Hamiam]

Is your vet going to make a farm call?

Sorry I'm just now updating.
I sent a longer version of this video to my vet yesterday. Since I had him in the chute & he had about 70% improvement after the first LA300, I went ahead & gave another LA300 injection & gave Banamine. He wasn't making the breathing noise prior to being put in the chute & having me examine his mouth. No odor, nothing seen in the back of his mouth. No lesions seen. He wasn't slobbering until after I put my hands in his mouth. The vet didn't get back with me until this morning & doesn't think it's diphtheria. I told her he is even better today. I observed him for at least 20 minutes & there was an occasional wheezing sound but no more of that snoring type sound. He's a little depressed & looks tired. She thinks it sounds like inflammation of his nasal passages. She wants me to give him an injection of Nurflor & another Banamine & watch him closely.