joint ill in 5 week calf-any suggestions?

[newbie]

I am trying to save a calf 5 weeks old with joint ill. Vet has been out. We have been treatingm with Pen G and Banamine and only have two more days. Has anyone had any luck with joint ill? Husband tubed electrolytes this am . But she did not drink her milk bottle tonigt. She has been on penicillin and banamine. Cheers

 

[larryshoat]

It does not sound good for this calf . Any time you're tubing a 5 week old calf that won't drink it is not good . I think I would try a better antibiotic along with the Pen, something like draxxin, nuflor, micotil, baytril . I'm criticized for it ,but when I need seriuos relief from symptoms I will use dexamethasone for a few days . Hope some of this helps .

Larry

 

[milkmaid]

JMO, but I'd set a deadline for that calf to get better, and don't budge on it. If she isn't well by the time she reaches that deadline... cut your losses and shoot her. What's your plan for her if she does recover? slaughter? breeding?

She's 5 weeks old and has had this almost since birth; prognosis is not good. I lost a calf with joint ill a few years back, and she'd only had it for a week or two before I acquired her and began treatment.

My thoughts; give her another 24 hours on antibiotics (and JMO, but I'd up the dose of pen to 10cc), and if she's not showing improvement, get your vet to lance, drain, and flush the infected joint. After that I'd have him inject the joint with antibiotics or sulfa. If that won't turn her around in 2-3 days you'd be best off to chalk it up to a learning experience and call it quits.

 

[larryshoat]

JMO, but I'd set a deadline for that calf to get better, and don't budge on it. If she isn't well by the time she reaches that deadline... cut your losses and shoot her. What's your plan for her if she does recover? slaughter? breeding?

She's 5 weeks old and has had this almost since birth; prognosis is not good. I lost a calf with joint ill a few years back, and she'd only had it for a week or two before I acquired her and began treatment.

My thoughts; give her another 24 hours on antibiotics (and JMO, but I'd up the dose of pen to 10cc), and if she's not showing improvement, get your vet to lance, drain, and flush the infected joint. After that I'd have him inject the joint with antibiotics or sulfa. If that won't turn her around in 2-3 days you'd be best off to chalk it up to a learning experience and call it quits.

I agree 100% .

Larry

 

[angie1]

It does not sound good for this calf . Any time you're tubing a 5 week old calf that won't drink it is not good . I think I would try a better antibiotic along with the Pen, something like draxxin, nuflor, micotil, baytril . I'm criticized for it ,but when I need seriuos relief from symptoms I will use dexamethasone for a few days . Hope some of this helps .

Larry

Is as Alice suggested as well. I think newbie you would see better results with this. You are not giving enough banamine either. If you switch it dex, bump it to at the very least the directions on the bottle. As I stated on your other thread, don't use it (banamine or dex) past the time that you need it, can be hard on their bellies ~ but use it if you need to.

 

[milkmaid]

Neither banamine nor dex will cure the calf... they only mask symptoms, and sometimes will take inflammation down enough to get a higher concentration of antibiotics in the area. Given that the calf has had this for 5 weeks, it's very unlikely any dose of banamine or dex will reduce inflammation at the joint significantly. Might make her feel better and drink, but if you get the infection erradicated she'd feel better and drink, too. I'd save your money. JMO.

 

[Jovid]

I would try sulfa boluses and Tylan. Shoot some Tylan directly into the joint along with a regular shot in the muscle. We have one that the vet tried treating with all the new antibiotics and they didn't seem to work. Started with the Tylan and sulfa and she improved the within a couple of days. Two weeks later she is walking fine.

 

[lraymond]

hello
New to this form.. I read the post about tylan injected into the knee,we have a holstein heifer that was give to us, from a nearby farmer in ontario, Canada.
When she came she was very sensitive all over her body,but was fairly new to being born.. well to cut to the chase..she developed a very high fever,and her neck ( inside of hours) curled back to her back, forhead touching her spine,Dexathorsome by vet was given as well as tylan injections daily..she ate fine as we had to physically uncurl her to get her in ok position to feed her, but she drand great..could not stand but we stood her up and held her stretched her legs etc 5-10 times a day , and 5 days later she started standing, got pnemonia.. all has recovered, but her knee's strated to swell,assumed joint ill, and vet started her on meds right away.he has had her on tetracyclineLA,tylan,pennicillin LA, no change. she is eating great,putting on weight great, but her knee's are very swollen,they have not broken yet and are so swollen that she is having a hard time standing without her knee's bending forward.Called vet and he was gone for weekend, so decided to try tylan into joint..wow did it burn and cause her pain,at the time of injection,was very careful to be sterile, before injection and after, new needle etc.. today it seems to be better.. a little .. but I was wondering how long and how often the knee injection will have to be done or is it a one shot deal..She is one of a tripplet birth and she is a dear and we would like to keep her.. any idea's from the person that gave the shot of tylan already in the post.

 

[Bez+]

hello
New to this form.. I read the post about tylan injected into the knee,we have a holstein heifer that was give to us, from a nearby farmer in ontario, Canada.
When she came she was very sensitive all over her body,but was fairly new to being born.. well to cut to the chase..she developed a very high fever,and her neck ( inside of hours) curled back to her back, forhead touching her spine,Dexathorsome by vet was given as well as tylan injections daily..she ate fine as we had to physically uncurl her to get her in ok position to feed her, but she drand great..could not stand but we stood her up and held her stretched her legs etc 5-10 times a day , and 5 days later she started standing, got pnemonia.. all has recovered, but her knee's strated to swell,assumed joint ill, and vet started her on meds right away.he has had her on tetracyclineLA,tylan,pennicillin LA, no change. she is eating great,putting on weight great, but her knee's are very swollen,they have not broken yet and are so swollen that she is having a hard time standing without her knee's bending forward.Called vet and he was gone for weekend, so decided to try tylan into joint..wow did it burn and cause her pain,at the time of injection,was very careful to be sterile, before injection and after, new needle etc.. today it seems to be better.. a little .. but I was wondering how long and how often the knee injection will have to be done or is it a one shot deal..She is one of a tripplet birth and she is a dear and we would like to keep her.. any idea's from the person that gave the shot of tylan already in the post.

Heroic measures - they are all cute until they grow up

Sorry - but I cannot understand why anyone would put an animal through this.

Planning to continue spending?

Planning to eat it?

Promise me it will never breed another animal - otherwise this will be a continuing disaster

And finally - if you have money to burn fine - but you sure do not do this for a living - you got more tied up in it than it is worth.

Best let Mom Nature take over - if it lives fine - but if it stays bad - time for this one to die.

Bullet is cheaper and far more effective. Buy another please.

One that works

Bez+

 

[lraymond]

Really just looking for the person who posted about the tylan, no not breeding she will remain a pet, yes have spent alot on her, and yes far more than she is worth.. but sometimes it is nice to give back and try, huh!!!! she has not quit so I will not, but thanks for the direction and if it were you would you give up so easy? really she is a dear and I think deservs to have a life if it can be solved with a little tylan..huh..we have a small farm and donot mind the investment if it will work for her.

 

[rockridgecattle]

I agree with Larry and MM, and Bez.
Iraymond, as a commercial producer who makes a living on their cows, I understand what Bez is saying. The profit margin on cows is so low that you need to cut your losses when you have to.
You also have to realize we live in an era where PETA and such have alot of power, and can use this as an example of a cattle producer cruelty to animals. Putting a calf through this is cruel. This calf of yours will not last as a full grown animal with knees like that. A full grown cow will and can grow to 1200-1500-1800 LBs. That is alot of weight poor knees. If you want a keeper, keep a healthy animal.

RR

 

[angie1]

no not breeding she will remain a pet, yes have spent alot on her, and yes far more than she is worth.. but sometimes it is nice to give back and try, huh!!!! she has not quit so I will not, but thanks for the direction and if it were you would you give up so easy?

You are not giving up "easy" ~ look at all you have done and continue to do. I acknowledge your effort, and appreciate your desire to "help".

I understand where you are coming from. I get emotionally attached to my animals as well. I have disregarded cost if I think I can save them. From that point of view (not as a commercial cattle person, or someone under the thumb of PETA or other censorship, but as someone who just plain cares about and likes her animals), I encourage you to do this calf a favor and put her down. I have said before that there are things worse than death ~ and this is a good example.

I am not the school of hard knocks. I am not criticizing you or making fun of you. If you want to have a cow as a pet ~ more power to you. If you want to spend your life savings on one cow ~ its your money and we have no right to judge that. If you really want to help this one, then help her die. Soon.

JMO, and I hope the feedback doesn't discourage your further participation on the boards. No one is being mean, just honest.

 

[Roadapple]

I would use something besides LA or Pen. I had one I finally treated with Micotil and cleared it right up. But if you do try Micotil be careful not to stick yourself as it can be fatal.

 

[angus9259]

JMO, but I'd set a deadline for that calf to get better, and don't budge on it. If she isn't well by the time she reaches that deadline... cut your losses and shoot her. What's your plan for her if she does recover? slaughter? breeding?

She's 5 weeks old and has had this almost since birth; prognosis is not good. I lost a calf with joint ill a few years back, and she'd only had it for a week or two before I acquired her and began treatment.

My thoughts; give her another 24 hours on antibiotics (and JMO, but I'd up the dose of pen to 10cc), and if she's not showing improvement, get your vet to lance, drain, and flush the infected joint. After that I'd have him inject the joint with antibiotics or sulfa. If that won't turn her around in 2-3 days you'd be best off to chalk it up to a learning experience and call it quits.

Looking back I can see a hundred times when I should have taken this advice except I would have put her down and taken her open momma to the sale. There's too many good cattle out there for cheap right now to waste that kind of money.

 

[allritecoach]

Similar problem, 150# holstien steer that eats well but is very stiff when he gets up. Wondering just how much of the dex you woud give him? Started him on penicillin yesterday.

 

[larryshoat]

Similar problem, 150# holstien steer that eats well but is very stiff when he gets up. Wondering just how much of the dex you woud give him? Started him on penicillin yesterday.

About 2 per hundred twice daily for a couple of days, then use bananmine.

Larry