Joint Ill? (with pictures)
- Thread starter ffamom
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
highgrit
Well-known member
I got one right now with the same problem. Maybe someone will let us know what to do.
Highgrit,
We are treating him as if he has it. If it is joint ill, the longer you wait the tougher is it to cure. I found a protocol from University of Wisconsin vet medicine. Info below is from the pdf.
Septic arthritis (infected joints) protocol:
Calves with infected joints will show lameness, swelling of one or more joints, and fever. They may not be eating well, but this may be difficult to detect in a group pen. Calves with signs of infected joints should be treated promptly as this is a sign that they have had bacteria circulating in their blood (septicemia).
Treat these calves with BOTH of the following antibiotics:
Procaine Penicillin G Dose: ~22,000 IU/kg = 4 cc per 100 pounds Route: IM Frequency: Twice daily for 5-7 days
Naxcel / Excenel (Ceftiofur) Dose: 2 mg/kg = 2 cc per 100 pounds Route: IM Frequency: Twice daily for 5-7 days
These calves can also be treated with banamine as follows: Dose: 1 mg/kg (1 cc/100 lbs)
Route: Intravenously
Frequency: Give once only for a maximum of 3 days. If the calf's condition does not improve (reduced fever, improved appetite), the dose can be repeated 24 hours later. Call a veterinarian if the calf has not improved within 3 days.
We are treating him as if he has it. If it is joint ill, the longer you wait the tougher is it to cure. I found a protocol from University of Wisconsin vet medicine. Info below is from the pdf.
Septic arthritis (infected joints) protocol:
Calves with infected joints will show lameness, swelling of one or more joints, and fever. They may not be eating well, but this may be difficult to detect in a group pen. Calves with signs of infected joints should be treated promptly as this is a sign that they have had bacteria circulating in their blood (septicemia).
Treat these calves with BOTH of the following antibiotics:
Procaine Penicillin G Dose: ~22,000 IU/kg = 4 cc per 100 pounds Route: IM Frequency: Twice daily for 5-7 days
Naxcel / Excenel (Ceftiofur) Dose: 2 mg/kg = 2 cc per 100 pounds Route: IM Frequency: Twice daily for 5-7 days
These calves can also be treated with banamine as follows: Dose: 1 mg/kg (1 cc/100 lbs)
Route: Intravenously
Frequency: Give once only for a maximum of 3 days. If the calf's condition does not improve (reduced fever, improved appetite), the dose can be repeated 24 hours later. Call a veterinarian if the calf has not improved within 3 days.
highgrit
Well-known member
Thanks, ffamom he looks like he walks just fine on it, and it's not hot to the touch. We have seen him eat, pee, and poop.
His left knee just looks a little swollen. He will be 2 days old at 6pm. tonight. We plan on calling the vet in the morning.
His left knee just looks a little swollen. He will be 2 days old at 6pm. tonight. We plan on calling the vet in the morning.
He is young for this to be the issue. Joint ill shows up when they are about a week old. Have you taken his rectal temperature? You need to do that before you call the vet. Our vet tells us to be concerned when it is 102.5 and treat at 103.
inyati13
Well-known member
OK, I have a calf that was born Monday morning. This afternoon (less than 36 hours later) it has a swollen left front knee and does not want to walk on it. That has to be too early for an infection that results from birth (i.e. Joint ill) so I assume it has just been strained. I do not have pictures but I could get some.
cowgirlboots
Active member
We have the same thing here. A week ago, one of the new hereford babies (about three weeks old then) had a was kind of limping. Seemed like it was in her back right hip though. She seemed to improve after a couple days and no fever, they are on pasture that has a creek running through it... lots of possibility to trip, if they are not careful. Yesterday, we had a bull calf with a swollen knee, he didn't want to walk on it either. He is about two weeks old. Hope this one is the same deal and he comes out of it okay, he has no fever either.
inyati13
Well-known member
The calf is three days old this morning and he is fine. Must have been a physical problem. The neighbor has a very young lab pup that was bothering the cow and calf which are in the calving area. That has to stop!
rockridgecattle
Well-known member
Joint ill is one of the toughest to treat in calves. If you are using pen...toss it in the bush. Hit with Excede or what ever they recommended in the link above. We use nuflor and an anti inflam. Normal treatments can take over a week sometimes two with it in the joints. Nuflor has an IM and SQ dosage. We go with the IM because it is every two days and the other is longer 4 days i think...read the label.
Do not stop treating just cause you think it will be ok. At that point, where the calf is doing well and on its way to recovery, give the last dose the longer acting
With this tough bug, always err on the side of caution. If it re occurs it will be even worse
And yes, if conditions are ripe, navel ill can start just after birth. The wet navel acts like a sponge and soaks the bacteria into the liver. Once there, it will go septic and procede to the joints. We had one calf that went septic within less than 24 hours from birth, and ended up with a brain infection 24 hours later...encephylitis (sp). We started agressively with treatmens at the 12 hour mark from birth, but it was fast.
He is a last spring (2011) calf. He is alive and being grassed this summer and then butcherd. The steer is small, about the size of a 6 month old...and slobbers like no bodies business. Hubby named him "slobber pants"
Do not stop treating just cause you think it will be ok. At that point, where the calf is doing well and on its way to recovery, give the last dose the longer acting
With this tough bug, always err on the side of caution. If it re occurs it will be even worse
And yes, if conditions are ripe, navel ill can start just after birth. The wet navel acts like a sponge and soaks the bacteria into the liver. Once there, it will go septic and procede to the joints. We had one calf that went septic within less than 24 hours from birth, and ended up with a brain infection 24 hours later...encephylitis (sp). We started agressively with treatmens at the 12 hour mark from birth, but it was fast.
He is a last spring (2011) calf. He is alive and being grassed this summer and then butcherd. The steer is small, about the size of a 6 month old...and slobbers like no bodies business. Hubby named him "slobber pants"
