I have a 7 month old brown swiss calf its my daughters for her 4h when he was 1 month old he got pneumonia they said they treated him in time, shortly after that he got sick again had a fever of 106 and they said he had a virus, they treated him again but they said he had lung damage, now we are at 7 months of age, he has gained some weight, looks alot better then what he did but is not at all filled out like he should be, we have him on appetite booster with the antihistamine , he still coughs and stands there with his tongue out, breaths harder than the other calf we just bought her , my question is is there ANYTHING I can do for him to make him gain weight and look better, I was told ralgro might work but I just dont know anymore please help :x
lung damage? not ready to give up: last update!
- Thread starter mystery74
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mystery74":1rv0qmhb said:
A good vet can tell you if the calf has lung damage.
We went thru that with a heifer that was about 5 months old at the time. Took her 3 times to the vet clinic. First vet treated her and said she didn't have lung damage. The second vet treated her and said she didn't have lung damange. The third vet said she had lung damage and didn't treat her. My husband brought her home, gave her a draxxin, vitamins out the wazoo, nuflor and banamine (decided it would either cure her or kill her), and we moved her into the large pasture. She's doing great, even in this ungodly heat!
The reason we moved her is because the pen she was in had turned to dust (thanks Msscamp for cluing me in on that one). It was a huge pen, but it had been tromped and grazed down to nothing but dry dusty dirt. The other calves were doing fine, but she wasn't. She'd been vaccinated just like the others, but when she got sick, she went down fast. All of those calves in with her went along to the big pasture. That dusty dirt can wreak havoc on a calves lungs.
Alice
Herefordcross
Well-known member
Call the vet.
Sounds like inflamation to me but, I'm not a vet and it very well could be permanent lung damage.
Sounds like inflamation to me but, I'm not a vet and it very well could be permanent lung damage.
warpaint
Well-known member
Herefordcross":1e8g7tuy said:
That or scar tissue, in either case it's not good.
TheBullLady
Well-known member
When I raised bottle calves, I never had much luck with any that either had very bad cases of pnuemonia, or had recurring cases. I gave up after hoping the first couple would do better, and sent the others to the auction.
AngusLimoX
Well-known member
If you find the solution to that problem, quietly pm me and you and I will make tons of money.
Never had a lung damaged animal come back close to 100%.
( Only had a couple ).
I wish I could tell you otherwise.
Good Luck though!
Never had a lung damaged animal come back close to 100%.
( Only had a couple ).
I wish I could tell you otherwise.
Good Luck though!
Would you elaborate on your last sentence? Are you saying you sold your sick calf at the auction? If so is'nt that how healthy calves get sick, or am I just not understanding your statement?TheBullLady":38wtby1z said:
mystery74
Well-known member
Thank you to the suggestions , especially alice and the recommendations, I went straight to the vet yesterday and asked her about the medicine you suggested, she came out and told me to start him on the nuflor and tri-hist granules which are originally for horses with allergies but we lowered the dose, he is not coughing or standing there with his tongue hanging out, he is back to acting like a calf should, and eating,he is still breathing a little hard but so far its an improvement because its not a fast and hard breath, This was my first huge case of this and hopefully wont ever see it again, just now learning the ropes thanks again to everyone, My daughter will be happy to know we are keeping him and she should be able to take him next august to the fair. 
mystery74":3tyast59 said:Thank you to the suggestions , especially alice and the recommendations, I went straight to the vet yesterday and asked her about the medicine you suggested, she came out and told me to start him on the nuflor and tri-hist granules which are originally for horses with allergies but we lowered the dose, he is not coughing or standing there with his tongue hanging out, he is back to acting like a calf should, and eating,he is still breathing a little hard but so far its an improvement because its not a fast and hard breath, This was my first huge case of this and hopefully wont ever see it again, just now learning the ropes thanks again to everyone, My daughter will be happy to know we are keeping him and she should be able to take him next august to the fair.
Improvements are always a relief...but keep a close eye on him.
Alice
AngusLimoX
Well-known member
So he didn't have lung damage?? Or Nuflor and these granules cured the lung damage?
Trying to get my patent application ready!! :lol:
Trying to get my patent application ready!! :lol:
mystery74
Well-known member
what I was told a few months ago by a different vet was he had lesions on his lungs they said it was permanent, however, his signs were not everyday, what really made me mad was when he said on monday that spending $3.00 for this implant to help him gain weight was a waste of my time, effort and money, I mean come on, what is $3.00 if it works, so I contacted a very trustworthy vet through the 4H , she will just tell me how it is, and what she said was to go ahead and get the implant, because it would help him gain weight, and the nuflor would help him to stop coughing, and the tri-hist because she thought that would clear the lungs, and so far it really is working,and should make him stay healthy till next august, but he is walking funny and am not sure if he is handicapped,???? will have to see what happens but at least I am not giving up on him yet just keep your fingers crossed !
AngusLimoX
Well-known member
Thanks SO much for getting back, sometimes a one way street in here.
Any chance of a vitamin/mineral deficiency? White Muscle?
Don't count on the hormones so much, lotta cattle been raised profitably without them.
Come on Alice , jump in here!! :lol:
Any chance of a vitamin/mineral deficiency? White Muscle?
Don't count on the hormones so much, lotta cattle been raised profitably without them.
Come on Alice , jump in here!! :lol:
mystery74
Well-known member
Just came in to let you all know I truly think the first vet was wrong about lesions on his lungs, the trustworthy vet and the nuflor and granules have put this 7 month old on a new road of life, he shows no breathing problems NONE, no heaviness ,no coughing, its like he isnt the same calf, he is running around and playing which he really has never done because he has always been sick, I know he has a long road ahead of him but I am hopeful and thank god i didnt listen to the people that were telling me to put a bullet in his head, and the medicine didnt cost all that much, Alice i sure appreciate all your advice, I am thankful, it was your recommendations that I took to the vet, thank you I will keep everyone posted, hopefully we have no set backs
mystery74":382bwrzo said:
Oh, boy, I hope you don't have any setbacks, either. Respiratory stuff can be so lousy tricky. Keep a close eye on him...if you even suspect a suspicious cough or sniffle, call the vet and/or treat the symptom...and look around to see if there's anything that could possibly be aggravating the condition. I know this is a show calf and you're just wanting to get him in the ring...not keep him ad infinitum.
I'm gonna be called an alarmist, but dang, I hate that respiratory junk.
Alice
AngusLimoX":18ykn2xi said:
I don't have any experience with White Muscle disease but, from what I've read about it, a calf with this disease doesn't make it past approx. a week old without Selenium. I could be wrong, though.
It is rare for a vit. E deficiency to occur, but when it does, the signs are similar for a deficiency of selenium.Alice":2rcbljme said:AngusLimoX":2rcbljme said:
About what? We aren't selenium deficient here...I don't know from white muscle.
Alice
mystery74
Well-known member
I actually have no experience with either, but the vet has said nothing on the two, so far so good we have to give the other shot of nuflor tonight, he was breathing a little hard this morning but still an improvement from the last 7 months, I just wish i would have done this remedy of medicines in the beginningRoadapple":kzsjpwyf said:It is rare for a vit. E deficiency to occur, but when it does, the signs are similar for a deficiency of selenium.Alice":kzsjpwyf said:AngusLimoX":kzsjpwyf said:
About what? We aren't selenium deficient here...I don't know from white muscle.
Alice
TheBullLady
Well-known member
To elaborate.. what I should have said was once a young calf had a bad case of pnuemonia and recovered, I never kept them for replacements. Always sold them for feeders.
Good luck with your calf.. but be very wary of a relapse.
Good luck with your calf.. but be very wary of a relapse.
mystery74
Well-known member
looks as though the meds were only a relief for a little while, still breathing heavy he still eats alot, but he just wont gain the weight he should really skinny along the spine, no ham, but you cant see his ribs anymore, so I know he is gaining weight, its really frustrating,
