mouth to mouth?

[Dee]

I had to pull a calf today as it was tipped to the side a bit. Not a real hard pull either. When I got the calf out it had a heart beat, very shallow breathing, and once in a while would struggle to take a good breath. I draped him over a core of a round straw bale to try to drain any fluid from him. After about five minutes the heart beat quit. Next time... do I pump his chest? Blow in his mouth? Or what? Never had this happen before, so I never needed to know, and hopefully I won't need to ever do it, but just incase...

 

[milkmaid]

Vicky said something once about cold water in their ear. It's been a long time...best run a search for it.

 

[Nowland Farms]

Dee,

A few of times when I have had to pull a calf on a 1st heifers the calf was a little slow in starting to breath. Each time I stuck either my finger or a piece of of straw up their nostril. This causes them to reflex and suck in alot of air, they usually start breathing Ok after this.

Others will jump in here and provide better info than I am able to provide. Compared to the expertise on these boards, I know very little.

Sorry for your loss, It's tough to see the calf try to live and you are not able to help them.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Vicky said something once about cold water in their ear. It's been a long time...best run a search for it.

Yep, cold water period is good for revival. Got a shot of LA into a calf's jugular once. Dropped him like a brick. Desperately drug him over to the water hydrant and poured the cold water into his ears and face. He shocked back.

Also, if you think a calf is having trouble breathing due to fluid in the lungs, don't set him belly down on anything. Hang him over your shoulder, being careful not to press on the abdomen, and run your hands down his throat/neck from withers to nose. It'll help drain.

And, as mentioned, blowing through a straw into the nose will sometimes bring them around.

Rod

 

[Beef11]

There is a calf recessitator on the market I want to say SEMEX or genex sells it 20 bucks i think i was playing with one on friday really neat and simple.

 

[joe]

nasco has a resucitator for $80. Looks like a plastic cup with a hand pump connected to it. Never used one so don't know much else.

 

[dun]

Are the local vet and I the only ones that have actaully put our mouths over a calfs nose and breathed into them?

dun

 

[cfpinz]

Are the local vet and I the only ones that have actaully put our mouths over a calfs nose and breathed into them?

dun

Nope! (cough, spit)

 

[Crowderfarms]

Seperates the Men from the Boys right quick. I've done it. Beats digging a hole.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Are the local vet and I the only ones that have actaully put our mouths over a calfs nose and breathed into them?

dun

NOPE - my hubby has done it also. You hold the mouth shut & cover one nostril & blow into the other one. Be careful though, your lung capacity may be more than the calve's.
Latest research I have seen is do not hang them upside down. That makes all their organs push down on the lungs making it harder for them to breath. Lay them on their side with their head pointed downhill. "Tickle" their nostrils with straw, clean out their mouth. I've also heard of picking them up & hitting them on the ground to get the lungs working.
Also, a vet that has studied acupuncture, said to stick a needle on the top part of their nose - supposed to tell the brain to breath :shock:

 

[dun]

Are the local vet and I the only ones that have actaully put our mouths over a calfs nose and breathed into them?

dun

NOPE - my hubby has done it also. You hold the mouth shut & cover one nostril & blow into the other one. Be careful though, your lung capacity may be more than the calve's.
Latest research I have seen is do not hang them upside down. That makes all their organs push down on the lungs making it harder for them to breath. Lay them on their side with their head pointed downhill. "Tickle" their nostrils with straw, clean out their mouth. I've also heard of picking them up & hitting them on the ground to get the lungs working.
Also, a vet that has studied acupuncture, said to stick a needle on the top part of their nose - supposed to tell the brain to breath :shock:

The straw in the nose is what I try first, the mouth to nose is alwasy the last straw (no pun intended). Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn;t, but luckily I haven;t had to do it in quite a few years. But the vet did it to the calfsickle from last year.

dun

 

[RebelCritter]

Could you use one of those baby nose plunger things? Suck the yucky out of the nose?

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Latest research I have seen is do not hang them upside down.

Good point. I've seen that too, and then saw another article refuting it a couple weeks later. Dunno which way to believe, but until I lose a calf from hanging it upside down, I'll probably continue to do it that way.

Rod

 

[Dusty Britches]

...Latest research I have seen is do not hang them upside down. That makes all their organs push down on the lungs making it harder for them to breath. Lay them on their side with their head pointed downhill. "Tickle" their nostrils with straw, clean out their mouth. ...

That is exactly what I just heard at a cow calf clinic 2 weeks ago. If you do hang them like that, only do it for a few seconds to drain any liquid that may be in the nasal cavity. Then lay him down on his side and rub him briskly.

 

[harry]

I bought a calf recessitator four or five years ago and have not had to use it yet. It was the one that Semex sells,around a hundred bucks if I remember right.I hope it just keeps collecting dust and I can find it if I ever need it!

 

[buckaroo_bif]

Vicky said something once about cold water in their ear. It's been a long time...best run a search for it.

I remember that

 

[Victoria]

Are the local vet and I the only ones that have actaully put our mouths over a calfs nose and breathed into them?

dun

Nope. I like you though prefer straw in the nose and that is always my first choice. ;-)

Sometimes just getting rough with them and tossing them around a bit works well too. Act like a real aggressive cow.
I've never tried cold water in the ear. Mind you it seems that most times we have a problem it's night and at least -20F so I am not sure if that would be a good idea here, might cause a whole new set of problems.

 

[Beefy]

i just never think to have any cold water on hand when pulling a calf. how cold does it have to be and how much do you pour in? both ears or just one? dad WILL think i'm a fruitcake when i try this one... but i support what works, like msscamp always says.

 

[milkmaid]

I found the post.

Cold water in the ear stimulates the reticular activating system in the brain and causes them to take a breath. Only works once.

V

And then in answer to a question re straw in the nose...

I've found that COLD water in the ear has worked where the other hasn't. I've surprised a few long time cattlemen with that one. Another thing which works is dopram, but that must be given in the vein and most farmers/ranchers won't have that handy...

V