navel cord problem?? update

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jt

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i have a 6 week old calf that looked as though he might have a small hernia at his navel. ran him into the chute and felt of it... was expecting to fill a fluid sac, but the cord was about 1/2-3/4 inch in diameter and very firm. it extended down about 4-5 inches and was a little bigger at the lower end.

otherwise the calf looks and acts to be in very good health, and is growing very well. he is actually a very good calf.

i have never held one down and felt of the navel cord before, but would think this is not normal..

what do some of you think this is, and if a problem, what should i do about it..

thanks

jt
 
If it's a hernia or a rupture, you need to feel up and see if there's a hole. If the navel itself is big, it's probably gotten stepped on or has been large since birth. If he seems find I wouldn't worry about it.
 
jt":366e7kj1 said:
i have a 6 week old calf that looked as though he might have a small hernia at his navel.
JT, my experience with those is that at some point he will die a sudden death. I've had some that I thought were just fine and would make it to weaning and still end up losing them. Not trying to depress you. Surely others have a better experience with them than me.
 
Texan":kklxhkue said:
jt":kklxhkue said:
i have a 6 week old calf that looked as though he might have a small hernia at his navel.
JT, my experience with those is that at some point he will die a sudden death. I've had some that I thought were just fine and would make it to weaning and still end up losing them. Not trying to depress you. Surely others have a better experience with them than me.

Dead Calf walking
 
I have seen them saved if given immediate and proper attention. However placement of th is criticcal. He seemed to feel be; good luck
 
jt":1wbgqkye said:
the cord was about 1/2-3/4 inch in diameter and very firm. it extended down about 4-5 inches and was a little bigger at the lower end.

This sounds like a navel infection. What I do for them may not work for you, logistically. I soak the calf's navel in warm salt water to draw the infection twice daily (standing, in a chute) and treat with antibiotics. Frankly even penicillin will work. After a few days, the navel is generally a lot smaller and the calf is better. Some, however, have infection which traverses the abdominal wall and is also sitting in the abdomen--those are the ones you tend to lose.

If it is a hernia, you can gently push it sideways and feel a hole in the abdominal wall. If it's there, it needs surgical repair.

Of course, I'm thousands of miles away from you and have only your description to go by, so use your local resource if needed--your vet!

Good luck!
V
 
Vicki the Vet":1imgmout said:
jt":1imgmout said:
the cord was about 1/2-3/4 inch in diameter and very firm. it extended down about 4-5 inches and was a little bigger at the lower end.

This sounds like a navel infection. What I do for them may not work for you, logistically. I soak the calf's navel in warm salt water to draw the infection twice daily (standing, in a chute) and treat with antibiotics. Frankly even penicillin will work. After a few days, the navel is generally a lot smaller and the calf is better. Some, however, have infection which traverses the abdominal wall and is also sitting in the abdomen--those are the ones you tend to lose.

If it is a hernia, you can gently push it sideways and feel a hole in the abdominal wall. If it's there, it needs surgical repair.

Of course, I'm thousands of miles away from you and have only your description to go by, so use your local resource if needed--your vet!

Good luck!
V

Calf sounds just like a RWF calf that I had last year that came down with a naval infection. Vet visit and 10 days worth of Penicillin cost me just over $20 to set him right. Calf brought $128/cwt at 485 lbs, IMO it was money well spent.

Ann B
 
Ann Bledsoe":3st39mg2 said:
Vicki the Vet":3st39mg2 said:
jt":3st39mg2 said:
the cord was about 1/2-3/4 inch in diameter and very firm. it extended down about 4-5 inches and was a little bigger at the lower end.

This sounds like a navel infection. What I do for them may not work for you, logistically. I soak the calf's navel in warm salt water to draw the infection twice daily (standing, in a chute) and treat with antibiotics. Frankly even penicillin will work. After a few days, the navel is generally a lot smaller and the calf is better. Some, however, have infection which traverses the abdominal wall and is also sitting in the abdomen--those are the ones you tend to lose.

If it is a hernia, you can gently push it sideways and feel a hole in the abdominal wall. If it's there, it needs surgical repair.

Of course, I'm thousands of miles away from you and have only your description to go by, so use your local resource if needed--your vet!

Good luck!
V

Calf sounds just like a RWF calf that I had last year that came down with a naval infection. Vet visit and 10 days worth of Penicillin cost me just over $20 to set him right. Calf brought $128/cwt at 485 lbs, IMO it was money well spent.

Ann B
I need a vet like you have.
 
ollie":1hw146nk said:
Ann Bledsoe":1hw146nk said:
Calf sounds just like a RWF calf that I had last year that came down with a naval infection. Vet visit and 10 days worth of Penicillin cost me just over $20 to set him right. Calf brought $128/cwt at 485 lbs, IMO it was money well spent.

Ann B
I need a vet like you have.

He's great, he does several of the diaries around here. I usually arrange for him to come by here after he finishes at the dairy up the road -- as long as something can wait until a Wednesday, he doesn't charge much at all. And since he knows my animals, he'll also give advice over the phone. If he has to make a special trip, he only charges $20 to come out plus $16/hour and whatever meds he uses.
A lot of people around here don't like him, he's not a what you'd call a "people person", but he's real good with the cattle and that's what counts.

Ann B
 
My vet is forty five dollar farm call and 75 an hour. I know more about cattle than he does.
 
thanks to everyone.. i had given him a shot of penicillin.. will continue to monitor and give shots and try the salt water.

maybe the little rascal will do ok.

jt
 
Do you dip their navel cord in iodine at birth? I haven't had a navel infection on any that have been dipped.
 
Sounds like navel ill ( infection ) to me also. I lost a calf ( ~ 2 weeks old) this spring. I work 7 hours away from home so I'm not there to check daily. Checked them the first evening back and the calf was fine, jumping & bucking with the other youngins, late next afternoon it was down, next morning it was dead. My vet isn't like Ann Bledsoe's either, I talked to him and his thought was like Vickie the Vet's, the infection had broken into the body cavity, too late to do anything. He did say if you were able to dip the navel in iodine at birth it would reduce the chance of that type of infection.

;-)
 
A couple of years ago we had a heifer born with scepticemia (blood poisoning) that more or less settled in her navel. We hit her with Peniceliian every other night for about 2 weeks. She settled first service, and calved as a 2 year old. Her heifer calf is one of the keepers from this years crop. What I'm getting at is that it can be treated with no longterm ill affects. It just needs to be treated agressively

edun
 
Vicki the Vet":27d0i2rt said:
jt":27d0i2rt said:
the cord was about 1/2-3/4 inch in diameter and very firm. it extended down about 4-5 inches and was a little bigger at the lower end.

This sounds like a navel infection. What I do for them may not work for you, logistically. I soak the calf's navel in warm salt water to draw the infection twice daily (standing, in a chute) and treat with antibiotics. Frankly even penicillin will work. After a few days, the navel is generally a lot smaller and the calf is better. Some, however, have infection which traverses the abdominal wall and is also sitting in the abdomen--those are the ones you tend to lose.

If it is a hernia, you can gently push it sideways and feel a hole in the abdominal wall. If it's there, it needs surgical repair.

Of course, I'm thousands of miles away from you and have only your description to go by, so use your local resource if needed--your vet!

Good luck!
V


thanks to all for your replies.

vicki, i think you are right on with what my calf has.. a navel infection..

dee.. no i dont soak the navel cord at birth.. it is not possible for me to get them all. it has not really been a problem.. so far, but you are right.. if i could do that it would help me.

vicki, how long do you soak the navel with the salt water each time? he does not like it and about 30 seconds or so is all can get in without him kicking it out of my hand. other option would be to tie him up, but i really dont want to have to do that each time.. but i may have to do something different.

i punctured the skin and a small amount of thick puss and a little blood came out when i squeezed on it.. didnt squeeze real hard, just a little firmness to force some out..

i caught him and his momma up this evening and i am going to try to soak him as best i can twice daily and give a cc of penicillin per 100# daily... hope it works.. i dont think he is real bad, but i guess it could get that way. the swollen amount is comparable in area to a golf ball.

is there an antibiotic that you prefer for this over penicillin?

thanks again

jt
 
Well, when I soak it, I'm using a cup on a handle so I don't get kicked...and I usually soak for a couple of minutes! Two or three days is all it needs.

Unless your penicillin is a lot stronger than mine, you need more than 1cc per 100 lbs. I use 3-4 cc per 100lbs of short acting (and yes, that increases the withdrawal) or 5cc per 100 lbs every 2-3 days of the long acting penicillin. There are different drugs available here in Canada vs what you have, so I can't comment over something like Baytril for navel infections, since I've never used it in cattle.

Good Luck!
V
 
Vicki the Vet":1g5zjudu said:
Well, when I soak it, I'm using a cup on a handle so I don't get kicked...and I usually soak for a couple of minutes! Two or three days is all it needs.

Unless your penicillin is a lot stronger than mine, you need more than 1cc per 100 lbs. I use 3-4 cc per 100lbs of short acting (and yes, that increases the withdrawal) or 5cc per 100 lbs every 2-3 days of the long acting penicillin. There are different drugs available here in Canada vs what you have, so I can't comment over something like Baytril for navel infections, since I've never used it in cattle.

Good Luck!
V

thanks

jt
 
the swelling has gone done considerably (at least half of it) and there is no more puss as far as i can tell.. just curious though.. never felt of a 2 month old calf's navel cord, so i guess i dont know what normal is.. and therefore am not sure of when i could consider him well. it is still a little more swollen at the bottom end than where it comes thru his abdomen, but is much better than it was.

i guess i could run another one thru for comparison, but am interested in what some of you have to say..

thanks

jt
 

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