Boss asked me to check, next time I was "interneting" - LOL, about what might be wrong with a particular heifer calf. Two of them, actually.
First one was born last fall, came down with quick pnemonia at about 3 months as did most of the others in her pen that week. We're talking holstein calves here, of course. Gave the calves a variety of different drugs and the ones that were caught in time recovered. This heifer, however, recovered with a problem with one front leg/shoulder. She'd sort of drag it along with her as she walked. She still walks that way although it's a little better - and it's been almost a year since this happened.
Passed it off as a one-time occurence. Now there's a new calf, about 2-3 weeks old (not related to the above heifer to my knowledge), came down with scours and recovered. BUT, she has the same problem as the other calf, she recovered but can't use one leg. The only difference is this heifer can't use her right rear leg. I looked at her tonight so I'd be able to describe her to you. No obvious swelling in any joints, nothing that feels dislocated, and when I touch her leg she can feel the touch. She doesn't act as though it HURTS and she doesn't want to put weight on it, it's just as though the leg can't bear weight. It's like a useless limb that wasn't intended to serve a function, only it was! She'll lightly touch it to the ground when stopped, but it's just the tip of the hoof brushing the straw.
I asked what she was treated with, and it was LA200 and tetracycline scour pills. Neglected to ask if she was given any shots in the hind leg. I'm assuming not. Boss usually gives shots in the neck...esp to calves.
I do recall asking the vet about the first heifer this spring. He said that sometimes if you give LA200/oxytetracyclines in the neck, you can hit a nerve that runs over/near the shoulder. Can't remember exactly where it was. But anyhow, he said that can cause a temporary paralysis - that should disappear in about 3 weeks. Obviously that wasn't the case of the first calf. The second calf is having problems with her rear leg which can't be related to anything given in the neck. However, she WAS given oxytetracycline. Not sure if that's important or not.
Anyone else seen anything like this? This calf hasn't been offered to me...although I might take her if she was 8) ...Boss just asked if I'd check and see what I could find on this problem and I said sure.
Any help?
First one was born last fall, came down with quick pnemonia at about 3 months as did most of the others in her pen that week. We're talking holstein calves here, of course. Gave the calves a variety of different drugs and the ones that were caught in time recovered. This heifer, however, recovered with a problem with one front leg/shoulder. She'd sort of drag it along with her as she walked. She still walks that way although it's a little better - and it's been almost a year since this happened.
Passed it off as a one-time occurence. Now there's a new calf, about 2-3 weeks old (not related to the above heifer to my knowledge), came down with scours and recovered. BUT, she has the same problem as the other calf, she recovered but can't use one leg. The only difference is this heifer can't use her right rear leg. I looked at her tonight so I'd be able to describe her to you. No obvious swelling in any joints, nothing that feels dislocated, and when I touch her leg she can feel the touch. She doesn't act as though it HURTS and she doesn't want to put weight on it, it's just as though the leg can't bear weight. It's like a useless limb that wasn't intended to serve a function, only it was! She'll lightly touch it to the ground when stopped, but it's just the tip of the hoof brushing the straw.
I asked what she was treated with, and it was LA200 and tetracycline scour pills. Neglected to ask if she was given any shots in the hind leg. I'm assuming not. Boss usually gives shots in the neck...esp to calves.
I do recall asking the vet about the first heifer this spring. He said that sometimes if you give LA200/oxytetracyclines in the neck, you can hit a nerve that runs over/near the shoulder. Can't remember exactly where it was. But anyhow, he said that can cause a temporary paralysis - that should disappear in about 3 weeks. Obviously that wasn't the case of the first calf. The second calf is having problems with her rear leg which can't be related to anything given in the neck. However, she WAS given oxytetracycline. Not sure if that's important or not.
Anyone else seen anything like this? This calf hasn't been offered to me...although I might take her if she was 8) ...Boss just asked if I'd check and see what I could find on this problem and I said sure.
Any help?
