New calf trouble

[Sunny Citizen]

Calf born late last night. Will not stand up. Took a bottle of colostrum this morning (willingly). He has tremors constantly. Vet came out - diagnosis "bovine cerabellar disease". No treatment. 50/50 chance he'll make it. Any experience with this? Ideas? Treatments??? Beef calf (mixed breed).

 

[pdfangus]

new one on me....sorry no help here.

 

[NC Liz 2]

Without a necropsy I seriously doubt if anyone could say it is "bovine cerabellar disease".
I would be more inclined to say it is PEM, as there is a lot of that going around.

Liz

 

[Dave]

Without a necropsy I seriously doubt if anyone could say it is "bovine cerabellar disease".
I would be more inclined to say it is PEM, as there is a lot of that going around.

Liz

Seriously, you are out guessing a vet who actually examined the calf, while your judgment is based on a few lines posted on the internet. Amazing. You could put all the vets in the country out of business by offering online diagnosis.

 

[CottageFarm]

Without a necropsy I seriously doubt if anyone could say it is "bovine cerabellar disease".
I would be more inclined to say it is PEM, as there is a lot of that going around.

Liz

Seriously, you are out guessing a vet who actually examined the calf, while your judgment is based on a few lines posted on the internet. Amazing. You could put all the vets in the country out of business by offering online diagnosis.

Yes, but he always comes up with the same diagnosis, so his business would tank pretty quickly :roll:

 

[milkmaid]

Cerebellar hypoplasia?

If accompanied by hydranencephaly (fluid replacing part of the brain) the prognosis is worse. Last one I saw was voluntarily put down at about a month of age, don't recall though if that was for teaching purposes or if the calf genuinely needed to be euthanized.

They can live and learn to compensate pretty well with cerebellar hypoplasia - I've seen some 12 year old cats with it. They have a smaller than normal portion of the brain, so no, there's no treatment or anything you can do to help them.

This calf will probably be a bottle calf as he probably won't be able to compensate well enough to nurse (they tend to over/under estimate how much to move - you'll see it if he stands and walks also).

You should critically evaluate your vaccine program as BVD is one of the possible causes of cerebellar hypoplasia. Not necessarily the cause of this calf, but should be carefully considered.

 

[Lucky_P]

WRONG again, Sir Loin.
PEM would be so unlikely as to be totally unheard of in a newborn calf. It doesn't happen.

BVD virus infection at specific stage of pregnancy can cause cerebellar hypoplasia - with clinical signs very much as Sunny C. has described - and would be the most likely diagnosis that any veterinarian would give. The most common things happen most often.
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmed ... r-105.html
Like milkmaid, I've also seen aged cats with cerebellar hypoplasia that get along reasonably well - provided they're housed in a safe, consistent environment. They are funny to watch, too! But, are certainly subject to dangerous 'accidents' that an animal with a properly functioning cerebellum would not get into.

There is a heritable genetic condition resulting in cerebellar hypoplasia/dysfunction in cattle, but it's rare; I've never seen it in person.
But have seen a couple of cases of branched-chain ketoacid decarboxylase deficiency in polled Hereford calves, a different heritable neurologic condition, commonly known as 'maple syrup urine disease' - which also occurs in humans.

 

[NC Liz 2]

On second thought, I'm more inclined to think it's Cerebrocortical necrosis (CCN).
In either event, the calf should be put down.
Liz

 

[TexasBred]

On second thought, I'm more inclined to think it's Cerebrocortical necrosis (CCN).
In either event, the calf should be put down.
Liz

Now you're trying "mental telepathy" to make your diagnosis. Why not just wait like everyone else. Wouldn't be one drop of skin off your ass.

 

[Bez__]

On second thought, I'm more inclined to think it's Cerebrocortical necrosis (CCN).
In either event, the calf should be put down.
Liz

Now you're trying "mental telepathy" to make your diagnosis. Why not just wait like everyone else. Wouldn't be one drop of skin off your ass.

LOL - thanks - spilled my orange juice - fortunately missed the key board.

Bez__

 

[Lucky_P]

Unlikely, since CCN is just another term interchangeable with PEM. You knew that, but you're still wrong.
DDG/CGF/sulfur don't cause EVERY ailment that afflicts cattle.

You didn't use to raise Toggenberg goats in WA, did you SL?

 

[Sunny Citizen]

Thank you all for your responses. I'm green...what does PEM stand for? And BVD? The vet did mention that he saw this in cats (someone's comment reminded me of this). No improvement seen today. Looks like he will have to be put down.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Did you post a video of the calf on Facebook? I saw a short video on American Cattlemen and the calf could not stand still to nurse. Pretty sad...
Hope you find a solution!
BVD us Bovine Viral Diarrhea, PEM is basically Polio.

 

[NC Liz 2]

PEM: ( Polioencephalomalacia ) Aka Polio in cattle
See: https://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters ... olio.shtml
BVD: ( Bovine Virus Diarrhea )
See: http://www.cattle.com/articles/title/Bo ... rrhea+(BVD).aspx

Could also be brainers!
Liz