"panting" open mouth breathing

[High Cotton]

I have about a 2 week old calf that's "panting" or breathing hard through his mouth. I watched him for a while this afternoon. He looked like he was drooling. I saw a couple streams of saliva running from his mouth similar to a bulldog. An ideas what this might be? The first thing that popped in to my head was pneumonia.

 

[djinwa]

Sounds like heat stress. How hot is your weather and where is the calf? Shade? Outside in breeze?

http://www.cattletoday.com/archive/2007 ... 1033.shtml

Signs of Heat Stress

Producers need to watch the cattle as well as the environment and be familiar with the signs of heat stress. Signs of heat stress can include:

•Restlessness and crowding under shade or at water tanks.

•Open-mouthed breathing (panting), and increased salivating.

•Increased respiration rates (Moderate heat stress: 80 to 120 breaths per minute, Strong heat stress: 120 to 160 breaths per minute, Severe heat stress: over 160).

•Gasping and lethargic.

Often, symptoms of heat stress may look like respiratory disease. Remember that since cattle do not perspire (sweat) well, they have to use the respiratory system to remove excess heat from their system.

 

[High Cotton]

He seems to be doing it every where I've seen him. In the shade, in the open late in the evening when sun is down, middle of the day. The only time I haven't been able to check him is early in the morning. I may go check on him before work in the morning.

 

[msscamp]

I have about a 2 week old calf that's "panting" or breathing hard through his mouth. I watched him for a while this afternoon. He looked like he was drooling. I saw a couple streams of saliva running from his mouth similar to a bulldog. An ideas what this might be? The first thing that popped in to my head was pneumonia.

I'm inclined to think that this calf wasn't treated for pneumonia/respiratory illness early enough or possibly long enough, and now has lung damage.

 

[djinwa]

A 2 week old calf out in the open wouldn't be my first candidate for heat stress.

Another thought is something in his throat making it hard or painful to swallow saliva and also making it harder to breathe.

The way calves like to chew on stuff you might see if you can see anything down there. Or any swelling.

Is this calf nursing okay assuming it's on a cow?

 

[wbvs58]

I agree, I would try to rule out foreign body, baling twine etc. Pull tongue out to each side, use small bright light and look, put fingers in and feel. It may be something more sinister but this is the first to rule out.
Ken

 

[Caustic Burno]

I had one of the stupid things try to eat a spent 12 ga. hull that wasn't picked up. Have seen them chewing on a lot of stuff over the years and they seem to love surveyor tape real well.

 

[Jogeephus]

I'm thinking lung damage too. If its this, you'll see it won't grow like the others.

 

[lavacarancher]

Ah, have you thought about taking the calf to a vet for diagnosis and possible treatment??????

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I have about a 2 week old calf that's "panting" or breathing hard through his mouth. I watched him for a while this afternoon. He looked like he was drooling. I saw a couple streams of saliva running from his mouth similar to a bulldog. An ideas what this might be? The first thing that popped in to my head was pneumonia.

mine too

 

[jcarkie]

not normal behavior, sounds like respritory or pnuemonia. i have seen them get stuff hung in their throat and act like that. get it up and examine or haul to the vet for treatment. don't wait too long it will only get worse