Please help! One day old baby has problems.

[pauline]

The baby heifer was born yesterday. This morning, I found that she has blood coming out of her navel. when we looked closer, there is the soft umbilical cord, and then
next to it is a one inch stiff tube sticking out. what is it?

And also, she has blood shot eyes. what is it?

She stood up a little bit this morning trying to nurse, but I don't see her nursing.
when I tried to bottle feed her, she does not want to suck at all.

thanks
Pauline

 

[alabama]

I am sorry I can't help. Some pictures might help or maybe some others can help. I recomend you keep a close eye on them and advise us of any changes.

 

[dun]

What does your vet say the problem is?

 

[pauline]

My husband described it as a hard tube taping off at the end. It is not like part of an intestine. The vet said whatever that is, it was broken off. He said nothing could be done.

After that I read the book by Storey, and looked up naval infection. The book mentioned "eye inflamation soon after birth". The calf has got red eyes. Then I did some search on "naval infection" on this board, it sounds like some situation mentioned by a guy saying he saw a firm tube sticking out at the naval area, and it was the naval infection.

Now I'm not sure whether it is a hernia or the umbilical cord has been infected that's way it was bigger than noraml and is firm. My husband has gone to town for an appointment to get some hay. I'll have to wait for him to return to take a better look at the calf. In the mean time, I just kept dipping her naval in iodine.

I wonder how to treat naval infection.

 

[angie1]

Pauline ~
Your vet is a joke I think! I would be upset if I called the vet and s/he said "Well, can;t do nothing about that..." Is way too bad you don't know for sure that what it is. I would not guess hernia, really. Does calf have a temp?! That is important to know. If it is navel infection, you have to hit it hard and now. Check her temp, and let us know.

Not eating is not an option for her. She has to have colostrum and SOON, even if you have to tube her. Again, is way to bad your vet won't help you. If you can't milk the mom, get powdered stuff in pkg. Have you seen her nurse at all?

 

[alabama]

That was good advice. That calf must have colostrum and in the first 24 hours ot it will not live. If your hubby is in town call his cell phone and have him pick upi a bag of man made colostrum. It should be about $7 and it will keep in case you don't need it.
Also check the calf temp. you may have to give it a shot of somthing like LA-200 but I will let some of the others advise on that.
Two things that I keep are colostrum in the frezer ( i get mine from a gental cow every year) She is a pet and has over size tits that have to be milked out in order for her calf to suck.
Also keep some LA-200 on hand.

Good luck

I might give this calf a shot of LA-200 just in case.

 

[dun]

The only positive we've had for navel ill is large doses of pen.

 

[pauline]

No, I have not seen her nursing.I have mixed some powdered colostrum for her, and tried to force feed her. But she doesn't take the bottle.

My husband just got a ride to come back because his truck has broken down on his way to get some hay. Now he is so busy helping himself. He has picked up an esohagus tube but I can't do it myself. Have never done it before.

We have some penicillin at home. What is the dosage for a one-day old? She is quite tiny, probably I don' know, 40 pounds.

Thanks

 

[angie1]

Tube feeding is scarey for me too. I am sorry this is happening to you.
Does she have a fever? This is important. I don;t know if she is weak because she has not eaten or if it is because of infection.
Weigh her if you can, you may be surprised, they are heavier than they look.
Is there a farmer/neighbor nearby that can help you?

 

[alabama]

Read the bottle for the dosage. You can get the weight with your bathroom scales. Stand on them and get your weight then pick her up and get the weight for both of you and subtract your weight.
If you have never tubed a calf get help or maybe some others on here can guide you.
It sounds like you are doing a good job. stay with it and good luck.
Sorry your truck is broke down. When it rains it pours.
This will be a day to remember when you tell stories to your grand kids.

Please let me know how things turn out.

 

[angie1]

Read the bottle for the dosage.

Yes, but if it is navel ill, you need to dose her heavier than is recommended by the bottle.
Still need accurate weight and temp.
She will also need probios if you start on antibiotics. Is a paste you can get from feed store, don't need your vet for this.

 

[milkmaid]

40lbs??? is she a twin? if not, she may have something (else) wrong with her.

Have you ever seen her nurse?

As the umbilical cord dries up it gets hard and stiff... normal. Dipping her navel with iodine won't do a thing for her now. If she has a navel infection, the entire navel area will be hot, swollen, and probably hard to the touch.

Bloodshot eyes... possible stress from birth.

 

[angie1]

Glad you're here MM! :clap:

No, she has not seen her nurse, and I am guessing calf is heavier than it looks.

 

[rockridgecattle]

Navel ill...we use nuflor and and anti inflamatory like anafin. We hit hard and fast
Drop the calf on it's side (get your self and the calf safe from the momma) and pick at the scab on the navel and try and squeeze out any pus. clean the area again with iodine. Be sure to use clean gloves and check daily to clean out the puss and to make sure it can drain.
This works best with two people so you might want to give him the shots now and wait for hubby to get home to tackle the cleaning with you...
Make sure your colostrum has 100g of Immuglobluins. 100 grams if the calf will recieve no colostrum from the momma, and there is second package for 60 grams. this is for calves to supplement on the side of the momma.
cheap colostrum might not have all it needs as well you will have to give more than one dose. The 100g Immugloblins is a one dose deal. Makes into 4cups of liquid.
Drench or tube can be a chore. If you can find a neighbor to help right now that would be good. Here is a trick. Get small ended dench bag. Fill and secure the bag. Not the one with the big ball on the end. Drop the calf, sit on top of it. Hold it's head up and slide the tube in gentley. If you can have your hand or fingers on the neck. You should be able to feel it go inside. if not it is in the lung. re do if in the lung.
Open the drain slowly to see if the calf coughs or sputters...not good stop and re do....GO SLOW AND TAKE YOUR TIME!


If it is a hernia you should be able to find a hole. It won't be on the outside of the skin but rather under the skin. If there is a hole (by feeling around) should be able to push it back in. If the hole is bigger than your finger, might need vet surgery.

Check the cow for a twin...check the calf for teeth. No teeth atleast 3 weeks premie. If there is teeth then it's within the three weeks.

Good luck.
RR

 

[pauline]

Thank you for your postings. The calf took the bottle a little better. I fed her as much as I can. Anyway, time's up for colostrum. Still haven't seen her nursing. I'll continue bottle feeding her.

when I found her this morning, she was bleeding onto the grass from her naval area. My husband tied the umbilical cord and the tube with a thread. It seems to have stopped the bleeding. Here is the picture:

The grey skinny thing on top is the usual umbilical cord we saw hanging down from new born babies. That is the white thing (now pinkish-brown because of the iodine) underneath that we don't know what it is. You know we seldom look so close to the navel. So we might not know what we are talking about.

My husband has given her a short of penicillin. The calf is about 40 llbs - we have small babies for easy calving. The dosage on the bottle says : 2 ml per 150 lb weight. Treatment should be limited to 2 doses given by subcutaneous injection.
who is good at math? What should the dosage for a 40lb calf and the frequency? It says twice in 48 hours on the bottle.

Thanks.

 

[milkmaid]

Penn is worthless per the directions on the bottle. Small animal vets figure on 1mL/10lbs of body weight, large animal vets usually go with 5mL/100lbs of body weight.

However, you still have not convinced me the calf actually has a navel infection, in which case there is no point in giving antibiotics.

 

[rockridgecattle]

It looks like the mooma lick the cord out
might need a gentle nudge back in.
I would give a shot of pen like you are + and anti inflam to help with the swelling, and prevent infection

See if you can find a hole

 

[angie1]

I would hold off on any meds till you confirm that that calf has a temp or an infection of some type. It can cause more problems than it cures. Does it have a fever? Is there swelling or heat at the site?

I don't know if it is the right thing to do, but I would have tied that navel shut as well.

Anything new? Temp or accurate weight yet?

 

[alabama]

Whatever milk maid says. She won't lead you wrong.

 

[pauline]

Update. Last night, my husband tubed her with a pint of colostrum at 4:00 pm. Then at 9:00 pm, we went out planning on giving her some milk replacer. We found her standing in front of the mamma cow. It was the first time we saw her standing by her own will. We were kind of relief and we could only feed her 1/3 of a pint. This morning, she was walking around the field, even climbed through a barb wire and walked with a mission as far out as half of the neighboring field. I quickly got her back in with the mamma cow (first time mother). I was hoping the calf could just suck the teat once, then I can go home and pack the milk bottles.

The closest I could get was a lick, lick on a teat , and the second time was just an inch away from the teat and she backed out. I was standing in the field for an hour but still didn't see her nursing. But I just figured now she is up and walking and the momma cow is with her, and she knows where the teats are, she will be all right. I have stopped feeding her to get her hungry enough to nurse.

Now thinking back, the only sure things I have are: her naval area bled and she has bloodshot eyes. The stiff thing at the naval area could be the umbilical cord (now I see how ignorant I am). And she didn't take the bottle. The baby's weight is 40 lbs. Temp? I couldn't find the thermometer in its usual place, darn!