Premie calf with contracted tendons??

[tom4018]

Got a calf that is 11 days old now, not from one of my cows a guy did not have time to deal with her so me being the fool I am I have her. I got her Tuesday and she was a week old. The one front foot is knuckled over pretty good and the knee seems weak to me, bends both ways. Not sure how premature she is but she is about 50 lbs. Takes milk good but if I don't get her foot better it may be a losing battle.

Joint is swollen as she walks around on it, can't bend it back to normal postion. Tried splinting the knees and bending the joint as much as possible to try to get her to walk on her toe. Any suggestions? Or am I wasting my time? :???: :???:

 

[Keren]

hmm ... you've probably read threads on contracted tendons here before, some say splint, some say leave, everyone says almost all cases resolve in the end. Being that she's a premmie, I would probably splint even though most of the time I dont, being premmie she has other battles to deal with.

I figure if she's taking the bottle well and has fight in her, then I see no reason not to persist with her.

When you say the joint is swollen, do you mean to say she might have joint ill? Might be a good idea to hit her heavy with a/b in case it is ... :???:

 

[hillsdown]

I agree with Keren about the precautionary joint ill,,so just in case hit her with a brood spectrum antibiotic..If she were mine I would give her 3 cc's sub of nuflor and then go from there.

If the joint is swollen you also want to use an anti inflammatory. I suggest 1/2 a cc of predef every second day for 3 days,,but if you choose banamine do it 0.3 cc's IV every 3 days,, twice only and then re assess.

As long as she wants the groceries it sounds good, and the stronger she gets the more weight she will put on that foot.


She also could have had an injury while being delivered.

 

[tom4018]

hmm ... you've probably read threads on contracted tendons here before, some say splint, some say leave, everyone says almost all cases resolve in the end. Being that she's a premmie, I would probably splint even though most of the time I dont, being premmie she has other battles to deal with.

I figure if she's taking the bottle well and has fight in her, then I see no reason not to persist with her.

When you say the joint is swollen, do you mean to say she might have joint ill? Might be a good idea to hit her heavy with a/b in case it is ... :???:

I think it swollen from were she is walking on the joint and not the hoof. I have seen were they use oxy-tetracycline in horse for contracted tendons, figured it could not hurt so she had some of it.

 

[milkmaid]

Is the joint hot? is she on straw/soft bedding or on hard ground?

HD -- I don't have the label to banamine in front of me, but I'm pretty sure banamine is 1-2cc/100lbs every 24 hours; calf could have 0.5-1mL pretty safely. 0.3cc seems a bit low?

 

[msscamp]

Joint is swollen as she walks around on it, can't bend it back to normal postion.

The joint being swollen tends to make me think there is something going on besides the contracted tendons. I can't remember ever having a calf with simple contracted tendons that also had swelling. Have you checked her naval for hardness/swelling/etc?

 

[tom4018]

Is the joint hot? is she on straw/soft bedding or on hard ground?

HD -- I don't have the label to banamine in front of me, but I'm pretty sure banamine is 1-2cc/100lbs every 24 hours; calf could have 0.5-1mL pretty safely. 0.3cc seems a bit low?

It feels a little warmer that the other one. She is on straw yesterday I let her out in a small lot just dry dirt figured fresh air and sunshine would be good for her. It would be tomorrow before I could get banamine, wonder is aspirin would help?

msscamp, I did not notice any swelling or hardness but will double check her.

 

[dun]

Aspirin will help, in the long run probably more then banamine. Give it a couple of tablets twice a day. You can disolve it in the bottle.

 

[hillsdown]

MM normally I would be gung ho if the calf were sick but it doesn't sound like it is ,at least not yet ,and this being a possible preemie her little gut is way more sensitive than a normal calf so I would just go on the side of caution and go with a low dose of banamine but I wouldn't use banamine at all in this case.. But yes the label says 1-2 cc's per 45 kg's IV which is the same as 100lbs. (also I said to go very light if using predef as well).

Ha ha that must have thrown you for a loop because usually I say hit them hard and fast.. :lol2:

I like the aspirin idea, try it for 3 days and then re evaluate. Like I said before she could have injured the joint during delivery, there are so many scenarios that would cause swelling.

Check the naval for sure.

 

[rockridgecattle]

i like anafin as an anti inflam. It is non steriodal so not so hard on the stomach.
If the navel is swollen and hard, you will need gloves and iodine and a helper. Drop the calf, pic the navel scab, and squeeze out the puss.(this helps to drain out the puss through out the day as well) Then iodine well. AND CLEAN BEDDING" Navel ill is hard to treat due to where it is. Getting the puss out helps alot, and an anti inflam will go along way along with the anti biotic. If it is navel ill, get aggressive in treating it. If it gets to far, permanent damage will occur. The navel is a direct link to the liver.

As well, navel ill is contagious...sort of... in the way of cross contamination. If you have a new born calf or a calf that is young with a wet navel, and if this calf lays where the sick one is, the young one will get it...got that shirt.

Did this calf get a shot of selenium at birth. If not get some and follow directions. This helps with the contracted tendons.

Does this calf have it's teeth emgerged completely? If so, it is less than three weeks premie

 

[tom4018]

i like anafin as an anti inflam. It is non steriodal so not so hard on the stomach.
If the navel is swollen and hard, you will need gloves and iodine and a helper. Drop the calf, pic the navel scab, and squeeze out the puss.(this helps to drain out the puss through out the day as well) Then iodine well. AND CLEAN BEDDING" Navel ill is hard to treat due to where it is. Getting the puss out helps alot, and an anti inflam will go along way along with the anti biotic. If it is navel ill, get aggressive in treating it. If it gets to far, permanent damage will occur. The navel is a direct link to the liver.

As well, navel ill is contagious...sort of... in the way of cross contamination. If you have a new born calf or a calf that is young with a wet navel, and if this calf lays where the sick one is, the young one will get it...got that shirt.

Did this calf get a shot of selenium at birth. If not get some and follow directions. This helps with the contracted tendons.

Does this calf have it's teeth emgerged completely? If so, it is less than three weeks premie

I will have to ask the guy if he gave her a shot, I am thinking not.

Teeth were out when I got her and she was a week old. Been a fairly good eater but usually just takes 3 pints and then walks away. Been giving her some electrolytes in between but today she did not act interested in it, otherwise things are about the same.

 

[msscamp]

i like anafin as an anti inflam. It is non steriodal so not so hard on the stomach.

Ok, I'm confused. Banamine is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory/pain reliever. Why would it be any harder on an animals stomach than any other anti-inflammatory - especially since it is given either IM or SQ and not orally? :help:

 

[milkmaid]

msscamp -- long explanation short, banamine inhibits mucous secretions from the stomach (which protect the stomach lining) and can lead to ulcers.

tom -- without seeing the calf it's hard to say, but I don't recall seeing swelling in any other calves with contracted tendons that I've had, and heat in the joint is not a good sign. Any cuts on the fetlock area? I'd suspect the guy who had her before let her walk on rough ground and she's developed a joint infection there. Saw that once before. Might try PVC pipe cut in half and padded as splints, then put her on a stronger antibiotic.

 

[msscamp]

msscamp -- long explanation short, banamine inhibits mucous secretions from the stomach (which protect the stomach lining) and can lead to ulcers.

Thank you! That makes sense.

 

[rockridgecattle]

I had no idea either Msscamp. Thanks for the explantaion MM. I have never used banamine. I think the vet saves that for the tough cases. Anafin is the first choice here.