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same calf still subject of pneumonia
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<blockquote data-quote="rockridgecattle" data-source="post: 631380" data-attributes="member: 6198"><p>I have been following all three threads on this calf. I admire your tenacity on trying to get this calf better.</p><p>I have a few questions</p><p>- did this vet do a bvd test on this calf?</p><p>-did the vet test for IBR?</p><p>-is this vet a large animal vet? sorry had to ask</p><p>-is this a hobby or maybe better a side line for you? Are you the type of person who does not care how much it costs to treat a calf? I do not wish to offend you with this question. Some people will do anything to try and save a calf, money is not in the equasion. Others however look at the cost factor in making business choices.</p><p>I guess what i am trying to ascertain is do you want to make money on purchased calves or are you in it for the "just the joy" of doing it? Is it part of your livelihood?</p><p></p><p>My gut says this calf is PI, no two ways about it. As well, in my many calf/cow years of experience, animals grind teeth when they are in pain. And this is not a good sign. It suggests that the time has come to use the lead cure. I know you have tried hard, but now the animal is suffering. Teeth discoloration is but a sign of damage occurred probably from the the large amounts of various drugs in the last several weeks. When a calf does the "better for a few days and then relapses" consecutively is is a sign as well.</p><p>Your vet suggesting to give it more time, might just be saying what you want to hear. Some times they do that because they know the owner is not yet ready to hear "it's time". </p><p></p><p>Now after you decide how you are going to continue with this calf, I would like you to continue learning something important. I would like you to do something for me.</p><p>I would like you to add up the total cost of this calf</p><p>If you used 1/2 a bag of replacer, add that in</p><p>If you used 12 needles and syringes add that in especially if they were the use once or twice kind</p><p>Add in the cost of all drugs....what you paid for and what you used on this calf; figure out the cost per cc and add it up.</p><p>Add in the cost of the electrolyes</p><p>probios</p><p>vitamin shots</p><p>cost of the calf to purchase.</p><p>do not forget the hay, straw, or hydro (power) for heat lamps</p><p>vet fees</p><p></p><p>This is an important step for you, if you have not done it already. It will give you an idea of what you spent...how much this calf has cost to this point. It will also guide you in your next calf purchase. Will you buy from the same farmer or auction barn? Will you go farmer direct and buy a calf? Will you spend this much again in keeping a calf alive? Will you establish boundaries in assessing what is necessary treatment and what has gone too far? This is an important learning tool.</p><p></p><p>I will admit, our farm is our livelihood. We are in it to put food on the table and pay our bills, and hopefully have a few bucks left over for some fun. In our first few years, we spent money when we had a sick animal. We did everything possible to try and save a calf, cow or bull. Then one day we did the math. Well i should say i did the math on a bull that would not get better. In the end it cost us more to recoup the bull than shipping to the slaughter and buying a new one. Then we did it again with a calf that had just calved, and again with a cow. I have to say we were not the brightest apples in the cart. It took a few times before we realized we were spending way to much to save an animal. The fact was more drove home when a drought hit and we bought straw to feed, lost a few good cows, and destroyed our tight breeding season and had poor calves for a couple of years. It cost us big time and took a few years to rebuild from it.</p><p>But i will say we learned our lesson. (took a few years though). We set limits for treating animals. After that, the lead cure or they were on their own to get better. </p><p></p><p>You now need to decide what you are going to take away from this experience.</p><p></p><p>Good luck</p><p>RR</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="rockridgecattle, post: 631380, member: 6198"] I have been following all three threads on this calf. I admire your tenacity on trying to get this calf better. I have a few questions - did this vet do a bvd test on this calf? -did the vet test for IBR? -is this vet a large animal vet? sorry had to ask -is this a hobby or maybe better a side line for you? Are you the type of person who does not care how much it costs to treat a calf? I do not wish to offend you with this question. Some people will do anything to try and save a calf, money is not in the equasion. Others however look at the cost factor in making business choices. I guess what i am trying to ascertain is do you want to make money on purchased calves or are you in it for the "just the joy" of doing it? Is it part of your livelihood? My gut says this calf is PI, no two ways about it. As well, in my many calf/cow years of experience, animals grind teeth when they are in pain. And this is not a good sign. It suggests that the time has come to use the lead cure. I know you have tried hard, but now the animal is suffering. Teeth discoloration is but a sign of damage occurred probably from the the large amounts of various drugs in the last several weeks. When a calf does the "better for a few days and then relapses" consecutively is is a sign as well. Your vet suggesting to give it more time, might just be saying what you want to hear. Some times they do that because they know the owner is not yet ready to hear "it's time". Now after you decide how you are going to continue with this calf, I would like you to continue learning something important. I would like you to do something for me. I would like you to add up the total cost of this calf If you used 1/2 a bag of replacer, add that in If you used 12 needles and syringes add that in especially if they were the use once or twice kind Add in the cost of all drugs....what you paid for and what you used on this calf; figure out the cost per cc and add it up. Add in the cost of the electrolyes probios vitamin shots cost of the calf to purchase. do not forget the hay, straw, or hydro (power) for heat lamps vet fees This is an important step for you, if you have not done it already. It will give you an idea of what you spent...how much this calf has cost to this point. It will also guide you in your next calf purchase. Will you buy from the same farmer or auction barn? Will you go farmer direct and buy a calf? Will you spend this much again in keeping a calf alive? Will you establish boundaries in assessing what is necessary treatment and what has gone too far? This is an important learning tool. I will admit, our farm is our livelihood. We are in it to put food on the table and pay our bills, and hopefully have a few bucks left over for some fun. In our first few years, we spent money when we had a sick animal. We did everything possible to try and save a calf, cow or bull. Then one day we did the math. Well i should say i did the math on a bull that would not get better. In the end it cost us more to recoup the bull than shipping to the slaughter and buying a new one. Then we did it again with a calf that had just calved, and again with a cow. I have to say we were not the brightest apples in the cart. It took a few times before we realized we were spending way to much to save an animal. The fact was more drove home when a drought hit and we bought straw to feed, lost a few good cows, and destroyed our tight breeding season and had poor calves for a couple of years. It cost us big time and took a few years to rebuild from it. But i will say we learned our lesson. (took a few years though). We set limits for treating animals. After that, the lead cure or they were on their own to get better. You now need to decide what you are going to take away from this experience. Good luck RR [/QUOTE]
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same calf still subject of pneumonia
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