Shivering calf

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Latta

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Sorry I haven t taken time to introduce myself, I've been reading silently from afar. But I have a problem that's new to me and I could use some advise. I have a 6 month old calf that is shivering, head drooping, and hanging back from the others. He does not have pneumonia, his breathing is fine, nose clear, and no hacking. At least he isn't yet. Gave him penicillin and Baytril hoping that will help. Temps are very cold here, ice storm last week, 4 inches of snow last night and the wind is blowing. Tonights low is suppose to dip down to 7 degrees. He is in a loafing shed with good ventilation and a fresh layer of cornstalks. Has anyone any advise?
 
I'm glad he's been dosed with Baytril...but maybe you need to try something else. Have the vet take a look, or describe what's going on to the vet.

Also, ask the vet if a dose or two of draxin will help.

Personally, were it me, I'd give the calf some banamine to make it feel a bit better.

Is the calf eating? Aspirin might help with the shivers.

All of that aside, a vet needs to take a look at the calf.

Good luck,

Alice
 
Alice":irwegam0 said:
I'm glad he's been dosed with Baytril...but maybe you need to try something else. Have the vet take a look, or describe what's going on to the vet.

Also, ask the vet if a dose or two of draxin will help.

Personally, were it me, I'd give the calf some banamine to make it feel a bit better.

Is the calf eating? Aspirin might help with the shivers.

All of that aside, a vet needs to take a look at the calf.

Good luck,

Alice
what she said.

I had sick calves and didn't think that it was pnuemonia until I had the vet out. He could hear with a stethscope what I couldn't hear with my ears.

Banamine, along with the antibiotics, really helps.
 
I agree with Alice and Angie. A thermometer is an easy and inexpensive help in treating sick cattle. Watch your vet it will be one of the first things he/she does is check temps. If over 102 treat with antibiotic. As Alice mentioned Draxxin is a good one plus Banamine. If this calf has not been vaccinated and wormed it should be.

Larry
 
larryshoat":3j0zd15n said:
I agree with Alice and Angie. A thermometer is an easy and inexpensive help in treating sick cattle. Watch your vet it will be one of the first things he/she does is check temps. If over 102 treat with antibiotic. As Alice mentioned Draxxin is a good one plus Banamine. If this calf has not been vaccinated and wormed it should be.

Larry

If this calf has not been vaccinated and wormed it should be.

The only thing I'll change with that is it should have been. And, maybe it has been :) . Just talk to the vet...ease your mind...

Alice
 
You have some good advice here....have you taken it's temperature? Given any Probiotics with the meds? I use Probiotics for any that are stressed with sickness, extreme weather, feed changes , vacinating or medicines & have always had good results.

Personally I would Not deworm and vacinate now if it wasn't already. You would be best to wait until it is feeling better for a while before stressing it's body anymore.
 
Kelly":ryzzossm said:
You have some good advice here....have you taken it's temperature? Given any Probiotics with the meds? I use Probiotics for any that are stressed with sickness, extreme weather, feed changes , vacinating or medicines & have always had good results.

Personally I would Not deworm and vacinate now if it wasn't already. You would be best to wait until it is feeling better for a while before stressing it's body anymore.

You are very right, Kelly...on all counts.

Alice
 
Latta":3c0zrn6p said:
Sorry I haven t taken time to introduce myself, I've been reading silently from afar. But I have a problem that's new to me and I could use some advise. I have a 6 month old calf that is shivering, head drooping, and hanging back from the others. He does not have pneumonia, his breathing is fine, nose clear, and no hacking. At least he isn't yet. Gave him penicillin and Baytril hoping that will help. Temps are very cold here, ice storm last week, 4 inches of snow last night and the wind is blowing. Tonights low is suppose to dip down to 7 degrees. He is in a loafing shed with good ventilation and a fresh layer of cornstalks. Has anyone any advise?

When did you give the Baytril? Can I ask why you gave Baytril and penicillin together? I'm asking because usually Baytril is given first and if the calf doesn't respond, then penicillin is given - assuming you have opted for the one-dose Baytril program. If you did not choose that option, then you can give another dose of Baytril, just be sure to not over-dose the calf or you run the risk of destroying his joint cartilage. Sounds to me like your calf is in the process of developing pneumonia, he just has not developed all the symptoms yet. Baytril will usually head it off at the pass(and good for you for treating so quickly), but occasionally it doesn't. Flunexamine(sp?) or Banamine will reduce fever, make him feel better, and help to get him to eating again.
 
Latta":1aspukcf said:
Sorry I haven t taken time to introduce myself, I've been reading silently from afar. But I have a problem that's new to me and I could use some advise. I have a 6 month old calf that is shivering, head drooping, and hanging back from the others. He does not have pneumonia, his breathing is fine, nose clear, and no hacking. At least he isn't yet. Gave him penicillin and Baytril hoping that will help. Temps are very cold here, ice storm last week, 4 inches of snow last night and the wind is blowing. Tonights low is suppose to dip down to 7 degrees. He is in a loafing shed with good ventilation and a fresh layer of cornstalks. Has anyone any advise?

When did you give the Baytril? Can I ask why you gave Baytril and penicillin together? I'm asking because usually Baytril is given first and if the calf doesn't respond, then penicillin is given - assuming you have opted for the one-dose Baytril program. If you did not choose that option, then you can give another dose of Baytril, just be sure to not over-dose the calf or you run the risk of destroying his joint cartilage. Sounds to me like your calf is in the process of developing pneumonia, he just has not developed all the symptoms yet. Baytril will usually head it off at the pass(and good for you for treating so quickly), but occasionally it doesn't. Flunexamine(sp?) or Banamine will reduce fever, make him feel better, and help to get him to eating again.
 
Thanks for all the good advise. Gave the calf the shots Sunday night. Monday nights the shivers stopped, and I noticed his gut was twitching. Today no twitching but still very slow, and droopy. He did go to the waterer. The reasons for shooting him with Baytril (single dose therapy) and Penicillin are one we didn't know what we were dealing with and two our facilities are rough and its difficult to catch them. Once we do we try to do as much as we think is safe. I talked to my feed rep. and he suggested probios. And yes they do need wormed I havent been able to get to that since they came in from pasture. It is on my list of things to get done. soon. The vet is coming out this afternoon. I should probably mention that I am a middle aged female, and have taken over our herd(115 Holstein steers, all bottle raised, by yours truly) responsibilities 2 years ago. That alone creates several limitations as I was not raised on a farm.

The vet is coming this afternoon and he WILL take temp first thing, listen to gut and lungs. I'll let you know his treatment.

Latta
 
Latta":34x31t6t said:
I should probably mention that I am a middle aged female, and have taken over our herd(115 Holstein steers, all bottle raised, by yours truly) responsibilities 2 years ago. That alone creates several limitations as I was not raised on a farm.

Even if you were raised on a farm, what you have undertaken...raising 115 holstein bull babies on bottles is mind boggling. My hat is sooooooo off to you! You also have my deepest sympathies.

Alice :)
 
:lol: Thank you for your condolences! At times I really ask myself........if I've lost my mind completely!!! The whole thing started out 10 years ago with one calf as a joke!

Latta
 
Latta":2ym9yaca said:
:lol: Thank you for your condolences! At times I really ask myself........if I've lost my mind completely!!! The whole thing started out 10 years ago with one calf as a joke!

Latta

Yes we have many descendants of various "jokes" around here - I can relate. Also the middle aged female doing most of the work.

Let us know how it goes. Sounds like pneumonia to me too.
 
Wish I could report "problem solved" but I cant. Vet came out and we were just getting started on a couple of larger calves (700#) one with a swollen hock and the other with pneumonia. My husbands uncle was here and he was helping by keeping the others at bay. The one with pneumonia bolted and sent him spinning, then down. He broke his wrist and that was the end of the Vet call. We didn't get to the one I was concerned with. I might try to get him out here again on Thursday. I checked on him this morning and he is still quiet. He is not heaving or shivering, but walking tenderly. I'm stumped, but he is eating and drinking, that's a good sign.

Latta
 
700 lb Holstein steer that bolts usually means he has been through all this treating stuff before. Was he sick as a calf?
Latta I respect what you are trying to do and I understand how difficult it must be for you, but I think you are going to have to improve facilities for handling sick cattle. You should not feel bad about it, there is probably not anybody on here that could not use improvement in this area especially me. Maybe a few corral panels to make a sick pen so that when the vet gets there they're ready to treat. A used chute or headgate will pay for its self quickly.

Larry
 
Thank you for all the good advise. Gave calf a shot of Nu-Flor yesterday and he is doing much better. Never had one with pneumonia that shivered. I guess I would too.

Latta
 
Oh, I'm so glad he's doing better! Just one more thing you can sock away in your experience file...

Alice
 

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