sick bull calf, six months old

[jilleroo]

This big fat senepol x charolais bull calf was fine a few days ago. His stomach is not distended but the hair around his "widdler" is dry.
I assume there's been no rupture yet but that he has a blockage.

My question is - Would anti-inflammatories help at this stage? It's dark now so I wouldnt be able to give him anything until tomorrow by which time he will be worse for sure. I have dex and tolejec (tolfenamic acid).

We have shot three male calves already this year with waterbelly, all of which have grazed the same paddock.

 

[alisonb]

My question is - Would anti-inflammatories help at this stage?

I would think that it will not help for symptoms/blockage but would just ease the animals pain until you decide what is to be done with it(vet, shot etc) then again perhaps the stone is small and without any pain the animal can pass it.
Have you found out where the high intake of phosphorus/calcium is coming from yet, are the just on grass?

 

[jilleroo]

Thanks for that alisonb. I rang a niece who works in a feedlot and she said to inject 10mm of dex straight into his sheath, which I have done. She said they have great success curing them in the feedlot using anti-inflammatories, usually dex. I went and got him at daylight, he is still very poorly, not sucking his mother etc. Will see what happens today.
Will talk to the local office of the relevant government department to see what suggestions they might have about a cause e.g. phosphorus etc. Our bore water is high in calcium and magnesium - but this calf hasnt been on bore water.
A very strange co-incidental thing that did happen was last Thursday I shot a six foot king brown snake right near this particular calf.
The calf had been following it, with a couple of mates, which drew my attention to it as I rode by. After I shot it, they were jumping all around it and, later when I went by that area again, they were camped next to it. Can't see how it could have bitten him though after I shot it as I made sure its head was squashed - and that was five days before I noticed him crook.

 

[jillaroo]

Do you have any Lasix/Salix? Give him a shot IM or IV and he should urinate within 20 minutes if he is able. You can also palpate his bladder rectally and that will tell you if he has ruptured yet.
It's a pretty simple surgery to fix a waterbelly and they heal up really well if not septic.

 

[hillsdown]

Do you have any Lasix/Salix? Give him a shot IM or IV and he should urinate within 20 minutes if he is able. You can also palpate his bladder rectally and that will tell you if he has ruptured yet.
It's a pretty simple surgery to fix a waterbelly and they heal up really well if not septic.

D@mmm, you two make it confusing to read ....Jillaroo Jilleroo :lol2:

I agree with the Lasix however Dex is the next best thing ... Good luck with the bull Jill ..

 

[jilleroo]

Okay....he did a wee. He's now sucking the cow. Was it the dex? Or not? Will it reoccur? Time will tell. He's still not his normal self, just getting by. Thanks everyone for the help. I'm home alone as usual and it's great to be able to get input from people.

Yes, we two jills are confusing - although I think the jill with the "a" is more knowledgeable than I am! I see cattle all day every day but don't actually have to deal with that many sick ones.

 

[jillaroo]

Yes, we two jills are confusing - although I think the jill with the "a" is more knowledgeable than I am! I see cattle all day every day but don't actually have to deal with that many sick ones.

Sorry about stealing your handle! I did not see that you were registered until later. The Aussie's that worked here for a calving season used to call me a "jillaroo" and I thought it was a neat name.
Anyways, you are too kind and thanks for the compliment. :tiphat: I saw a lot of stuff in the feedlot.
Glad your calf turned out alright.
Cheers!