sick calf bloated

[scf84]

found one of my calves laying in a small branch bloated this evening. i had just gave it a blackleg shot and wormed it friday and it acted fine before and after that. not sure how long it had been there but it was laying upright normal but couldnt get up (dont even try to) and is bloated. gave it a shot of pennicilin and got it up into the barn by itself. without looking its between 1-1.5 month old. i dont know what caused it or what i should do to help him any advice?

 

[branguscowgirl]

Take it's temp for starters. Could be any number of things going on. Hard to know with out a temp and something else to go by.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Be sure to look it over real well for any swollen joints or swollen navel. Listen to how it's breathing for any sounds, rapid respiration or mucous.

 

[scf84]

not sure on temp, nose is cool. cant find any thing wrong. its belly is real tight right now.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Might want to do a bloat drench if you think that it is truly "bloated" or get it to a vet before you loose it.

 

[Lucky_P]

Most common cause of 'bloat' - or, more likely, in that age calf... just abdominal distension... that I see at necropsy, is intestinal torsion - intestinal tract is twisted, sometimes 360 degrees or more, around the root of the mesentery. Blood supply is compromised, guts red/black and filled with gas.
Most folks just find 'em dead with a really tight belly... but I've seen some before they died - acting 'colicky' - up & down, kicking at belly, rolling around, etc.
It's an 'accident'; they get to running & jumping, and things get spun around in there. Not much you could do for them, even if you caught 'em early.

 

[jerry27150]

had that problem years ago with some of my calves & I can't remember what the vet had me give them but it worked