sick calf

[Red51]

I need some advice on a sick calf. We bought her from a feed lot on May 6 2005 and on May 10 she developed swelling in the left ankle joint. On May 11, she developed swelling in right knee joint.She is a bottle fed calf, her appetite is good and she has had no fever. On May 6 and 7 she was giving 2cc. of LA200 and had a reaction so we discontinued it's use. On May 12, we took her to the vet and they said that they didn't know what was wrong with her but they give her 3cc. of nuflor and 10cc. Lasix with no improvement. On May 13 and 14 I give her 3cc. of dextramethazone with no results. She can currently stand and walk about 10 to 15 steps before she lays down again. I have been rubbing her joints with elexar liniment and it seems to ease her pain where she can walk a little better. I would appreciate any info. anyone can give me. Thanks.

 

[dun]

I'm sure somebody else has a better idea, but to me it sounds like pretty much generic "navel ill". There may be better antibiotics now but we treared it with massive doses of long acting penecillin and asprin for the pain and swelling. Long term treatment. If memory serves we gave a shot every other day for over a month.

dun

 

[Farmhand]

Sounds like dun has it right. Did you notice any swelling at the navel? It is close to impossible to treat once it starts swelling the joints. Really intensive like dun said.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Don't mean to be unkind at all...ok? I'd take the calf to the sale barn when it is better. Too easy to eat up your profits on a marginal health or condition calf or adult. Too easy for an individual from a feedlot (or some sale barns or some private places) to catch something from their herd.

A Caveat: "Purchase a $500 healthy calf" vs. "Purchase an $250 unknown calf + medication & Vet bills" = Both probably end up costing the same (unless the $250 calf dies or is not worth breeding later).

 

[jerry27150]

what kind of reaction to la200 with only 2cc, that's hardly enough for a baby pig. sounds like navel ill to me also

 

[Red51]

The LA200 caused major confusion and she stopped eating. Her coordination was bad. The vet has checked the navel for infection but I will go out and check it myself. I will try the penicillan and aspirin and I don't plan on buying anymore calves from the feedlot and take no offense in someone telling me what a bad idea it is. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I agree it sounds like classic naval ill. But naval ill does not always show signs of infection at the naval. It is called that, because the bugs enter the system & get into the blood stream through the naval at birth.
I have not heard of very good luck curing it - verrry long term. And, I don't think I would want to keep it for a replacement heifer. Even if you "cure" the naval ill, chances are this calf had a poor start and that tends to affect the rest of their life.

 

[dun]

I agree it sounds like classic naval ill. But naval ill does not always show signs of infection at the naval. It is called that, because the bugs enter the system & get into the blood stream through the naval at birth.
I have not heard of very good luck curing it - verrry long term. And, I don't think I would want to keep it for a replacement heifer. Even if you "cure" the naval ill, chances are this calf had a poor start and that tends to affect the rest of their life.

What have you got against the Navy?

I guess I should have refered to it as navel/joint ill, same thing just manifests itself in a different place.
We did retain a heifer that had navel ill. She was the only one we've ever had that freshened with so much edema in her udder that we had to give her shots for it. She milked well enough afterwards, but the upper portion of her udder was alwasy just a little hard, not fleshy hard or mastitis hard. More like scar tissue hard. Asked the vet about the connection and he said he didn;t think they were related, but that they could be. At least he doesn;t think he knows every answer.

dun

 

[bward]

Sounds like the arthritic form of iteme. I would treat aggressively with Nuflor and when the animal recovers then vaccinate with H somnus, and make sure you do a booster.

Just my opinion.

 

[ctlbaron]

Might have hit a vain with the LA200. Knocked one flat on his butt about a year ago. He was OK the next day.

 

[Red51]

Went out last night and the calf had bloody scours. She was dead when I went out to feed this morning. Thanks for all the advice. I guess this one just wasn't going to make it.

 

[stocky]

sorry to hear about your loss. i had one other idea and it is a thought from experience, but might be a longshot. when you were talking about the swelling in the joints and having gotten it from a feedlot my initial thought was that it was sick and they had given it too much micatil. if you overdose a young calf on micatil, it will cause permanent arthritis and joint malfunction. it is easy to overdose because you only give 1 1/2 cc per hundred pounds and you cant re-doctor until after 72 hours----my thought is that it was sick and they gave it micatil and then gave it again too quick and it got well temporarily and then the effects of the overdose set in. normally, the calf will live but will be crippled all its life, sounds like this one had a relapse---could be wrong but it sure sounds like a couple of experiences i have had, that is why i quit giving micatil to anything under 200 lbs