unsteady calf

[Anonymous]

MY CALF IS ABOUT 6 MTHS OLD, HAS ALWAYS HAD A COUGH OFF AND ON WITH DROOLING AND PHLEGM, ANTIBIOTICS HAVE FAILED TO HELP. SHE IS RECENTLY WEANED AND EATING FAIRLY WELL. OVER THE LAST 1-2 MTHS., SHE HAS BEEN ACTING VERY STIFF-LIKE, STANDING IN A "V" PATTERN WITH ALL FOUR FEET UNDER THE CENTER OF HER BODY WITH LITTLE CURVE TO HER BACK AS SHE EATS HER GRAIN. I TRIMMED HER HOOVES AND THIS DID NOT HELP. NO SIGN OF FOOT ROT OR JOINT SWELLING. SHE IS IN APPARENT PAIN WITH WALKING AND APPEARS TO WALK ON HER TIPPY TOES VERY GINGERLY, AND IS UNSTEADY. SHE DOESNT CURRENTLY HAVE A COUGH OR LUNG DISCHARGE. I HAVE NOT EVER VACCINATED HER, BUT I HAVE WORMED HER A COUPLE TIMES, AS WELL AS GIVEN ANTIBIOTICS. DOES SHE HAVE ARTHRITIS? THANKS FOR ANY POSSIBLE DIAGNOSES OR HELPS. SINCERELY, STEVE ANDREWS

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[Anonymous]

Ok, to start off....did she get enough colostrum or was she a bottle calf purchased in a sales barn? This may make a difference.....

She may have enzootic pneumonia, which is basically mycoplasma, which is poorly responsive to antibiotics. The calves will not grow as well as they should, it is chronic, and can involve joints. Prevention would involve raising bottle calves in hutches on clean ground in a disinfected hutch to prevent transmission. Another thing which is possible is abomasal ulcers from the stance when eating grain. Talk to your vet about the treatment of that. Good Luck V

> MY CALF IS ABOUT 6 MTHS OLD, HAS
> ALWAYS HAD A COUGH OFF AND ON WITH
> DROOLING AND PHLEGM, ANTIBIOTICS
> HAVE FAILED TO HELP. SHE IS
> RECENTLY WEANED AND EATING FAIRLY
> WELL. OVER THE LAST 1-2 MTHS., SHE
> HAS BEEN ACTING VERY STIFF-LIKE,
> STANDING IN A "V"
> PATTERN WITH ALL FOUR FEET UNDER
> THE CENTER OF HER BODY WITH LITTLE
> CURVE TO HER BACK AS SHE EATS HER
> GRAIN. I TRIMMED HER HOOVES AND
> THIS DID NOT HELP. NO SIGN OF FOOT
> ROT OR JOINT SWELLING. SHE IS IN
> APPARENT PAIN WITH WALKING AND
> APPEARS TO WALK ON HER TIPPY TOES
> VERY GINGERLY, AND IS UNSTEADY.
> SHE DOESNT CURRENTLY HAVE A COUGH
> OR LUNG DISCHARGE. I HAVE NOT EVER
> VACCINATED HER, BUT I HAVE WORMED
> HER A COUPLE TIMES, AS WELL AS
> GIVEN ANTIBIOTICS. DOES SHE HAVE
> ARTHRITIS? THANKS FOR ANY POSSIBLE
> DIAGNOSES OR HELPS. SINCERELY,
> STEVE ANDREWS