Update on Cripto. ?

[Wick]

Well found out it is a single cell parasite that is injested by the calf when it first sucks the mother. Where I got it I can't figure where it came from. I had VA Animal Health Lab do tests on the feses from the sick calves. The tests came back positive for Criptosporidium (moderate-heavy) and positve for a strand of E.Coli. All the info. I have found and been told by vets and the lab indicates there is no cure or real treatment for this Cripto. the E.Coli is responsive to Nuflor and Ampicilin, and another drug. Bad thing is that you just have to keep them hydrated and hope for the best. I have lost 2 calves from this and have 3 others sick. I isolated them from all the rest of the cows and am still treating them with my fingers crossed. I hope that no-one reading this ever has this parasite in their herd cause it is a baby calf killer. Especially when you have a full time job and other cows a calving, plus feeding all the other cattle. Hopefully things will get better with time. Just for others info. the calves were approx. 10 days old when first noticed this and their poop was watery and looked like pine-apple juice, the calves walked like they were drunk and looked as if they were biteing their tounges.

 

[cattleluvr18]

crypto's bad, really really bad. we only have saved one calf from it. it does not always come from mommas. the ones that we had were bucket calves. we have it on the farm...its just something that you cant get rid of. it is too bad that calves have to die this way...its a very sad, slow death. i never had the walkin around like they were drunk but im sure that its a symptom. i hope that your calves get better and you never have another one get sick. im terribly sorry for your lost. there really is no word to describe how sad this desease it.

 

[gendronf]

I had to deal with crypto and today I deal with crypto. Like you say it's very hard to save the calf but it's possible. First off all learn how to give IV electrolyte. This way you won't have to wait after your vet and the calf will get his electrolyte in time and the cost will be OK. Very often, when your calf began to act like he is "drunk" his stomac can't absorb the electrolyte but IV is OK.
This way, even if you can not have access to the med i talk about in your other post, you will save most of them. If I can do it, you can do it. Belive me and don't give up.
Marcel

 

[mystery74]

I just dealt with this : got a 2 day old calf started to show signs of scours the very next day,was very watery and yellow constantly treated for two weeks on my own, had to call a vet out due to dehydration, vet put him on a IV with 2 different antibiotics, she said he would be better in 5 days, No got worse, called the on-call vet out he did a fecal test for cryto- roto, and numerous other things, he tested positive for two different signs of e.coli, thank god no crypto however after 5 weeks he just got over it, and i had to give alot of supportive care, feeding four times a day, numerous shots and everything. I am really proud i didnt lose him, but it was really hard. keep trying.

 

[IL Rancher]

Nothing like the smell of cryptosporidia... Good god is it awfull.. Have never had it here but the wife worked at a research farm while we were dating and some of the bottle calves had it.. Ugh... Be carefull, I think of it as one of the fouler things you can catch from a sick calf.

 

[canwest]

I lost three calves to this. Couldn't keep enough fluids in them.
We have three more sick and i believe they are saved.
I used electrolytes an 80-1 powder 1 tbls to 2 quarts of water every three hrs.
3 ml shot of Baytril 100 injectable for three days. and believe it or not 2 oz of Pepto-Bizmo mixed in with the
above water mix.
These last three calves had that drunk stager, the discharge and i had an autopsy done
on a dead one and it is cripto. Two of the calves where sucking in 14hrs and no discharge.
The third is up and sucking but still discharging.
The Pepto idea is from a 2400 hundred head sow barn manager.
They use it for diarrhea in the baby pigs.
Hope this helps someone.

 

[joe]

sorry to hear you are having this problem. best you can do is keep them hydrated. it's one of those things that need to "run its course", and lasts 7-10 days. i just wanted to remind you to wash your hands well. in the past few years there have been two gals that got it from around here, and both wound up in the hospital. one gal frequents the board here. she is fairly tall, got down to 90 some pounds, and had her gall bladder shut down and had to have that removed too. so be careful.