Very sick steer

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JLH

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A friend of mine has a steer at our Ag barn. He started getting sick about two weeks ago. He went off his feed and got the scours really bad. They treated him with Probias and he did not get better. They took him to our local vet and she said she could not find anything wrong with him. He kept getting worse, by this time he had nothing but water coming out. They finally took him to a different vet who did all kinds of blood work and everything he could think of. The blood work only showed a high level of white blood cells, no other diseases. He put him on antibiotics. This was about three days ago and he still does not seem better. Is there anyone out there who might have an idea of what to do. The poor thing just stands or lays there and is straining to go to the bathroom but hardly anything is coming out. I know he has to be in pain. Would really appreciate any help with this.
 
I will tell them about the scour halt. Both vets checked for coccidiosis and they said he came back negative.
 
TurnThatCowLooseMaw":11pnsxef said:
You seriously might want to tell them that they might want to worm him. That is if they have not done so already. Did the vet check for worms?
A fecal exam is used to find coccidia, which will also find intestinal worms...
 
2 weeks ya say? alot of pain ya say? mister JLH what is it about this here steer that keeps ya from doen the right thing by him? its a dang steer son! even ifen ya do keep em alive it aint gonna give ya a calf or breed ya no cows! why ya putten him through it?
 
Actually it is missus and it is not my steer, so not my choice. They were hoping to get him well for our county show next week. It does not look like that will happen. They did check for worms and he has been wormed on a regular basis. That is what is puzzling and why and posted on here. I read on here alot and there seems to be a lot of knowledge. You never know if someone else has run across the same thing.
 
I will ask them about the e-coli. I don't know if the vet checked for that. I just hope he makes it. The kid has worked really hard with him for the past six months. I really hate to see him lose him. But, like I said it is not mine and all I can do is make suggestions.
 
I am not sure exactly of his age. Around 14 months. They have had him on Ringmaster finisher. I am not sure what all is in it. We feed something else. It has a high corn content.
 
Coccidiosis generally affects young calves...

Is he still eating? hay? grain?

drinking?

Calf had an exam done? rumen working? checked for a DA?
 
Displaced abomasum...basically a twisted gut. I have a cow here that just had surgery to correct a DA so it's kind of at the forefront of my mind. LOL.
 
I had been thinking something like that. Somthing out of the ordinary since everything else had been checked. I will tell them about this tomorrow. That might explain the infection too. I had a cow with hardware disease a few months ago and that took a while to diagnose also.
 
Seems very unusual for a 14 month old calf to be getting the scours, or a displaced abomasum for that matter. Its got to be some oddball thing, congenital from birth, that is just showing up now or something.

Let us know what happens.

GMN
Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.
 
Show steers are on pretty "hot" feed - I tend to think anything that's being "pushed" hard or on unusual feed rations (as opposed to 100% pasture/hay) are prone to a whole host of digestive problems. Anything that causes them to go off feed for even a short time can cause DAs. Weather. Calving. Running out of feed. Etc. The abomasum is empty and full of air/gas, and it just "flips". Whammo you now have a problem. They can go quite some time with a DA and without surgery and still be alive - 2 or 3 weeks even - but they sure don't do well.
 
I am familiar with the Ringmaster Finisher formula....it's pretty well put together, with 5% fat. It's not a really high corn content, with a consistent level of cottonseed hulls for good roughage. Unless something is being added or feeding management is abnormal, I doubt it's the feed.
 
They called the vet again today while I was out there. He was in pain. Not sure what they are going to do or if there is anything at this point to do. Thanks for all the useful info. Will let you all know how it turns out.
 
So sorry to hear about the steer.. not a good situation for the people involved, or the steer.

Is the vet giving the steer Banamine? It's not going to solve whatever is wrong with him, but will help with the pain and fever, if he has any.

Let us know what is found.. if anything is found.
 
Cow I have that had surgery was ~5 days fresh when she flipped, on hay silage and a little bit of plain corn/barley grain. Nothing special and certainly not a "hot" feed. Just happens sometimes.

Thanks for the update and do let us know how it turns out.
 
Well, the steer died this morning. They are trying to find a vet to do an autopsy. We would really like to know what the problem was. Will let you know if they find anything. Just getting a vet to do something out here is like pulling eye teeth. We are surrounded by cattle but can't get a vet to come out half the time.
 

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