What is a lunger?

[Wisteria Farms]

OK.. from the way it sounds, I would guess its a calf/cow that doesn't ever fully recover from a respiratory infection???

Here's my question...I've been fooling with this calf thats had a really bad case of pneumonia. We've given heavy rounds of antibiotics and while she's back to taking her 2 bottles of milk replacer, she's not back on grain like she was and she STILL has the cough. No fever. No Snot. Respirations normal. Just can't get rid of the loose cough. From those of you who've been through this, how long can she have that cough?

I've also read that she may do better in the winter but she'll have a hard time in the heat of summer. "Hard time" as in how? Will letting her into the shade of a barn (with fans) be sufficient?
Those of you who say "ship her", I respect that but its not an option as my 9 y/o started raising her (I only took over when she got sick)...

Just curious for those of you who have held on to one that was so sick...(she's currently 2 1/2 mo old)

 

[dun]

We nursed one for a month that was really bad off, always seemed to have respritory problems, also scours. When we posted her she had the healthiest looking set of lungs you'll ever see.
As to the recovery of a "lunger", some will some won;t and some will appear to then go down fast when they are stressed.
As to the "hard time" it will be the same respritory problems that she has now. She may grow out of it, I've heard of it but never seen it, but anything is possible. Get a healthy calf for your 9 year old to fall in love with and get rid of this one. What will be worse, if you get rid of it now or you nurse it for months or till next summer and she dies?
"A sharp knife cuts cleanest"

 

[hillsdown]

OK.. from the way it sounds, I would guess its a calf/cow that doesn't ever fully recover from a respiratory infection???

Here's my question...I've been fooling with this calf thats had a really bad case of pneumonia. We've given heavy rounds of antibiotics and while she's back to taking her 2 bottles of milk replacer, she's not back on grain like she was and she STILL has the cough. No fever. No Snot. Respirations normal. Just can't get rid of the loose cough. From those of you who've been through this, how long can she have that cough?

I've also read that she may do better in the winter but she'll have a hard time in the heat of summer. "Hard time" as in how? Will letting her into the shade of a barn (with fans) be sufficient?
Those of you who say "ship her", I respect that but its not an option as my 9 y/o started raising her (I only took over when she got sick)...

Just curious for those of you who have held on to one that was so sick...(she's currently 2 1/2 mo old)

Hit her hard, off label with nuflor, that is pretty much the only drug for pneumonia that will not cause heart complications if you go off label . The last one I had I double dosed and did it IM every second day for a week. She recovered fully and is now on her 4th calf with not even a hiccup.
BUT remember off label can have complications as well .. ;-)

 

[Wisteria Farms]

HD.. THANK YOU!!

and by the way.. ignore everything in your PM box...
I saw an old message from LAST YEAR, thought it was from THIS YEAR.... oh, its late and I'm tired...

Thanks for the advice... you know Nuflor is the ONLY one that seemed to help her. We gave her a dose Sunday, then 2nd on Tuesday. Had I known I would have kept it going but I'm going to start back in as I really want her to pull through for me. She certainly is giving it her best shot....

 

[Wisteria Farms]

OK.. from the way it sounds, I would guess its a calf/cow that doesn't ever fully recover from a respiratory infection???

Here's my question...I've been fooling with this calf thats had a really bad case of pneumonia. We've given heavy rounds of antibiotics and while she's back to taking her 2 bottles of milk replacer, she's not back on grain like she was and she STILL has the cough. No fever. No Snot. Respirations normal. Just can't get rid of the loose cough. From those of you who've been through this, how long can she have that cough?

I've also read that she may do better in the winter but she'll have a hard time in the heat of summer. "Hard time" as in how? Will letting her into the shade of a barn (with fans) be sufficient?
Those of you who say "ship her", I respect that but its not an option as my 9 y/o started raising her (I only took over when she got sick)...

Just curious for those of you who have held on to one that was so sick...(she's currently 2 1/2 mo old)

Hit her hard, off label with nuflor, that is pretty much the only drug for pneumonia that will not cause heart complications if you go off label . The last one I had I double dosed and did it IM every second day for a week.

You know the saying when someone asks how you're doing and you say, "well, its better than the alternative."...Well, that's where I'm at now.. I figure anything I do is worth the risk as the alternative is going to be losing her. So, I'm taking your advice and will let you know how it works out... If I lose her then atleast I know I tried every "trick" in the bag.

 

[Wisteria Farms]

We nursed one for a month that was really bad off, always seemed to have respritory problems, also scours. When we posted her she had the healthiest looking set of lungs you'll ever see.
As to the recovery of a "lunger", some will some won;t and some will appear to then go down fast when they are stressed.
As to the "hard time" it will be the same respritory problems that she has now. She may grow out of it, I've heard of it but never seen it, but anything is possible. Get a healthy calf for your 9 year old to fall in love with and get rid of this one. What will be worse, if you get rid of it now or you nurse it for months or till next summer and she dies?
"A sharp knife cuts cleanest"

I've read your posts for too long to argue that you're not right... you are... but I'm a sap and probably blaming too much of it on my 9 year old... I'm just as attached :cry2: