When things don't work out

[milkmaid]

...like they should.

Regarding the calf with shipping fever -- I lost her. But not like you'd think.

I took her to the vet clinic with me yesterday, had a few others that needed stuff done to them, and wanted my vet to look at her. Her temp had been much closer to normal and she was beginning to act alright. Two more treatments was the plan, for a full 14 days on Micotil, and then pull her off and see what happened.

He didn't hear fluid in her lungs but said that some parts of her lungs definetly were not working. Apparently lung damage is NOT always permanent, they can heal themselves, BUT a calf like that is very succeptible to every stray bug that comes along.

Anyhow, I asked if we could also IV her with Immunoboost to try to stimulate her immune system. He said sure, and when he injected her she started to sway within about 5 seconds. I've seen calves with anaphylectic shock enough I knew what had happened. She hit the floor of the trailer, and I have honestly never seen my vet run before but he did this time. Guess that's a measure of how serious he thought the problem was.

He had a vet student there and the student had his stethoscope against her rib cage listening to her heart, and Doc was back in a flash with the epinephrine and Rally 20 and IV'd her in a moment. She was breathing pretty fast and with her lungs already compromised...

We got her up and Doc thought she'd be OK. I took her home, dropped her off, and she was standing when I left for work. Came home a few hours later and she was dead and looked like she'd been that way for awhile. Don't think she made it more than 30 minutes or so from the initial incident. I think it was just too much for her lungs as bad as they were.

You have you lose 'em, I know, but it sure doesn't make it any easier. Makes for either a big $$$ loss or two other mighty expensive calfies depending on how I want to call it.

 

[IluvABbeef]

Sorry for your loss, but like you said, thing like that do happen, no matter how hard you try to counteract the situation to prevent losing an animal.
But really, that's the strangest case of shipping fever I've heard of...

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Sorry you lost her MM. As always you did your best. I'm sure you learned a few more things with this one, to add to your knowledge bank. You're in good company, we've all lost a few to causes that weren't necessarily the original problem.

Katherine

 

[msscamp]

I'm sorry, milkmaid. You did your best and that is all anyone can do.

 

[Alice]

That's rough, MM. There's no way you could have forseen this happening. Bless your heart.

Alice

 

[3MR]

Sorry, that sucks!

 

[Howdyjabo]

Sorry Milkmaid

I think theres another lesson for you to learn here too.
You might not be ready to hear it right now- but tuck it back for latter.

There are times that you can actually kill animals by trying TOO hard.
Or at the very least--- you are pumping too much money away by trying too hard.

Its easier for me cause I don't have the time to try that hard
And I have lots of animals the spread the sucess and failures over.
So I can see it easier.

 

[Beefy]

theres not much worse than kicking yourself in the butt when you are trying to help and wind up doing more harm than good with an animal. i'm a firm believer in less is more 95% of the time. some may consider that lazy or negligent but it works, usually.

 

[TheBullLady]

I'm sorry to hear you lost her.. obviously you did everything ( and more) you could have!

Can I have your vet? Please?

 

[milkmaid]

Yeah, you know, I really didn't expect that sort of thing to happen. Guess it just didn't really occur to me the consequenses if she DID have a reaction. It's not the first time I've dropped calves -- vaccinations did it a time or two and Bo-Se did it another time -- but they recovered without incident. However -- the others were healthy to start with.

I guarantee ya'll that I've learned a tremendous amount in the past couple weeks (lesson #1 might be to give all calves a thorough check with stethoscope and thermometer before purchase; I suspect she had damaged lungs before, as a minimum) although it all might have been an expensive "class". :lol: Have to find a bit of humor in the situation as it's a case of laugh or cry.

I'm thinking I'll swing by my vet clinic tonight and see what he has to say. :nod: And no, 'Lady, I'm not giving him up.

 

[TheBullLady]

 

[Texan]

Don't be sad, TBL. We just need to start working on getting MM a slot in vet school at TAMU. When she gets finished, we won't let her leave Texas. ;-)

 

[milkmaid]

Don't be sad, TBL. We just need to start working on getting MM a slot in vet school at TAMU. When she gets finished, we won't let her leave Texas. ;-)

:lol: Assure me a spot in a vet school and after that we'll talk.

Friday wasn't all bad though. That afternoon we had a fresh cow go down in the holding pen prior to being milked, and boss let me do the IV (calcium and dextrose) on her. I was pretty pleased I was able to; I can count on one hand the number of IVs I've run. Had to do another one on that same cow yesterday, she went down inside the barn (not good) and wouldn't even try to get up. I suspected she was off feed and weak from a uterine infection, gave her an instant sugar high with a bottle of dextrose, and she found the strength to stand and walk out of the barn. Was pleased as punch with myself. ;-)

 

[dun]

Milkmaid, are you available for adoption?

dun

 

[milkmaid]

Milkmaid, are you available for adoption?

dun

:lol2: :lol2: I'm not, sorry.

 

[Beefy]

how about foreign exchange?

 

[Texan]

Milkmaid, are you available for adoption?

dun

You wait your turn, dun. :x

 

[milkmaid]

how about foreign exchange?

You trying to get rid of me? Ship me out of the country -- hmph! :x :lol:

Texan - :lol2: